|
One of the most important responsibilities of adulthood is the protection of those who come later. Our children are indeed our most precious resource - one that many Americans take for granted. It can be well argued that we are so focused on our own needs that this generation has failed to responsibly address the needs of our children.
Certainly our young have benefited from material generosity. The word 'supersize' sums up a time of excess characterized by an addiction to acquisition and accumulation as a substitution for love and engagement. Worse, we have funded are largess with borrowed money that will rest heavily on our children for decades to come.
Our schools are failure academies. The physical dropout rate in most public schools is a testimony to a system designed to meet its own illusions more than the academic needs of our children. The psychological dropout rate, characterized by those who graduate without the skills and knowledge necessary to a future of hope, is further testimony to our failure.
We have also let down our children in terms of healthy role models. The baby boomer's dedication to feeling good has been effectively marketed to our youth. They have the same itch we have, but the opportunities for healthy outlets - good jobs, family unity, and a future of hope - are receding.
The debt we have assigned our children is one of our more insidious mistreatments. Billions in debt has evolved into trillions - numbers that are so catastrophic as to be beyond conception. The redemption of this debt, whether through the inflationary impact of a massive printing of unfounded greenbacks or regression to second tier economic status will be fraught with pain for our young long after we adults have passed a battered flag.
Perhaps our worst offense has been the successful marketing of the fantasy of something for nothing. Our material excesses and political silliness have ignored the lessons of nature long enough to convince our young that it's possible to give a good life without the demands of contribution and sacrifice. As a consequence, they are poorly prepared for a time that will insure some of the greatest challenges in our country's history.
Then there are the elderly - one of our more consistent voting blocs. Consequently, politicians rarely find the courage to directly confront the challenges of caring for our aging population. Solutions that need attention now are left to develop by default - thus transferring accountability to future generations who get the burden without the opportunity.
We have passively watched as our leaders have robbed the social security fund with impunity for decades - offering a promissory note in exchange for the opportunity to live well today. Thus, as our population is aging, what should have been a treasure trove of resources is a golden chest filled with paper. The safety net hollowly assured is now fraught with holes that will grow weaker as we grow older. An epic collision of need and absent resources is before us.
America's hybrid health care delivery system - an unsustainable mix of free market and socialized medicine - has been manipulated almost beyond repair. The march to nationalize health care has been slowed, but its message of something for nothing is too compelling not to succeed in a society increasingly devoted to its own needs. With that success will come an inevitable rationing of health care for the elderly. Service limitations have occurred in every country where socialized medicine has reached full fruition. America will be no exception.
It is no secret that today's young hold marginal respect for the aged. In significant contrast to societies where older men and women are venerated for their wisdom and experience, America has a firm dedication to the phrase 'new and improved'. We are inclined to trade people in like cars.
Of great and largely unnoticed concern is the generational conflict that looms before us. When the young begin to reap the full consequence of our mismanagement of America's gifts, they will be angry and they will know who was responsible. It is naive to be the first generation of Americans to leave our children with less and expect respect for our selfishness. We have betrayed our caregivers and they will let us know...
Dr. Carl Mumpower / 8-7-10
www.thecandidconservative.com
Trackback(0)
 |
TrackBack URI for this entry
Subscribe to this comment's feed
