I have always felt like I belonged to a different generation, that I grew up with my parents. I have tried to convince my roommate that I am truly an old person and these new things are too much for my aching mind and body to handle. That the technology is too confusing and too stressful. That I would much rather listen to my Bruce Springsteen and Simon and Garfunkel then listen to her Lady Gaga and KiD CuDi. I’ve tried to convince my friends that swell and peachy keen are more of my vocabulary than LOL or JK or their shortened speech. That I much prefer talking to someone in person than texting them. Or I that like receiving or writing a lengthy letter instead of deciphering an email. I have spent a lot of time thinking about my generation and how sometimes I feel as if I am lost and don’t belong, and how I am stuck in the past, and how I fear the future.
The readings done in this class have encouraged this fear within me. All of these guesses of what the future holds. The reign of technology, and big brother, and war, and death for fun, killing for sport. The discussions we have had about entertainment getting more and more violent, the brutality, and barbarianism of it all, scares me. The loss of language and education and the burning of books, never having enough, always wanting more, taking more. So much destruction in order to bring peace? It doesn’t quite make sense to me. These books and articles and videos and all we have discussed have left so much for me to sit and ponder about.
If anything this class has given me a lot I have to think about. I have been opened up to many interesting and thought provoking books and people. Now what do I do with this information I have been given. Do I continue to run and hide in a past I was never a part of, living in a generation that is not my own? Or do I take what I have been shown and try to mold it to my liking, create my own future instead of riding the current, and letting others make my future for me? I’m not sure any of these things can be answered by my magic eight ball and now I know not what to do.
I feel your pain. People always tell me that I am a old man in a young person's body. I still like Lady Gaga and I find it easier to email then right letters, but I do enjoy watching shows from the 1950's and I use the words swell and Peachy all the time. I'm sorry the texts have fueled your fear but I guess that means that you realize whats happening and YOUR GONNA BE AN ACTIVIST and save the work from self destruction
ReplyDelete"Do I continue to run and hide in a past I was never a part of, living in a generation that is not my own? Or do I take what I have been shown and try to mold it to my liking, create my own future instead of riding the current, and letting others make my future for me? "
I'd say do the second one. I'm not a magic 8 ball, but I think that Its always good to take a stand if you get the chance. Plus I feel like running and hiding would get rather tiring after a while. Your legs would get sore from all that running. I have enjoyed reading your blogs this semester, and maybe we'll end up having a 3rd class together at some point. Have a good rest of the Year!
I too feel this way! I would rather spend my time reading or out side, and My taste in music like the Beatles sure as hell doesn't fit in too much. This class too has opened my eyes to the world we actually live in. I have taken the ability to critically think from it too.
ReplyDeleteFirst off how do you think of these titles? I love it.
ReplyDeleteBut anyways, I like your post! I like how you demonstrate the differences between how you feel and how the rest of this generation acts. Whatever you do, don't try to fit in and just keep being yourself. If in the end there comes a time where this is all taken away from us, you will be far ahead of the rest of us.
awesome post, and it has been awesome working with you in my group.