Decades in decline

[Steve97]

Any thoughts on this? From Ravi Zacharias...
“In the 1950s kids lost their innocence.
They were liberated from their parents by well-paying jobs, cars, and lyrics in music that gave rise to a new term ---the generation gap.

In the 1960s, kids lost their authority.
It was a decade of protest---church, state, and parents were all called into question and found wanting. Their authority was rejected, yet nothing ever replaced it.

In the 1970s, kids lost their love. It was the decade of me-ism dominated by hyphenated words beginning with self.
Self-image, Self-esteem, Self-assertion....It made for a lonely world. Kids learned everything there was to know about sex and forgot everything there was to know about love, and no one had the nerve to tell them there was a difference.

In the 1980s, kids lost their hope.
Stripped of innocence, authority and love and plagued by the horror of a nuclear nightmare, large and growing numbers of this generation stopped believing in the future.

In the 1990s kids lost their power to reason. Less and less were they taught the very basics of language, truth, and logic and they grew up with the irrationality of a postmodern world.

In the new millennium, kids woke up and found out that somewhere in the midst of all this change, they had lost their imagination. Violence and perversion entertained them till none could talk of killing innocents since none was innocent anymore.”

 

[Nithavela]

Reminds me of Socrates.

 

[alsughasoughaiuyfygh]

.

 

[BigV]

“In the 1950s kids lost their innocence.
They were liberated from their parents by well-paying jobs, cars, and lyrics in music that gave rise to a new term ---the generation gap.

That's Ravi's interpretation. That was also the period of American's going to church more requently and printing "In God We Trust" on currency, right?

In the 1960s, kids lost their authority.
It was a decade of protest---church, state, and parents were all called into question and found wanting. Their authority was rejected, yet nothing ever replaced it.

I'd say also a boon for Christians. Look at a list of Billy Graham crusades
List of Billy Graham's crusades - Wikipedia

In the 1970s, kids lost their love. It was the decade of me-ism dominated by hyphenated words beginning with self.
Self-image, Self-esteem, Self-assertion....It made for a lonely world. Kids learned everything there was to know about sex and forgot everything there was to know about love, and no one had the nerve to tell them there was a difference.

And who were the kids of the 1970s? Those born in 1950's and 1960's?

In the 1980s, kids lost their hope.
Stripped of innocence, authority and love and plagued by the horror of a nuclear nightmare, large and growing numbers of this generation stopped believing in the future.

Ah.. also the era of thawing between the USSR and the US. So I think if there was a horror of nuclear nightmare, it was probably in the 1950s and 1970s.

In the 1990s kids lost their power to reason. Less and less were they taught the very basics of language, truth, and logic and they grew up with the irrationality of a postmodern world.

I think this is an overgeneralization. 1990s was also the period when we received the WorldWideWeb, with all it's pluses and minuses. We have a much easier access to all sorts of information. I can see how religious people may be upset about that, but I think it's an overall plus for everyone.

 

[pleinmont]

No time in history has ever been perfect, but I think the 21st century is better in many ways than in the past, apart from human activated global warming.

 

[Rajni]

It's all down to personal perspective.
The world is what it is.
*How* it is boils down to whatever filter one chooses to view it
through.
If I don't like the view, I change my filter.

-

 

[expos4ever]

In general, the picture reflected by actual data - as contrasted with personal opinion- is clear: things are getting better, not worse.

 

[bèlla]

Generalizations have a habit of lumping everyone together (often for negative reasons) and overlooking the good in a rush to a prove a point or validate a theory.

Children learn what they live. Not what society says. But the every day behaviors they’re exposed to. And if the source is good the fruit will be lush and healthy. Irrespective of what’s taking place elsewhere.

We believe in possibilities and fix our minds on what’s true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable, commendable, excellent, and praiseworthy. That’s what we’re told to focus on. Not morbid reminders of doom and gloom and media manipulations meant to deflate our joy. Our hope is in Him.

~Bella

 

[Ophiolite]

Any thoughts on this? From Ravi Zacharias...
“In the 1950s kids lost their innocence.
They were liberated from their parents by well-paying jobs, cars, and lyrics in music that gave rise to a new term ---the generation gap.

In the 1960s, kids lost their authority.
It was a decade of protest---church, state, and parents were all called into question and found wanting. Their authority was rejected, yet nothing ever replaced it.

