With that in mind,it's important to remember that there will always be groups and individuals that have more power to direct the ways things go in the world and then there are the masses that those in power influence.What I see is that the "greatest generation" and their "best and brightest" were unable to turnover the reins to "the Wilderness Generation" because they didn't want to give up their heady position of controlling others. The masses bought into their agenda not realizing where it would lead them.
Meanwhile the "Wilderness Generation" waited their turn to apply what they had learned as they watched the world unwind. Just as they believed they were ready to start contributing from a position that would permit them to exercise legitimate authority,the "Boomers" pushed them right out of the picture and moved themselves into the positions of influence and control.
Thus our country and/or society lost a generation of voices and ideas that might have been able to effect the transition from one group to another more smoothly. Because of the pride,avarice,egos and lust for more power,prestige and priveleges accorded to important people of both the "greatest generation" and the "boomers" we have not realized the potential that would have accrued naturally to a country that was allowed to grow organically from its foundation,a nation that in so many ways has been truly blessed.
Combine the qualities of the elite with the loss of belief in an absolute Truth of the masses and we have a gaping hole that needs to be mended or it will engulf us all. The loss of belief in a transcendent God that is not us,was the result of a deliberate undermining of orthodox religion and a part of the overall plan of those elitists who took the reins. I think we really need to pray.
I called it the "Wilderness Generation" because those of us born between 1932 and 1952 (approximately)are akin to those crying in the wilderness. We were able to observe what went wrong but unable to participate in fixing it unless we compromised our values. I know this thumbnail analysis leaves much to be desired but I know that some of it has a big bearing on what's happening these days.
Carolyn
Wilderness and Xers have much in common. I am in my early 40s and am just now experiencing the sorts of opportunities to gain power that Boomers had when they were in their late 20s.