I’ve been doing a little reading about this “Occupy Wall Street” movement that’s been going on in New York City and all over the world. I read about it before it was supposed to start and became interested in it immediately. The funny thing is—if I were still at home I would probably be out there protesting with everyone else. I kind of wish I was there protesting with everyone else. The thing that interests me is how leaderless this movement is, and how young people are finally standing up for themselves. I also think there’s a little bit of Newton’s First Law of Physics going on here, too. For every action there’s an opposite and equal reaction—yeah, that one. The effects of the Tea Party and ultra-conservatives have given rise to a modern day hippy.
I was talking to a fellow PCV who is around my father’s age. He was quite blunt about his generation really being at fault for the financial disaster and the reasons for it. He argues that Baby Boomers have always been the largest group going through the years from the 60s until now. Essentially they get whatever they want, and will step on the other generations to get it. He also says that the Baby Boomer’s attempt at staying alive will drive the next big economic engine of the 21st century; biomechanics. Baby Boomers will try so hard to stay alive and they will rely on my generation to find the ways to stay alive. I agree with this somewhat. I do think that biotech will be a huge thing in the future, and it me even be the driving engine of a new economy, but I don’t think it’s all because Baby Boomer’s want to stay alive and want to use the younger generation.
It’s a biological imperative for the older generation to care for the younger generation and help them live a better life than they had. This doesn’t just mean money wise either. There was another interaction between an older and younger generation that caused some negative backlash. The World War I and World War II generations. It is argued that the WWI generation failed in their responsibilities to make the world a safer more peaceful place; a failure that cost the WWII generation millions of lives. Perhaps we can say that the Baby Boomer generation lived so outside their means, and tried to have everything all at once that they will leave the younger generation mountains of debt financial troubles.
I personally consider myself extremely lucky in this way. My parents have always been so responsible with money and I know they have ALWAYS put the needs of their children ahead of anything else. I say needs and not wants. Things like education and shelter are extremely important to them. They saved their entire lives to pay for college for the four of us. This also sets a good example for me, too. It’s easy—I think I was falling into a pattern as well—to live beyond my means because I considered myself and my family to be part of the upper-middle-class. It was tempting to look around and say, “I can make some risky financial decisions because I know my parents will help me out in the end”. It’s true that my parents will always be there to make sure I’m safe, but they won’t be there to give me gas money to drive 200 miles to party with my friends. They would expect me to work for it.
I certainly don’t think I work as hard as my parents do. It’s actually something that concerns me a bit. If I’m not willing to work as hard as my mom or dad what will I be able to do for my children? It’s scary to think that I don’t actually have the work ethic that will allow me to hold a good job to support my family. I don’t purposely choose to not work as hard, but for whatever reason I don’t seem to be able to sit down and just do the things I need and have to do. It’s actually disappointing and disheartening for me. One day I’ll be responsible for a family, and I’ll be lucky if I’ll be as good at providing for them as my father and mother are.
I do admit, the future of the economy scares me. I’m worried about what will happen in the future and what types of jobs I will be best suited for. I worry I’ll never be able to support a family through the tough economic times we are destined to have. I support everything that our country tries to do, and I realize many of our leaders have difficult choices to make. It makes it harder that Americans themselves are divided between black and white, with little in-between. As a country we have to stop the Us vs. Them mentality (the “Them” being big business, lower-class, illegal immigrants, immigrants, China, Russia, Muslims) and try to focus on finding a democratic solution. Democracy has ALWAYS been about compromise, whether for right or wrong. Our Founding Fathers had to compromise when they didn’t abolish slavery. Why did they do that? So they could have a united nation. We look back and say this was a bad compromise and bad decision that led to a Civil War and put millions of Americans through unbelievable hardships.
But, without that compromise we wouldn’t HAVE the United States of America. If there’s one thing I’ve learned this weekend in Tbilisi talking with other Volunteers is that we all have our opinions, but can also argue the other side. We all need to start thinking as one again, and start seeing our politicians as whole people and not vote for them for a few decisions. We have the ability to talk about this like regular people, but we need to come in with an open mind and actually WANT to talk and not just make demands and ultimatums. We should think of our two-party system like a marriage. Right now it’s a verbally abusive marriage that needs some counseling. I don’t know how to do it, but someone smarter than me should figure it out.
It’s time to compromise, and it’s time to be united again.
Anyway, it’s late and I’m VERY tired, and I know this is riddled with mistakes. Goodnight and take care.
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