... the young always right, the old always wrong

[GURPS]

85 Years Ago, Chesterton nailed the Boomers

“A generation is now growing old, which never had anything to say for itself except that it was young. It was the first progressive generation – the first generation that believed in progress and nothing else…. [They believed] simply that the new thing is always better than the old thing; that the young man is always right and the old wrong. And now that they are old men themselves, they have naturally nothing whatever to say or do. Their only business in life was to be the rising generation knocking at the door. Now that they have got into the house, and have been accorded the seat of honour by the hearth, they have completely forgotten why they wanted to come in. The aged younger generation never knew why it knocked at the door; and the truth is that it only knocked at the door because it was shut. It had nothing to say; it had no message; it had no convictions to impart to anybody…. The old generation of rebels was purely negative in its rebellion, and cannot give the new generation of rebels anything positive against which it should not rebel. It is not that the old man cannot convince young people that he is right; it is that he cannot even convince them that he is convinced. And he is not convinced; for he never had any conviction except that he was young, and that is not a conviction that strengthens with years.”
- G.K. Chesterton, Illustrated London News of July 9, 1921​

 

[barsook8]

Absolutely spot on. The Greatest Generation fought WWII, came home, and sadly and ironically raised the Most Selfish Generation. Coddled from birth (see, for example, "American Graffiti"), the boomer generation continues to stand for nothing but self-indulgent "gimmee." Our only hope is that these things (as the date of Chesterton's article points out) seem to be cyclical.

 

[LibertyBeacon]

Greatest Generation, my ass. Are we talking about the radically selfish who have been self-righteously eating the seed corn and burning the precious family furniture since at least Woodstock?

What a crock of ####.

When the younger generations finally wake up and figure out what's been done them, they are going to be mighty pizzed. I for one can't wait.

Just spare me this "greatest generation" bullcrap. Much like today's youth they too were lied to and manipulated, and they were either too stupid or too narcissistic and self-absorbed to figure it out and make any sort of change.

 

[b23hqb]

Greatest Generation, my ass. Are we talking about the radically selfish who have been self-righteously eating the seed corn and burning the precious family furniture since at least Woodstock?

What a crock of ####.

When the younger generations finally wake up and figure out what's been done them, they are going to be mighty pizzed. I for one can't wait.

Just spare me this "greatest generation" bullcrap. Much like today's youth they too were lied to and manipulated, and they were either too stupid or too narcissistic and self-absorbed to figure it out and make any sort of change.

Woodstock is my generation, you moron. The greatest generation preceded me - my WWII parents generation. Take some of that seed corn you speak of and plant it right up your wazoo.

 

[LibertyBeacon]

Woodstock is my generation, you moron. The greatest generation preceded me - my WWII parents generation.

Yes, and they've been ####ing things up since at least Woodstock, maybe a bit earlier. And the following generation (of which I am a part, BTW) has been just as irresponsible.

Take some of that seed corn you speak of and plant it right up your wazoo.

I deeply apologize for running afoul of your tender sensibilities.

 

[LibertyBeacon]

LB misinterpreting what he read? Imagine that. He's going to be so mad! Made my day!

Hi sweetheart. I hope this day finds you well.

Do you have a reference to that accusation you made of plagiarism?

Those were your words. You should probably disavow them now. Or own them.

 

[littlelady]

Hi sweetheart. I hope this day finds you well.

Do you have a reference to that accusation you made of plagiarism?

Those were your words. You should probably disavow them now. Or own them.

Thanks! You, too! I owe you nothing.

 

[b23hqb]

Yes, and they've been ####ing things up since at least Woodstock, maybe a bit earlier. And the following generation (of which I am a part, BTW) has been just as irresponsible.




I deeply apologize for running afoul of your tender sensibilities.

When the corn seeds germinate up yours, stick a straw in it and go shrimping. You are a moron.

 

[LibertyBeacon]

When the corn seeds germinate up yours, stick a straw in it and go shrimping. You are a moron.

There I go again bringing out the best in folks.

 

[vraiblonde]

Most parents want "better" for their kids, which is how the Greatest Generation begat the selfish ignorant hippies of the Boomer Generation, who went on to beget the disaffected vapid Gen Xers, who in turn birthed the more socially conscious but amazingly self-absorbed Millennials (aka "Trophy Kids").

Every generation looks for something to believe in, and they are predisposed by human nature to reject what their parents valued. (This is not meant to be 100%, but a generalization - I am aware that there are young people today who throw back to other value systems.) As each generation becomes more progressive - as in they are more tolerant of diverse lifestyles and cultures - they have less and less to rebel against, so they start making it up. I always figured at some point the circle would complete and start again, with kids being more like their great-grandparents in terms of values and beliefs. Think about it: what would piss off a Millennial more than having a kid who was religious and patriotic?

