This is something I have struggled with consistently for about two decades. There was a lot of Gen X and grunge influence in my early adolescence, which left me with some rather bad ideas equating irony and detachment with authenticity and coolness. This attitude affected my politics. I was an empathetic young person and spent a lot of time working for social causes. The more I tried to help, and the more I saw how awful things around America really were, I grew to hate those in power and their supporters. Then there was George Bush and the invasions and occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan. I have never really recovered from watching people cheer that on. It left a deep scar of pessimism in me. For example, I consider Trump's presidency a natural result of American ideals rather than some aberration. But the younger millenials and generation z seem to, on average, have much healthier and positive ideas about what is cool, including sincerity and caring about others. It is inspiring and gives me hope. Maybe I can even find some small ways to help out again.
It's very punk, and I love it. The kids are, as they say, "all right". I'm trying to do what I can to support them as they make the world a better place.But the younger millenials and generation z seem to, on average, have much healthier and positive ideas about what is cool, including sincerity and caring about others. It is inspiring and gives me hope. Maybe I can even find some small ways to help out again.
There's a Cadillac commercial that quotes some of this speech. I remember seeing it, and hearing this, back in the hotel after failing to reach a summit while hiking. I was definitely feeling down about it. I don't remember which hike that was, and it makes me laugh for two reasons. First, it wasn't the only time I failed. There were so many I can't remember which was which. Second, because I've later competed every hike I turned back on. Failure isn't the end. Stopping to try is the end. It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming;
Nice connection. It’s easy to armchair quarterback the world when you’ve got no skin in the game. There’s a seductive power in being a critic. Especially one free of consequences. It can be empowering to be flexing their mental muscle by tearing others down. Is it an indicator of a person that is seeking power? I’m tending to think so. The bigger the critic the less self-confidence the critic owns. I think of Donald Trump. Word has it he’s got some very big “I can make you happy this time, Daddy” issues that haunt him daily. I’ve gotta think that if we could have gotten him some very good counseling starting in 2016 the world would be a much healthier place today. This also reminds me of Nassim Nicholas Taleb’s “Skin in the Game - Hidden Asymmetries in Daily Life”. I read it several years ago, but I’m thinking of reading it again. Seems very timely.