Monday, July 23, 2007
Birthday musings
Saturday I went to my godmother's birthday celebration. At the party there was a mixture of all different age groups ranging from 70's to those not even in double figures. As I listened to the toasts and celebration of my Godmother's life it struck me that for her and her generation it was for the most part lives of service. I thought about myself and my peer group and for the most part it was not a satisfactory picture. The truth is by the time Godmother was my age she and her closest circle were already making their mark.
Is it that their generation were imbued with a community and national spirit while we are more individualistic? Not sure that I know the answer totally but I do know when we get together most of our conversations centre around the places we've been, the vacations we are planning on taking, the tv shows, the clothes and new gadgets we want. Sometimes, we don't even bother to physically meet but prefer to make phone calls or text each other to get online and while away time on MSN. Sure, we talk about things that affect our island but for the most part we do not seem to realise that we can actively seek to make a difference. In short the picture I saw was one of selfishness/self centredness and it was quite sobering.
Is it that their generation were imbued with a community and national spirit while we are more individualistic? Not sure that I know the answer totally but I do know when we get together most of our conversations centre around the places we've been, the vacations we are planning on taking, the tv shows, the clothes and new gadgets we want. Sometimes, we don't even bother to physically meet but prefer to make phone calls or text each other to get online and while away time on MSN. Sure, we talk about things that affect our island but for the most part we do not seem to realise that we can actively seek to make a difference. In short the picture I saw was one of selfishness/self centredness and it was quite sobering.
# posted by Abeni @ 5:37 PM 
Comments:
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So very true, even in our relationships, its more what our other bought us, where he took us...
We just don't hold as much value in the simple everyday things like honesty, integrity, faithfulness.
great post Albeni..sorry to hear you won't be visiting me.
We just don't hold as much value in the simple everyday things like honesty, integrity, faithfulness.
great post Albeni..sorry to hear you won't be visiting me.
Before you get too nostalgic for romantic ideals of past generations, don't forget that they didn't exactly live in a paradise. There may have been more of a sense of community but the world was a lot larger than. People travel a lot more now than they ever did and you're able to meet people from around the world with a click of a button and learn about different cultures first hand then out of a book.
It's easy to say that things were better back when, but were they really? My grandfather lived through two world wars, a depression, and in most states I wouldn't been able to have married my wife because of segregation laws.
Things are getting better all of the time. Nostalgia has a selective memory.
It's easy to say that things were better back when, but were they really? My grandfather lived through two world wars, a depression, and in most states I wouldn't been able to have married my wife because of segregation laws.
Things are getting better all of the time. Nostalgia has a selective memory.
# posted by 
: 7:52 PM
: 7:52 PM
Chris it's not nostalgia per se. It's just that while things are better in many ways we seem to be less caring etc.
Hmmm, I still don't think this generation is any less caring than any before it. The perception always seems to be that things are getting worse when in reality things are getting better all the time.
# posted by : 9:36 PM
: 9:36 PM
i'll disagree with chris, i do think that this present generation is less caring. and its getting worse with the youngsters coming up. most everyone are selfcentered and selfish
Kids!
I don't know what's wrong with these kids today!
Kids!
Who can understand anything they say?
Kids!
They a disobedient, disrespectful oafs!
Noisy, crazy, dirty, lazy, loafers!
Why can't they be like we were,
Perfect in every way?
What's the matter with kids today?
From Bye Bye Birdie, 1960
And JDid, is this anecdotal or you actually have hard data to back it up?
I don't know what's wrong with these kids today!
Kids!
Who can understand anything they say?
Kids!
They a disobedient, disrespectful oafs!
Noisy, crazy, dirty, lazy, loafers!
Why can't they be like we were,
Perfect in every way?
What's the matter with kids today?
From Bye Bye Birdie, 1960
And JDid, is this anecdotal or you actually have hard data to back it up?
# posted by : 9:25 AM
: 9:25 AM
That's so true. As you noted, we don't even link up with each other anymore. I think it has to do with the fact that more women are going out to work, consumed with breaking the glass ceiling in addition to taking care of their traditional duties of raising the children.
Don't you notice how we hardly even commune as a family anymore? Once upon a time, hussy would take wifey to work, drop children at school and that would be a little family time. Now with mother driving, father driving, children driving at 16 sometimes, there's barely time for family much less others.
It's the price we pay for progress.
Darn, I've done a whole post in your comments. Hehe.
Don't you notice how we hardly even commune as a family anymore? Once upon a time, hussy would take wifey to work, drop children at school and that would be a little family time. Now with mother driving, father driving, children driving at 16 sometimes, there's barely time for family much less others.
It's the price we pay for progress.
Darn, I've done a whole post in your comments. Hehe.
# posted by : 5:46 PM
: 5:46 PM
Just read the comments and there are in fact improvements in several areas as Chris pointed out. But it's like this, we gain in one area and lose in the other.
Women can work, aspire to any position. But I think that has impacted on our family life.
I like the advancements but I wish we could retain some of our old time values.
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Women can work, aspire to any position. But I think that has impacted on our family life.
I like the advancements but I wish we could retain some of our old time values.
# posted by : 5:54 PM
: 5:54 PM << Home
