In a 10:31 AM comment on the post “Transportation and Generational Analysis Part 1.”, Peter G points out that he and Jim Bacon have birthdays that are only three weeks apart. While both were born near the Atlantic Coast of North America, they have far different experiences and current perspectives.
We are too busy to flesh out this thought but here is a draft thesis and a question for generational difference advocates:
Thesis: Global economic reality will trump generational stereotypes.
The emerging reality is for Collapse. Collapse driven by those at the top of the Ziggurat wasting Natural Capital to:
• Pay the total cost of contemporary ‘driven-by-technology-to-a-frenzy’ society, and
• Subsidize the full cost of dysfunctional settlement patterns.
Genetic proclivities (aka, genetic hardwiring) will erase many of the “generational” differences that have seemed important to data miners.
The drive to survive will wipe out most of the nice distinctions between generations and the technology / innovation with which they are comfortable — vehicles, communicaitons, appliances, recreation, employment…
The absolute necessity of a secure source of potable water and edible foodstuffs will be of primary concern. Having access to a warm shower and a heated bathroom will be luxuries.
All the techno ‘stuff’ will be out of reach of the vast majority and this will spell DOOM to generational differences. Why?
There are close to 6.5-billion humans on the planet. They all want something to drink, something to eat, a warm shower and a heated bathroom.
Most of those on the planet do not have these things. They are becoming less and less willing to allow five percent of the population to consume 25 percent of the resources so that the Fortunate Five Percent at the top of the Ziggurat can enjoy the luxuries of Mass OverConsumption.
One, as yet, unappreciated consequence of the headlong rush to create Friedman’s Flat Earth is that ‘everyone’ can see what is going on all across the Globe. The ‘have nots’ are learning they can attack those who are consuming more than their share and in the process depriving them of enough to eat, drink and the basic rudiments of creature comforts.
In the past decade it has become clear that the ‘have-nots’ can attack the ‘have-more-than-their-shares’ directly and indirectly. They can even do it remotely via the communications grid …
(Excuse us while we reboot our computer and restart the air traffic control system, the North East Power Grid, the Wilson Bridge lift span and….)
The attacks will become ever more brutal once it is clear that there are not enough resources to allow “everyone” a chance to float up in the ‘growth and prosperity tide’ that for the last 200 years was thought to “rises all boats.”
One can see the realization dawning in China, India and Indonesia. Many think they can bring the ‘big-wasters’ to their knees economically. Some who are more desperate, believe they can take a shortcut to haven – and 77 virgins – by accelerating the process via self-sacrifice.
So the generational generalizations will erode.
The three forces can will drive real change are aging of the population, immigration and the fact that humans now know how to NOT to bring more new humans into undesirable conditions (aka, voluntary population control based an understanding that the church with the most souls does NOT win because it cannot deliver happy and safe adherents while they are alive.)
In a consumer driven economy with instantanious Global communications: Consumption levels (note the price of gas); The attractiveness of places to immigrate to get rich; and, Birth rates can turn on a dime from the perspective of a ‘gereation’ two.
One question: How does anyone identify the start and end of a homogenous “generation?”
The Greatest Generation fought in World War II. The Baby boomers are their children. What about those of us born in the late 30s? Too young to fight in WW II and coming of age in the 50s when world had already changed to become the home of Boomers?
This ‘inner generation” is experiencing what the Boomers will experience but is a few years ahead of them. There are not so many of them that they will drive Social Security broke – unless the Really Great Depression drives down Social Security receipts…
Perhaps answer is in Gladwell’s new book Outliers: The Story of Success. By the way, Chapter One of that book demonstrates how a Balanced Community can trump lard in the diet vis a vis health and happiness.
EMR