the grasshopper generation

i'm fascinated by the generational divides that prevent more fluidity in adapting to a changing world. whether it's at the office, in politics, or just around town, the old guys with their old ideas and outdated ways of doing things are just in the way of progress.

and i'll bet they once said the same thing about their parents.

i mean, as it does, the world has changed. we are all connected by this little white window sitting in my lap right now, that allows me to communicate _by video chat_ with someone on the other side of the world, whenever i want. and we the world all depend on each other, on each other's monetary policy, political and social stability, and we all need each other to prop up our own security and prosperity.

in this new game called the real world, we are made up of diverse players working closely together, of men and women from every color, background, education, opinion, and corner of the world. yet, in this country (and most in the western world), we are primarily represented, at the highest levels of our government no less, by old white guys from a generation that consumed everything built by the "greatest generation" before them. they broke everything by over-consuming, over-using, and under-repairing. and now they want to cut taxes so's to encourage more of that vile over-consumption as the solution to the problems it caused.

maybe if you really think maintaining the [broken] status quo is the direction our country should be heading.

but the way i see it is that we can no longer survive in this ever-changing world by grasping on to foregone days and even more foregone ways. lest america prefer to find itself in a political, social, and economic situation that now qualifies a country as "developing". we're about to become out-developed by bigger and better thinkers, with brighter educations, newer and shinier tools and toys, and a vision toward the actual future that's happening. that is, if we don't annihilate ourselves with pollution, or just bludgeon ourselves to death with the iron club our middle eastern oil addiction has bequeathed our intrepid enemies first.

look, the debt situation in this country is truly frightening. we are selling our freedom to those who purchase our debt. and we will fix that later, just as we have in times before. but right now, we need to make sure we're going to be strong, healthy, and cohesive enough to succeed. we have to make sure we're still going to have a country to save, and a seat at the big player's table when it's time to focus our resources on bringing down the debt.

but i will be damned to next tuesday before i sit here and let the GOP blame democrats for this situation. after eight years of reckless and irresponsible fiscal policy, they might consider saying yes to something new, something that might actually work in a world they clearly no longer understand and are too frightened to accept. but one thing i can guarantee won't solve the problems is tax cuts.

so get over it. and let's rise up to the challenges we face, make america strong enough to survive within and prosper beyond these difficult times, and then set about tightening our belts and and ending our voracious and dangerous appetite for stuff.

~k