02-17-2022, 06:19 AM
(This post was last modified: 02-17-2022, 06:41 AM by Eric the Green.)
Responding again to these words from JasonBlack: "Serving as "managers and servers" is precisely what Gen X are already doing for the most part, and largely, they get ignored for it, or worse, seen as "too materialistic" in spite of doing the work which is most needed as both boomers and millennials go on about "calling", "consciousness" and other words that help them maintain a feeling of specialness (again, I say this as a millennial, it's kind of our Achilles heel as a generation)."
The discussion of boomers as narcissists if they value specialness is interesting. Personally I don't know two many boomers who fit this description. I do know some, including myself. These days, since the 3T, I have noticed more arrogance and protectiveness of position and authority among those boomers I know. Many of them may have strong opinions and ideals. But I don't know too many who consider themselves special because they have a unique creative contribution to share. The prejudice of our society against such ideas and approaches to life is too strong to resist even by boomers. That has always been the case even in strongly boomer-influenced periods like the recent 2T and 3T.
In my work I often helped people to discover what it is, maybe several pursuits, that only they can do. That can be called a "calling." Everyone has something that if they don't share it or express it, it won't be done. This is especially true of people who have a spiritual or artistic talent to offer. Being true of everyone, this is not a narcissist approach, as if people are superior who have a feeling of specialness or a calling to higher consciousness or special vocation. Everyone potentially does. Not just a few talented Boomers. I assume people need this to feel truly fulfilled. And it requires a full, creative, adventurous, sensitive life, and maybe even a sexy one. I assume that all our lives are improved if we gain higher consciousness through spiritual pursuits and inward seeking, as well as by slowing down to appreciate the wonder of nature and the spirit in all beings and the one spirit in all.
The fact that a spiritual path takes you beyond just yourself and connects you with all, may require some work dedicated to "self improvement" in this way, but the result is stronger connection with others, the world, the higher power, the mystic awareness, and greater compassion and willingness to help. Such pursuits may be misunderstood by those forced or directed by "ambition" to keep noses to grindstones and pencils devoted to endless paperwork and financial gambling and bossing people or obeying bosses. But nevertheless it can hardly be said to be narcissist.
The average Joe, the harassed commuter, the dedicated parents and the working stiffs are not put down by those unfolding their calling; we all need to engage in maintaining ourselves and doing our part in the work to be done-- in a society that is intentionally organized to deprive people of a greater life. People living less lives than they could be living are not to blame for the conditions imposed on them, and they have the right and duty to live in the way they need to live. Talking about the specialness of each person does not imply insulting or looking down on people who choose the normal lifestyles that help keep society and families going. The hipsters may look down on the squares as uncool conformists, and the squares may think the hipsters are deviant fools. But that doesn't have to govern how people really feel about their own lives and their value to one another.
Older millennials have often been raised and coached to be "special" and "entitled" as well by boomer parents. But they tend not to be as focused on individual creativity as some prophets and idealists are. The difference in generations in this regard may be small. But as a rule civic generations see their "specialness" more as being part of a team or organization that advances society. They thrive on the feeling of being involved in a society moving forward. JFK was the spokesman for this feeling among the GI "greatest generation," being one of the first prophets of generational consciousness when in his inaugural address he said "the torch has been passed to a new generation." He saw the experience of the war as creating a feeling of solidarity and collegial togetherness that could be continued and applied to the more civilian post-war pursuits such as those he mentioned in the speech, as well as in "defending freedom." So, do some millennials have something of this same spirit, as they march for climate action, gun control, justice, higher wages, and voting rights?
And Boomers too felt some of this same collegeal spirit dedicated to such causes too during the 1960s and 70s, inspired by JFK and other civic prophets, adaptive artist "dreamers" and fellow prophetic and hip boomers for a while. Some, of course, still do, and we don't think of this as being narcissist or even special.
The discussion of boomers as narcissists if they value specialness is interesting. Personally I don't know two many boomers who fit this description. I do know some, including myself. These days, since the 3T, I have noticed more arrogance and protectiveness of position and authority among those boomers I know. Many of them may have strong opinions and ideals. But I don't know too many who consider themselves special because they have a unique creative contribution to share. The prejudice of our society against such ideas and approaches to life is too strong to resist even by boomers. That has always been the case even in strongly boomer-influenced periods like the recent 2T and 3T.
In my work I often helped people to discover what it is, maybe several pursuits, that only they can do. That can be called a "calling." Everyone has something that if they don't share it or express it, it won't be done. This is especially true of people who have a spiritual or artistic talent to offer. Being true of everyone, this is not a narcissist approach, as if people are superior who have a feeling of specialness or a calling to higher consciousness or special vocation. Everyone potentially does. Not just a few talented Boomers. I assume people need this to feel truly fulfilled. And it requires a full, creative, adventurous, sensitive life, and maybe even a sexy one. I assume that all our lives are improved if we gain higher consciousness through spiritual pursuits and inward seeking, as well as by slowing down to appreciate the wonder of nature and the spirit in all beings and the one spirit in all.
The fact that a spiritual path takes you beyond just yourself and connects you with all, may require some work dedicated to "self improvement" in this way, but the result is stronger connection with others, the world, the higher power, the mystic awareness, and greater compassion and willingness to help. Such pursuits may be misunderstood by those forced or directed by "ambition" to keep noses to grindstones and pencils devoted to endless paperwork and financial gambling and bossing people or obeying bosses. But nevertheless it can hardly be said to be narcissist.
The average Joe, the harassed commuter, the dedicated parents and the working stiffs are not put down by those unfolding their calling; we all need to engage in maintaining ourselves and doing our part in the work to be done-- in a society that is intentionally organized to deprive people of a greater life. People living less lives than they could be living are not to blame for the conditions imposed on them, and they have the right and duty to live in the way they need to live. Talking about the specialness of each person does not imply insulting or looking down on people who choose the normal lifestyles that help keep society and families going. The hipsters may look down on the squares as uncool conformists, and the squares may think the hipsters are deviant fools. But that doesn't have to govern how people really feel about their own lives and their value to one another.
Older millennials have often been raised and coached to be "special" and "entitled" as well by boomer parents. But they tend not to be as focused on individual creativity as some prophets and idealists are. The difference in generations in this regard may be small. But as a rule civic generations see their "specialness" more as being part of a team or organization that advances society. They thrive on the feeling of being involved in a society moving forward. JFK was the spokesman for this feeling among the GI "greatest generation," being one of the first prophets of generational consciousness when in his inaugural address he said "the torch has been passed to a new generation." He saw the experience of the war as creating a feeling of solidarity and collegial togetherness that could be continued and applied to the more civilian post-war pursuits such as those he mentioned in the speech, as well as in "defending freedom." So, do some millennials have something of this same spirit, as they march for climate action, gun control, justice, higher wages, and voting rights?
And Boomers too felt some of this same collegeal spirit dedicated to such causes too during the 1960s and 70s, inspired by JFK and other civic prophets, adaptive artist "dreamers" and fellow prophetic and hip boomers for a while. Some, of course, still do, and we don't think of this as being narcissist or even special.