Anyway, G. K. Chesterton doesn't get credit for original thinking with his criticism of youth. That is as old as time, and true when Ogg's smartass teenager, not content to do things in the traditional manner, invented the wheel.

 

[Monello]

Anyway, G. K. Chesterton doesn't get credit for original thinking with his criticism of youth. That is as old as time, and true when Ogg's smartass teenager, not content to do things in the traditional manner, invented the wheel.

Quite old indeed.

“The children now love luxury. They have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers."

― Socrates (469 – 399 BC)

 

[LibertyBeacon]

Quite old indeed.

That wasn't Socrates, however it is relevant indeed regardless of the genesis of it.

http://quoteinvestigator.com/2010/05/01/misbehaving-children-in-ancient-times/

Also, The Janitor and Principal scene from The Breakfast Club:

 

[GURPS]

Quite old indeed.

isn't that grand ....

 

[Pushrod]

Greatest Generation, my ass. Are we talking about the radically selfish who have been self-righteously eating the seed corn and burning the precious family furniture since at least Woodstock?

What a crock of ####.

When the younger generations finally wake up and figure out what's been done them, they are going to be mighty pizzed. I for one can't wait.

Just spare me this "greatest generation" bullcrap. Much like today's youth they too were lied to and manipulated, and they were either too stupid or too narcissistic and self-absorbed to figure it out and make any sort of change.

What generation do you consider the "greatest" in the past one hundred years? I do consider my Grandparents generation the 'greatest' in my eyes. My Grandfather fought in WWII was injured on the beaches of Normandy during D-Day (part of his hand blown away) and still fought on. Came home after the war and made a life for his family, worked hard, raised a son, didn't spend beyond his means. The work ethic, courage and moral road of my grandparents generation is something I always strived to adhere to. Did they have problems, make mistakes? Sure, but nothing like what we see today.

 

[Larry Gude]

Quite old indeed.

Thank you.

This is as old as mankind; the kids are soft and have it too easy and the last generation was far better.

The noteworthy thing about this is how oblivious we are to it as evidence by this thread. That's not news either. The 'greatest' generations folks thought they were a bunch of spoiled brats. Robert E. Lee was constantly complaining how he couldn't get '...you young men...' to be responsible and do as he wished.

I guess this all serves some need we have to be dismissive of 'the kids' and hold reverence for the old folks?

 

[Larry Gude]

What generation do you consider the "greatest" in the past one hundred years? I do consider my Grandparents generation the 'greatest' in my eyes. My Grandfather fought in WWII was injured on the beaches of Normandy during D-Day (part of his hand blown away) and still fought on. Came home after the war and made a life for his family, worked hard, raised a son, didn't spend beyond his means. The work ethic, courage and moral road of my grandparents generation is something I always strived to adhere to. Did they have problems, make mistakes? Sure, but nothing like what we see today.

The Greatest generation helped destroy two of the most socially respectful, honorable and responsible cultures in world history; Imperial Japan and Wiemar Germany. Those cultures strongly respected their elders, demanded responsibility from the kids, industriousness, usefulness, sacrifice, self control, manners, you name it.

 

[vraiblonde]

The Greatest generation helped destroy two of the most socially respectful, honorable and responsible cultures in world history; Imperial Japan and Wiemar Germany. Those cultures strongly respected their elders, demanded responsibility from the kids, industriousness, usefulness, sacrifice, self control, manners, you name it.

Just when I think you have lost the power to shock me....you do.

 

[Larry Gude]

Just when I think you have lost the power to shock me....you do.

??? What is shocking about it???? That is exactly how both those cultures were.

 

[Larry Gude]

??? What is shocking about it???? That is exactly how both those cultures were.

Especially in relation to us at the time. They both expressly saw us a spoiled and lazy and soft. :shrug:

 

[Pushrod]

The Greatest generation helped destroy two of the most socially respectful, honorable and responsible cultures in world history; Imperial Japan and Wiemar Germany. Those cultures strongly respected their elders, demanded responsibility from the kids, industriousness, usefulness, sacrifice, self control, manners, you name it.

Maybe their cultures were but the governments were not. Hitler and the Nazis were not in any sense of the words, respectful, honorable, or responsible.

I also don't understand what you are getting at by stating that that generation of American's helped to destroy those two cultures as if we decided one day to attack Germany and Japan without provocation. They heeded the call of our country and served with dignity and distinction.