Getting Off At All the Wrong Places Part 1

Imagine you are on an island, surrounded by a river on all sides. Now, think of that river as time.

We are used to thinking of time as a linear river. But that's not what happens. There is a constant chance of us getting off at the wrong place and winding up worse off than before.

We tend to think otherwise. As the quote perfected by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. says,  "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice." 

I pray that is true. In the long run, there may be great truth to it. But sometimes, it is hard to see in the abstract of our own lives.

I can imagine how those born at the turn of the 20th century must have felt. Great inventions that seemed to improve everyday lives arrived almost daily—planes, automobiles, radio, movies, and labor-saving household appliances. Politics was turning more progressive—antitrust legislation, labor laws, and regulations protecting our food and drug supply. Women gained the right to vote. The lives of people of color were not great, but there was at least the hint that things might turn around.

And then came the Great Depression, and the hopes and dreams of many Americans were destroyed - all but the very wealthy were affected. Then, the war started, and hopes for a peaceful world vanished. The fight against fascism was not how this generation thought would be what dominated their lives, but it was. 

My generation, the Boomer generation, saw a significant increase in civil and social rights in the 60s. We had finally turned the corner on civil rights with several important pieces of legislation that promised improvement in the lives of people of color, particularly African Americans. The Vietnam War was a great scar on our time, but it did not go unchallenged, generating significant civil protests which seemed to finally turn the tide on American interventionism.

We benefited from infrastructure improvements, like the Interstate Freeways. Wages rose, and the wealthy were taxed at a top rate ranging from 70% to 90%. College was very inexpensive. Housing was affordable. The family across the street from us lived in a nice home and lived comfortably, with Dad working as a department manager at Sears and Mom staying at home. Could you imagine that happening today?

But there is also a dark side to the Boomer Generation. The counterculture was not all positive. In addition to getting back to nature and making love, not war, there was a lot of ME quality to it. If it makes you feel good, do it! Take drugs, drop out, and do the things that make you happy.

The Boomers got more from their parents than most generations, and when they became adults, this sense of personal aggrandizement continued. They led the way to Reagan, and greed is good. They wanted the resources for themselves and resented the government taking any. They brought about the backlash that led to such figures as Rush Limbaugh and Pat Buchanan. They were especially angry over immigrants because they didn't want to SHARE. They were angry about advances made by people of color because they didn't want to SHARE.

Boomers had the opportunity to move forward in the river of time, but instead, they prioritized themselves, and got off in a place that slid us backward.

It took a long time for future generations to slowly straighten this out. Each successive generation has been a little bit more progressive than the last.

THIS IS PART 1. STAY TUNED TO THIS BLOG FOR MORE PARTS!

Special note:  Not all generations are monoliths. I'm a Boomer but don't comfortably fit the Boomer stereotype. Although I have been more conservative than I am now, I've always been on the side of social justice and democracy. And since the 90s, my major issue has been moving us to a single-payer, universal healthcare system.