Generations Differ, But Some Things Stay True

Generations: the sum of the general population's mood, taste, accomplishments, and personality, are as distinct as the people who have lived through them. And while the world has gone in and out of wars, toppled walls separating democracy and communism, and put men on the moon, there remained a common thread pulling everyone together. That thread was the people themselves.

Throughout history, one single person is usually never responsible for the upset of power, the divestment of fortunes or the spirit of the multitude. It is the collective response of the citizens that write history. It is the enduring spirit, the capacity for love, the gracious pardons and the manifest personalities of the people who define a generation.

It is also true that the personalities of the people change along with the generation. Rock and roll, once thought to be radical and rebellious, is now an anthem for Americana. Attitudes come full circle, doctrines are reexamined. People are constantly defining and defying what it means to be a person living right at this moment. Even now as I write this, my perceptual inaccuracy of other generations is great because I have not lived through those times. I have not walked the paths of the protesters or seen through the eyes of the observer. I can only look back with a distance of 60-plus years through the accounts of those who came before me. And while this hazy distance can be crossed, decades of history in a single chapter, I will never know what it meant to be a part of generation "X."

But, I am a part of the current generation. And while we will never fully know our impact on the world until much later, if at all, I am a bit concerned about where we seem to be heading.

With over 6 billion people on Earth, it often seems like one person is a drop in the bucket, an unremarkable and unforgettable nobody. But the number 6 billion isn't just a global census, 6 billion stands for 6 billion lives, stories and faces. It seems that we have forgotten that there is more to our lives than just the people in our immediate social circle.

Nowadays, people just don't seem to care what happens around the world. But now more than ever, it is easier to keep in touch with our fellow humans, whether they live two streets or two continents away.

Perhaps the phrase "a world away" is the biggest oxymoron in existence. People are as intricately connected as the stitches in a tapestry. One stitch by itself may not make art, but when woven, piece by piece, we see the bigger picture.

We are facing a global market predicament, humanitarian violence and an insurance crisis. Never has it been more imminent to gather our strength in numbers and redefine our generation. We stand for something greater than ourselves when we stand with humanity, rather than standing alone.

We still have time to write our history. Does this generation want to be remembered for the close-mindedness of our global perspective and the "it doesn't concern me" attitude? We need to remember the struggles of past generations and emulate their undying spirit that led to change. We need to recapture the resilience that has brought us back from the dead, strengthened our weaknesses, and reinforced our strengths. But if we are to be successful, we cannot deviate from unity. Remember that many voices are louder than one just as there are many in a generation and not just one. Self-interest serves no one.