Who We Used To Be

This is based solely on my own observation of the world and bits of information that have picked up over several conversations, classes, watching the news, etc.

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Who we used to be hates who we are. The country as a whole not that long ago was an innovating and producing machine. We were the top in the world in education, in production of goods, etc. But when technology, created by us, took its hold our nation lots its steam. Maybe it was just a victory rest. You know the saying, "Laying on your laurels." Or perhaps it was the passing of a torch from generation to the next. I seriously doubt that it was only one single thing that happened to turn a once top notch nation to one that can hardly keep its head above the rising tides of the worlds progress. Are we still on top in many categories? Yes. But are we losing ground faster than we are making new ground? Yes.

Here is the issue. Somewhere a long the line we wound up with babies raising babies. Somewhere in the generation lineage we lost something. Maybe it was discipline. Maybe it was the fact that we could provide more. Or maybe the technological change that came with the invention of the internet forever changed this country in ways that can never be reversed. I am not against the internet or technology at all, only its misapplication and abuse as gifts to the world. Back to the start of this paragraph, we wound up with too many bad parents raising too many bad children. This is the start of a sad cycle that will continue on forever. The internet and the TV became the babysitters along with video games. Connection to people and nature were supplemented and condensed to nature shows, cartoons, and e-mailing. We lost what it meant to live by the sweat of your brow. America, the once industrial giant, killed its main industry.

In economics its called creative destruction. One firm creates a new industry, usually through technological change, while it destroys another. In this case it was technology itself that destroyed the industrial power of this country. Now things could be organized by software, and logistics became easier and easier. The global economy became more accessible and jobs and even entire industries began to migrate elsewhere than home. It was cheaper to make things in China and Taiwan than it was in the United States. And all the working class could do is sit back and watch.

At the same time new and wonderful things were happening. The magic known formally known as the internet is an amazing gift to mankind. The ability to instantly communicate with anyone anywhere is simply amazing. But with all good things there are the bad.

We have wound up with a generation now that can hardly fend for themselves. We have adults who cannot mail a package to someone. We have adults who don't know how to wash their own clothes. Perhaps this is due to their up-brining? But is it really fair to blame the parents alone? What happened to the inquiring minds of yesteryear? The minds that built the first car, the first radio, television, wireless phone? What happened to them? Did they disappear from the face of the earth? Or is it that they are simply trapped in an challenged mind of an adult who grew up letting someone else do their work. Letting mommy and daddy take care of them until they slowly merged into independence.

A generation of people riding free on the innovation of our fathers. Think about that. An entire generation of Americans seemingly content with sitting back watching reality TV and tweeting their every move instead of sitting around the kitchen table learning from their parents as our parents did. Or sitting around the fire reading and learning from previous generations. Asking questions, creating dreams and visions for their lives and having the fortitude to go after it instead of being rewarded for mediocrity. Sometimes trying hard just isn't good enough. Its rough but its the truth. No one wants to get hurt. The just want to float down stream getting away with as little as they can. Riding free on the work that had been and will no longer continue to be done by the many instead of the few.

Will this generation turn into the second lost generation? I'm not sure but it will be interesting to watch as the years roll by in front and behind me like telephone poles on the open road.