When Values Are No Longer Valuable

I love writing about real lives. I enjoy watching and interacting with people that challenge me. I am passionate about things that make us who we are, regardless from where we hail. I am a creative, witty, say it like it is American. You may not necessarily agree with what I have to say, but you will be far removed from wondering what I think. I never shy away from a good debate and I open my eyes and ears to embrace diversity.

Americans love to subdivide our generations and cultures into clever named groups. Each is representative of the era in which we were born and the historical reasons for our existence in time. I am a “Baby Boomer” born and raised during the 1960s and 1970s. Life was far different then than my adult years now. It seemed simpler then, but I am sure it was just the framing of life through young innocent eyes.

As the year comes to a close, all news Medias are touting the year in review collages. The programs are full of hand wringing and bias based articles that no longer find much good in what we have done or who we are. Though I agree that there is much evil in this world, I refuse to lose sight of the good that still prevails, but unfortunately does not bring the interest or ratings that reporters seek. It seems as though everywhere I look, I find an opinion that who I am based on my generational category, is no longer deemed credible or acceptable because our views, our values and our times then differed from the youthful vision of the “Millennial” generation that now are becoming adults.

I refuse to apologize for who I was then, or who I am now. Times were different then, values were formed based on our culture during those years. Of course we evolve, that is the course of nature and aging. As I look into the mirror, I see maturity, maturity that is derived from experience both good and bad. Life is a series of short stories that combine to define our very persona. We do not have to agree with everything in our past, but we should always embrace it. Our past is who and why we are who we are now. All the good, all the bad, all the controversy make us stronger as individuals and as a nation. We should not be apologetic for our differences; we should embrace them and learn from them.

I welcome the new millennial mindset, but I cringe at the very premise that theirs is now the only acceptable value system we should have. I am angry that they are laser focused on events from forty and fifty years ago, being rehashed into today's standards. Those years have gone and are now our past. My values are not less valuable than theirs; some were and are just a bit different. Though I may understand and respect change, I hope to in the same breath caution losing sight of our history and our individuality. The very ideals that are acceptable now with their discriminating assertions, are the perfect illustrations of double standards. Disregarding differences in age, culture, and holding all to one mindset is going against the very things they postulate. At some point these same "Millennials" will be seniors and the next generation of values will set the standards which will likely differ from theirs as theirs differs from ours now.

I believe we are all created equally to define our multiplicities. Without those unique differences, how do we flourish and learn from each other and our experiences. If we all knew then what we know now, would we be who we are today?