one casualty/consequence of the rapid changes in US society over the past 50 years is quite possibly little understood, and as far as i know, little remarked upon. but the generation gap looming in 2008's POTUS contest might present the opportunity to change that. (pardon the pun)
a short list of societal changes in the US during the past 50 years:
rock n' roll
civil rights/race relations
the pill
the space race/ballistic missiles
vietnam, the draft
movie codes/practices
drug use (legal and illegal)
cable tv, videocassettes, cds, dvds
imported cars
roe vs wade
women in the workplace
aids
government/society relations
immigration/multi-culturalism
commercial/political religion
commecial/political "news" reporting
personal computers
the internet
cell phones
each new change created a rough delineation between the people who grew up before, during, and in the increasingly distant aftermath of the assimilation of the changes, many of which were simultaneous.
every age difference of more than twenty years, even just ten years, will span one or more of the comprehensive societal changes, therefore any discussion/argument between people with such age/experience differences will likely include the assertion or retort "you just don't understand". and when it is uttered, it will likely be grounded in truth.
because the experiences of those people old enough to remember what things were like before the change(s), renders them severely crippled when attempting to relate and interact with those who have only known the after effects. those to whom the new technologies and new standards/methods/values are all they have ever known, and are considered by them to be "normal", also are impaired when trying to imagine that so many things were 'different' before their own experience. even people who grew up in the same town, but more than 30 years apart, literally grew up in different countries.
the dissonance created by this 'experience gap' will manifest itself in countless ways during the next decade, especially between the oldest and youngest in society. the race for President in 2008 will be a watershed moment, largely defining the battleground.
to embark on a radically new path, embracing the priorities/methods/standards of the younger generations, while accelerating the discarding of the older ones. or to remain largely on the path of the past 50 years for a few years more.
either way, it is going to be a long and painful war.
stephenhsmith
25april2008
