"This Generation's" Pearl Harbor moment?

[rusnak]

I don't see the value of making this statement. For one, I don't see what Pearl Harbor or WWII has to do with anything. Same for 9/11. Stupid analogies.

But I've been thinking a lot about it, and I believe there are some worthwhile analogies to be made. In all cases, it is a sustained, shared calamity or prolonged period of near universal suffering that has "defined" a generation - NOT a single event. For example, The Great Depression defined all that lived through it, not the Great Crash of 1929. The Civil War defined Americans of the late 1800s and in fact re-defined our country. The entirely of WWII defined the 'Greatest Generation'. They are not called the greatest generation because of December 7, 1941. That would be totally silly.

My generation was labelled "Gen X". We were defined by the post-"rock you like a hurricane 1980s" recession, which happened in the early 1990s. The movie "Reality Bites" and the TV series "Friends" perfectly captured the cynicism of that era; Grunge rock, all of that. We went into the 1990s as smug Ferris Beuller full of self-esteem, and came out as "Ross" -- full of self-pity and depression. We thought we liked Captain Picard, but instead got Commander Benjamin Cisco, stuck in a rut. Unable to get out.

The "Millennials" share the 2008 recession. They were between school age, to late teens. And honestly, were co-opted to a LARGE DEGREE by those who were school age children when the 1990s recession hit. So now, realistically we are talking about people from say 25ish to 35ish. They are characterized by a lack of emotional maturity. We call them "precious snowflakes" due to the almost subconscious "I am damaged goods and wear my heart on my sleeve" tendency that they identify with. For example, Lewis Hamilton is one of the richest sportsmen to ever live, and he SIMPLY MUST pity himself, what with his "Still I Rise" bullsh!+. They wear flip flops to a job that requires steel toe boots.

That's how we get Billie Ellish. I can't tell if she's crying, but they tell me she is "singing". OK, I will take your word for it. But I stop short of saying that she is talented. What she DOES DO is tick the boxes of the "I am damaged goods, don't you understand my fear and suffering and self hate" generation.

So the next question is what will we see from the COVID-19 generation?

Enter your predictions here. My guess is that this will be the generation to identify MORE WITH EUROPE than they do the USA.

Why? Because they will see the individual freedoms, the individual initiative, work ethic, as negatives. These former virtues will be things to be suppressed for the good of the collective. Ask a few of the Millennials here if they disagree with that point of view (Sugarwood). The concept of due process will be compressed, expedited, implied and made tacit by your mere citizenship. Forget about your "individual" rights. We did away with those stupid ideas when we decided that the GOVERNMENT should protect us. And the GOVERNMENT will decide what is best for us. And we will live in a giant prophylactic bubble, safe from harm and free of risk. Oh, initiative? You don't need that anymore.

[rusnak]

This guy (forget about the female gender identification, focus on the analysis at around 22:00) does a great job of talking about how the psyche protects itself. It forms a construct, a narrative if you like, about the world in order to protect itself. This is why the Millennial generation appears to be undergoing an epidemic of narcissism. These are all people who in some degree have checked out of interacting with reality. They are interacting with their construct.

This is how a narcissist is created. Not born, created. Self-gratification and work avoidance become COPING MECHANISMS. Look how many people are addicted chemically to their phones? They take hits of dopamine all day, every day. This started as a way to distract the psyche from stress, during periods of great stress, anxiety, and stagnant self development. They don't grow into adults. They stay emotionally juvenile, self-centered, and risk averse. Their reaction to life is to become controlling about their personal space, but not at all responsible for the outcome.

[aigel]

Haha! Another old geezer PPOT thread bashing young people. This is the same thread we have had 1000 times, just with the backdrop of COVID now. Yawn ...

[look 171]

Oh buy, this one is going to be fun. I have to agree with you to a certain extent

[rusnak]

Originally Posted by aigel

Haha! Another old geezer PPOT thread bashing young people. This is the same thread we have had 1000 times, just with the backdrop of COVID now. Yawn ...

Not bashing. You should offer your insights into the subject.

Question: What will be the event that defines "This Generation". If not COVID-19 then do you have a better event? I would think probably not, but let's hear your opinion, ok?

[look 171]

I don't want to have to help my grand kid with his homework when the subject comes up on the second depression in our country and the cause was a flu

[rusnak]

https://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2018/11/15/early-benchmarks-show-post-millennials-on-track-to-be-most-diverse-best-educated-generation-yet/psdt-11-15-18_postmillennials-00-01/

Establishing some nomenclature:



Here's some good news:

Post-Millennials are thought to be better educated somewhat, and may be better at parenting than Boomers were. Post-Millennials are higher educated, and less likely to be both not in school and not in the work force (at risk), than either Gen X or Millennials.

And A LOT MORE are Hispanic:
https://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2018/11/15/early-benchmarks-show-post-millennials-on-track-to-be-most-diverse-best-educated-generation-yet/

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by rusnak

Not bashing. You should offer your insights into the subject.

Question: What will be the event that defines "This Generation". If not COVID-19 then do you have a better event? I would think probably not, but let's hear your opinion, ok?

I was actually going to respond to the question until what was a thought provoking question turned into bashing a whole generation of Americans.

