Some Things Never Change

Memes come and go, but some seem to have a half-life akin to uranium-238. One that I see regularly proudly proclaims the person posting being of the last generation to drink out of a hose, play outside until dark, respecting their parents, etc. Another related one talks about the current batch of up-and-coming humans being soft, lazy, selfish, frivolous, not able to communicate properly...on and on.

Really?

First, let the record show my first kid was born back in the dark ages of the 1980s, followed by another in the early 90s. My most recent offspring was born in 2011. Do I know what I’m doing as a parent? Hell, no, are you freaking kidding me? I’ve been making it up and getting away with it for well over thirty years. I’m not an expert on anything and certainly not on parenting. But I am a reasonably keen observer of people and the world, something I’ve worked at since I was knee-high to the mastodons my generation had to hunt down with sticks as we made our way across the frozen tundra running from the last of the dinosaurs (hush, I’m on a roll).

So I’m going to share a few observations.

Putting aside the generalizations being painted with such big brush strokes that a single swipe could wipe out the Sistine Chapel ceiling, kids are kids are kids, just as adults are adults are adults. Now and forevermore.

My grandmother was born in 1907 and lived with us during her twilight time. I was fortunate enough to have many chats with her over the years, although I wish I had taken the time to have more. One of the frequent stories was about her riding around on the back of an Indian

motorcycle in the late nineteen twenties and how she was roundly criticized for her ‘loose’ ways as well as how her generation was accused of losing god (pick your flavor) and allowing themselves to get too caught up with the latest fads that were bound to pass. You know, things like radio and women voting.

That tale and other similar ones didn't stop her, though, from roundly criticizing kids that came to our house as being slovenly for not wearing socks with sneakers. Nor from lamenting that my mother’s generation didn't have the gumption or work ethic of her own generation.

When I was coming up, as the saying goes, in the 1970s, adults were all about the evils of marijuana and how the generation currently in and just out of high school was useless, didn't appreciate how easy they had it, and had no respect for anything or anyone.

I don’t know about you, but I’m sensing a theme.

Let’s add to that the following quote:

“We defy anyone who goes about with his eyes open to deny that there is, as never before, an attitude on the part of young folk which is best described as grossly thoughtless, rude, and utterly selfish.”

That’s from a newspaper article in 1925.

Another, from 1936:

“...alluding to the problem of young people and their English he said his experience was that many did not seem able to express or convey to other people what they meant. They could not put their meaning into words,and found the same difficulty when it came to writing.”

And here’s an oldy but a goody:

“The beardless youth... does not foresee what is useful, squandering his money.”

Horace, 1st Century BC

Good old Horace. He probably yelled at neighborhood kids to get off his villa’s lawn and to get a job hawking figs down at the Circus Maximus.

There is a long tradition of adults slamming the new generations for their myriad of supposed faults. The same faults those adults were criticized for. Sure, some are lazy, willfully ignorant, spendthrifts...but so were some of our generation. And our parents’. All the way back to Horace and those damn kids who were wasting denarii on quince and fig lattes.

Look, I get it. There was nothing like the years when you were growing up. Or when Horace was. I won’t even get into (right now) the bigotry, racism, sexism, and narrow boxes everyone was expected to squeeze into, spanning umpteen generations across multiple cultures. Your generation was mighty, the epitome of western civilization, its like never to be seen again.

Until the next one came along, thinking the same thing about themselves. And the one after that.

Maybe all us getting-to-be-oldsters should put those rose-colored glasses in a drawer and remember what it’s like to be just starting out. Different environment in many ways compared to a generation ago, sure. But it always is and, as always, kids are kids are kids.

And they’re doing the best they can.

Same as we did. And are.