In the 1970s, kids lost their love. It was the decade of me-ism dominated by hyphenated words beginning with self.
Self-image, Self-esteem, Self-assertion....It made for a lonely world. Kids learned everything there was to know about sex and forgot everything there was to know about love, and no one had the nerve to tell them there was a difference.

In the 1980s, kids lost their hope.
Stripped of innocence, authority and love and plagued by the horror of a nuclear nightmare, large and growing numbers of this generation stopped believing in the future.

In the 1990s kids lost their power to reason. Less and less were they taught the very basics of language, truth, and logic and they grew up with the irrationality of a postmodern world.

In the new millennium, kids woke up and found out that somewhere in the midst of all this change, they had lost their imagination. Violence and perversion entertained them till none could talk of killing innocents since none was innocent anymore.”

It sounds as if he would benefit from re-reading Lamentations.

 

[Desk trauma]

Any thoughts on this?

Yes, it's crap. Lamenting the decline of society and the horrors of the next generation of people is at least as old as written language and to take it seriously one need be historically illiterate.

 

[Strathos]

Yes, it's crap. Lamenting the decline of society and the horrors of the next generation of people is at least as old as written language and to take it seriously one need be historically illiterate.

Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.

 

[jayem]

I grew up in the 50s. The decade definitely had great style:

Cars:


Fashion:


Architecture:


Furniture:


Elvis:


Marilyn:


But there was also Korea, the Cold War, McCarthy, the John Birch Society, racial segregation, and the beginnings of Vietnam--to name a few.

 

[Steve97]

I'd say also a boon for Chri

There as somewhat of a revival, of sorts, of Christianity in the early '70's.

 

[pleinmont]

There as somewhat of a revival, of sorts, of Christianity in the early '70's.

Religious revivals are not a good thing, imo.

 

[Steve97]

Generalizations have a habit of lumping everyone together (often for negative reasons) and overlooking the good in a rush to a prove a point or validate a theory.

Children learn what they live. Not what society says. But the every day behaviors they’re exposed to. And if the source is good the fruit will be lush and healthy. Irrespective of what’s taking place elsewhere.

We believe in possibilities and fix our minds on what’s true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable, commendable, excellent, and praiseworthy. That’s what we’re told to focus on. Not morbid reminders of doom and gloom and media manipulations meant to deflate our joy. Our hope is in Him.

~Bella

The posting, written by an unknown Canadian philosopher, was not written to ignore the good and only point out the bad. Technology, science and medicine is far advanced than it was 50 years ago. Please read the last sentence of the writing and see if it applies to the affect of the young generation.

 

[Rajni]

Please read the last sentence of the writing and see if it applies to the affect of the young generation.

I don't think the last sentence applies, either. Too much of a
sweeping generalization, and just another version of the old
"kids these days" cliche that seems to surface with each generation
that comes before.

 

[Rajni]

I don't think the last sentence applies, either. Too much of a
sweeping generalization, and just another version of the old
"kids these days" cliche that seems to surface with each generation
that comes before.

I would also add that if previous generations are going to find
fault in newer ones, they need to be reminded from whence
the newer generations about which they complain came.

 

[bèlla]

The posting, written by an unknown Canadian philosopher, was not written to ignore the good and only point out the bad. Technology, science and medicine is far advanced than it was 50 years ago. Please read the last sentence of the writing and see if it applies to the affect of the young generation.

I was born in the 70s and my daughter in the 90s. I’ve seen that period up close and personal and my comment stands.

Constantly telling young people they’re lost, clueless, or the next buzzword doesn’t inspire them to look to you for insight. And that’s probably why many are going elsewhere.

All generations have challenges. The lone difference between today and the decades cited is media attention and access. Solomon said there’s nothing new under the sun. You had similar problems then. But they kept them hidden and plastered a smile. Today, people speak out. That’s the difference.

You can’t view those statistics in their appropriate context without addressing the role of religion in all of this. The majority were reared in Christian homes and the church is in a similar state. The downward slide is evident. Who do we blame?

~Bella

 

[ananda]

Any thoughts on this?

IMO the rapid technological changes since the 1950's enabled accelerated economic growth at the cost of ethical and moral selflessness.

All generations had their challenges, but this is a particularly unique time in history since the exponential rate of technological change is coming to a point where individuals can no longer keep pace, and will not end well.

 

[Steve97]

The original quotation as posted is from an unknown Canadian philosopher. Zacharias has referred to it in his writings or lectures.
Over the years, when I presented it, the majority of agnostics/atheists who read or heard it became hostile and defensive. The majority of Christians recognized it for what it is.