In the interest of an intermission from our current journey down memory lane, I thought I’d post a blog argument, or as I have come to term, a “Blargument”. My penchant for pathetic and whimsical wordplay notwithstanding in this discussion.
I too, am a Toys ‘R Us kid, but I see a different problem for the snails-pace maturation in our society.
So, for you, Miss August Morning Star, here’s your gratuitous rebuttal:
As you said, “…as the time spent in college and grad school keeps lengthening.” In a more rural society, especially one with a lower average lifespan, and one without as prevalent of a postsecondary education system, people are forced to “leave the nest” at an earlier age. They are forced by circumstance to assume the responsibility of adulthood at a younger age, and at a much faster rate.
So, what does this mean for our society? Simple, we live longer, we spend more time in school and out of the workforce, and we’re able to mature at a slower rate. Therefore, getting married in your late 20’s is not such a big deal as it used to be.
This may not be better or worse, simply different.
But a worthy cause? IMHO, we have more worthy causes now then ever before, and college is one of the greatest centers of joining a “cause”. Idealistic youth are more apt to join an action group or participate in socio-political events due to their proximity and ubiquitousness at colleges around the nation, as evidenced by the fact that so many such outcries originate from such institutions. The Kent State Shootings, OSU’s recent Sexual Orientation Diversity Assoc. debacle, and many, many others, too numerous to list are perfect evidence of this phenomenon.
I suppose another good question, is not “Do we lack purpose”, but “Do we lack direction?”
Unfortunately, socio-political movements only do so much, and while many feel passionate about these ideals, it’s still a case of treating the symptoms and not the root cause. The reason why these movements, action groups, picket-lines, and protests are necessary is, at least in my mind, because of a fundamental lack of PHILOSOPHICAL direction. When a society, as a whole, values power (money), fame (money), materialism (money), or money (money) more than the fellow man, common man, or greater good, then the natural results is for those relative few who do see the larger picture to stand up and take arms, even in the political activity sense.
Many organizations even have the idealism to attack closer to the root cause, such as those gunning for Campaign Finance Reform, Heavy-Duty Term Limits, or the American Civil Liberties Union. But those backing a candidate who is really just the lesser of two evils? This is like trying to bail out the Titanic with a thimble. The problem is the idealistic “fringe” organizations are viewed by the majority as “extreme”. So while the organizations closer to center, and who actually have a chance to suceed in their efforts, move a lot of thimbulfuls of water, the edge organizations, which have the right philosophy in mind, aren’t even given access to the pumps that would save the skinking vessel of society.
Even organizations such as Greenpeace and the Sierra club, which have great intentions and honorable methods, don’t get at the root cause. Why do we prevent desecrating the landscape in some areas of the country? Why is the Grand Canyon “protected?” Why is Yellowstone National Park a “reserve”?
Simple. Because of what I have termed the “shiny” factor. It’s pretty, it’s shiny, and it’s pristine. Which draws tourists. Who bring their credit cards. Which attracts business.
So, we’ve determined it’s a problem of greed. Greed, being an innate factor human beings in our society, indicates a problem with our philosophical direction, or lack thereof. As individuals, we are driven to suceed, which in the end, means to gain net worth and dollars in the bank. As corporations, we attempt to drive up prices and lower costs to increase profits that line our own pockets. And, as consumers, we search for the best “perceived” value, which means anything from “cheapest” to “shiniest.”
And this, in turn of course, causes corruption. Which causes tyrrany. Which causes movements and rallies and protests.
It’s not about the shiny, people. Too many believe that earning more and more money, not even for its ability to be used as a tool, but because money is viewed as a target of love unto itself.
This, in my mind, is the juvenilistic view. I personally have no problem with watching cartoons, or playing on a swingset, or even, every now and then, splashing through puddles in the rain. These activities, and many others, fall into the category of “simplisitic satisfaction,” which we are taught is wrong, because it’s immature. Instead, the mature definitions of satisfaction is success, power, money, which, unfortunately, leaves too many unsatisfied.
Mind you, temporary childhood regression is not instant gratification, except if taken to extremes. As I am almost always touting, it’s a matter of balance.
The same thing goes hand in hand with love, marriage, and children. These all require some level of financial success, as few wish to raise a family off a McDonald’s salary. And, of course, they all require some level of maturity.
The question remains, however, when are we “mature” enough? Again, I point out that we mature with less alacrity then previous generations, as we are given the chance to divert our attention towards increasing our intellect, without necessarily increasing our wisdom. Therefore, we fail to see the downward spiral our society has taken, we join in these causes, and finally are disillusioned with the meager results we might see in our short tenure of socio-political activity, and we decide that simplicity, in it’s greatest sense, is the ultimate goal. We realize that life is far too short to worry about the rest of the world, so narrow our focus, and try and find a like-minded mate to raise children that will hopefully have the chance to change the world.
Is this noble? Is this even right? Or is it simply… enough? There’s a time and a place for everything, including individuals being concerned about the macroscopic view. The majority, however, take this macroscopic view at a very idealized and gung-ho point in their life, without the wisdom to bring the whole picture into focus. So what time, oh dear society, is the right time?
The perfect example of this mindset is Billy Joel’s song, Angry Young Man. It goes thusly:
There’s a place in the world for the angry young man
With his working class ties and his radical plans
He refuses to bend, he refuses to crawl,
He’s always at home with his back to the wall.
And he’s proud of his scars and the battles he’s lost,
And he struggles and bleeds as he hangs on the cross-
And he likes to be known as the angry young man.
Give a moment or two to the angry young man,
With his foot in his mouth and his heart in his hand.
He’s been stabbed in the back, he’s been misunderstood,
It’s a comfort to know his intentions are good.
And he sits in a room with a lock on the door,
With his maps and his medals laid out on the floor-
And he likes to be known as the angry young man.
I believe I’ve passed the age of consciousness and righteous rage
I found that just surviving was a noble fight.
I once believed in causes too,
I had my pointless point of view,
And life went on no matter who was wrong or right.
And there’s always a place for the angry young man,
With his fist in the air and his head in the sand.
And he’s never been able to learn from mistakes,
So he can’t understand why his heart always breaks.
But his honor is pure and his courage as well,
And he’s fair and he’s true and he’s boring as hell-
And he’ll go to the grave as an angry old man.
There’s a place in the world for the angry young man
With his working class ties and his radical plans
He refuses to bend, he refuses to crawl,
He’s always at home with his back to the wall.
And he’s proud of his scars and the battles he’s lost,
And he struggles and bleeds as he hangs on the cross-
And he likes to be known as the angry young man.
So, August Morning Star, and any others who may peruse this pathetic panering for a philosophical following, I hope that I’ve provided some clarity, if not in terms of direction or purpose, perhaps on the concept of timing. After all, as has been oft evidenced by my crappy luck in relationships, timing is everything.
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