The old man was working his garden by the road when a young couple drove up. They allowed as they were relocating and considering his area for their new home.
But they wanted to know what the people in this area were like.
How were they where you came from, he asked.
Selfish, mean-spirited, unfriendly and unkind they replied.
They are like that here too.
Later that week the scenario was repeated with another couple.
The people where they lived were wonderful, caring, sharing, helpful and friendly.
To them he replied, They are just like that here.
This evening once again the subject came up of the squatters who spent a year living off our generosity only to leave in a heated rush, irrevocably angry at us.
Obviously MOM cannot get over it as easily as step-dad. As his sister pointed out to us, that young couple has an unbroken pattern of bailing out of every job, location, situation they have been in within two years for their entire history.
We were out of line to think this one would be different. They were who they were, while we projected some sort of salvation upon them and our grandkids.
We now got to see up-close and personal what their bailouts look like. In retrospect, the pattern seems quite well established, I just understand it better now. I am sharing that comprehension with you because it is unfortunately less uncommon than is healthy for any society.
The Universal Truths about this Snowflake Generation are:
#1 It is not their fault. Quite literally.
The removal of Dads from the household, the emasculation of males, safe spaces, separation by age groups, defer to experts, and dozens of other planned attacks on a stalwart culture created a massive flock of controllable sheep.
#2 You can run away from anything. Charity where the givers looked recipients in the eye was murdered long ago, replaced by ENTITLEMENTS in LBJ’s “Great Society”. No matter how foolish they were for quitting solid employment, and/or supportive communities, there are no worries. The Great Safety Net will catch them no matter how many times they jump off a cliff.
#3 Other generations are the problem. All of their lives were lived with people of exactly their same age. There are no big brothers, little sisters, adult role models, or older kids to emulate. Lord of the Flies was a warning; not supposed to be a road map.
#4 Courage is discouraged. Report bullies, thieves, offensive words. Do not actually DO ANYTHING about anything. Stand for nothing. If you do try to assert yourself, the shepherds will beat you down.
We have a generation who will stand for any indignities, and simultaneously STAND FOR nothing.
I thank karma, my lucky stars or whatever caused them to run away from us when life was easy rather than letting us down in some dire situation when we really needed stalwart companions.
Those who see their lives as spoiled and wasted crave equality and fraternity more than they do freedom. If they clamor for freedom, it is but freedom to establish equality and uniformity.
The passion for equality is partly a passion for anonymity: to be one thread of the many which make up a tunic; one thread not distinguishable from the others. No one can then point us out, measure us against others and expose our inferiority.
— Eric Hoffer (1902-1983)