Im off to the transportation pictures thread.

[rusnak]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

I was actually going to respond to the question until what was a thought provoking question turned into bashing a whole generation of Americans.

Im off to the transportation pictures thread.

Everyone is certainly entitled to their opinion, and you can post yours. That is the point here.

[widebody911]

Sorry. This isn’t our “Pearl Harbor” moment. That was a surprise, dastardly attack by an enemy nation. This is our “Chernobyl” moment: a preventable catastrophe that was denied, downplayed and mismanaged until tens of thousands were dead.

--George Takei

[red-beard]

Chernobyl did not kill as many as Sars-CoV-2 already has

Side note, the country side around Chernobyl is on fire, releasing radiation

[KNS]

I don’t think I’d call it a Pearl Harbor moment, that was quite different. More likely our version of the 1918 Pandemic.

[berettafan]

All i'm seeing is more 'i'm special!' 'we're special!'

[GH85Carrera]

PBS replayed some shows from 1998 about the 1918 flu and the polio epidemic of the eary to mid 1950s. There are many very interesting parallels to both eras. People in the 1918 flu era were wearing masks under order from the government. Laws about spitting were put on the books and enforced. No one had a real idea of how it was spread from person to person with either epidemic.

It is interesting that improved sanitation of the 1950s was part of the reason for the spread of infantile polio. Most babies would get it at a young age, and the antibodies were made to make the child immune later in life. Improved sanitation kept it from babies and very young children.

Like polio we will come up with a vaccine that eliminates Covid-19, but another one will come along if China keeps those wet markets open.

The anti-vaxers will have their heads explode as the vaccines save lives. I remember standing in a long line at school and the school administered the oral polio vaccine to every student. It was great as a kid, it was a sugar cube. Darn, I have to eat some sugar!

As as for the generational thing, there have always been and always will be motivated individuals that rise to the top. I can remember working many weekends after working my regular job just to earn the money to get ahead. I feel very fortunate to have learned the work ethic from my parents. Now my day to day life is not that different than before the virus. I still work from home, my business is not really affected. We still exchange email and phone calls with a client, go to the airport and fly our company owned Cessna 182 to the project, capture the data, and process it at home, and send it to the client via the internet. No personal contact needed.

[Rikao4]

''My guess is that this will be the generation to identify MORE WITH EUROPE than they do the USA.

Why? Because they will see the individual freedoms, the individual initiative, work ethic, as negatives. These former virtues will be things to be suppressed for the good of the collective. Ask a few of the Millennials here if they disagree with that point of view (Sugarwood). The concept of due process will be compressed, expedited, implied and made tacit by your mere citizenship. Forget about your "individual" rights. We did away with those stupid ideas when we decided that the GOVERNMENT should protect us. And the GOVERNMENT will decide what is best for us. And we will live in a giant prophylactic bubble, safe from harm and free of risk. Oh, initiative? You don't need that anymore.' rusnak

I hear this from nieces and nephew's..
well in Europe they...
many having never left the state..
go to Europe..
live in Europe..
socialized medicine..blah blah..


Rika

[McLovin]

Economic Pearl Harbor.

[tabs]

Ummmm..pearl harbor is used as a metaphor that is clearly in Americans consciousness that denotes a world changed on a dime..and how people are now forced to face adversity.

Welcome to 2008..you are now coming face to face with the reality of 2008 that America is broke. So many of you are delusional by still persisting that things will return to noemal in a short while and like good sheep can continue grazing on the side of the hill. The Tsuami of credit defaults both public and corporate are going to swamp the system. That is why the FED IS THROWING CAUTION TO THE WIND AND THROWING EVERYTHING IT CAN INTO THE FIRE TO STEM THE COLLAPSE.

YPU WILL VERY LIKELY SEE EQUITIES HIT NEW HIGHS WHILE THE ECONOMY SINKS INTO OBLIVION..Why Pension funds depend on Equity returns..

The complete US debt is being suborn by the FED. They are taking in all the debt and printing USD as payment in order to provide liquidity to the system. Everybody is going to owe the FED. The FED is going to be everybodies lender..they are going to be everybodies partner in a Quasi Socialist nation. A large percentage of the people are going to be on permanent public subsistence..

The way the grocery store shelves look now is the new American normal. Have you stocked up on TP? Gun stores have SOLD OUT of guns and ammo..does that twll you something?

[tabs]

Let me clue you Boyz into sumthin the mere fact that you can not go to the store and buy a roll of TP means that your life style has diminished. The begining of so many small ways..that added up will amount to big changes..

Just sit back and think about it..think about what it means.

[flatbutt]

Originally Posted by tabs

Let me clue you Boyz into sumthin the mere fact that you can not go to the store and buy a roll of TP means that your life style has diminished. The begining of so many small ways..that added up will amount to big changes..

Just sit back and think about it..think about what it means.

Maybe one change will be that fewer people will be tempted to be full of sheet?

[flatbutt]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

I remember standing in a long line at school and the school administered the oral polio vaccine to every student.

I remember that too, along with some of my friends growing up with crippled limbs. I also remember looking through a window and seeing my cousin inside an oxygen tent with pneumonia.