Generational, a Perspective in Time

 

Generational, a Perspective in Time

As an American GI, I docked in Bremerhaven,

Germany in April of 1965. 58-years ago to this

date, WWII had been fought on these grounds

just 20 short years earlier. I am sure there were

plenty of older German citizens who hated me

and my fellow American soldiers for who we

were—the offspring of a former military who

had invaded and occupied their homeland some

20-years before me.

I sit here today, 2023, an old man whose father

and the fathers of their former enemies have

long since departed. Wars continue to plague

the discordant, present day, mankind society.

I won’t be the first old man to say in amaze-

ment, my how things have changed! (All but

for hate and prejudices which perpetuate to this

day.) I’m sure my father, his father and all the

prior generations reflected on their foregone

days as well.

My generation, the Baby Boomers, is by and

large waning these days. The Silent and Great-

est Generations have for the most part faded

into history. The present generations—

Generation X, born 1965-1980, Millennials,

born 1981-1996, Generation Z, born 1997-2012,

and Generation Alpha, born 2013-2025 are either

up and coming or are soon to be born.

Our world has changed more drastically in the

past 100-years than any other period of time

in mankind’s history. That is not only an old

man’s subjective point of view, but a stark

black-versus-white, contrasting reality.

Some scientists and skeptics claim that if we

as a society (regardless of the generational

epoch in time) don’t get our shit together real

soon as a cohesive and actionable community

insofar as climate and social cohesiveness

are concerned, our existence here on Planet

Earth is undeniably[y and inevitably doomed.

Think of it, no longer will folks sit together on

park benches opining about the good old

days; bemoaning with skepticism humanity’s

path forward in the world today.

Have you heard what has come of “A I”

these days? Remember when common

sense and reality came into play? Yet,

Wars, hate, prejudice and mass destruction

still persist. Perhaps our generation could

have done much better back then.

                                   -30-

Chris Hanch 5-21-2023