The "lost generation" is no joke (and may be its own savior)

If you have not seen the April Fools Day issue of the spoof publication, The Beacon, go ahead and take a look at it now. And jump ahead to page eight which reprises the old complaint from Generation X that they — no, we — are ignored by a graphic juggernauts younger and older than we are.

I do think we need to be better self- and peer-advocates, and ask why there is so much long-term pessimism and distress among a generation that should be at the peak of its strength, and be recruited accordingly. And not just in the ministry by any stretch, but across culture.

But it’s also reasonable to sidestep authorities (personal and institutional) that don’t meet our needs and take some of that talent to bootstrap some solutions that value our leadership and ideals. Crowdfunding a project to employ some of that talent would be one idea. (I have my doubts about the UU crowdfunding platform, Faithify, to be introduced at General Assembly, but I’m glad to be proven wrong.)  Or speaking about economic distress from long first-person experience. Or planning intentionally for ministry that speaks more clearly from our experiences. Or realizing that there other dates in history besides 1968.

Nothing anyone should have to do without, even if people a few years either side of my age (44) have to ask louder and more constantly.

5 Replies to “The "lost generation" is no joke (and may be its own savior)”

  1. As I said on Facebook, I agree that it’s not a joke. As a Xer, I get really tired of the leap from Boomer-centrism to Millenial-centrism. Makes me angry.

    I wonder what would happen if we Xers just stopped showing up.

  2. I commented on one thread about this, “I’d comment, but I wouldn’t be heard.” It is a real phenomenon, this generation-jumping.

    BTW, Vi diras, ke gxi estas transdonita al vin sennome, tamen ?i faras referencon al vi? Konfesi!

    (Hope my English to Esperanto Google translate is good enough to get the point across, because I don’t know the language at all.)

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