I was watching TimCast tonight. And I heard Ian (I think that is his name) claim that humans ,due to the things like the internet, now are “hyper aware” and previous generations were just “ignorant”.
I find this thought process to a frequent mistake of young people. To assume that the countless generations that came before you, that you rest on the shoulders of, were somehow beneath you. That your generation are the smart ones and everything is now figured out and anyone that came before was somehow less.
I recall thinking this way when I was a very young man and I see my own child now think this same thing to the point of scoffing at previous generations.
The irony is that I believe the internet , social media specifically, has poisoned people’s minds and in fact we are all now less intelligent for it. Everything we all have is due to the work and sacrifices of previous generations. The ease with which most of us now live would not be possible without the work, sweat, tears, intelligence and care of those who came before us.
Young people should revere their ancestors and thank them and not just assume everyone over 30 is simply old and stupid. Yes I know, when you are 15/16 you not only believe you have a handle on the world you KNOW it. It’s nearly the same for everyone. We all think that until the world firmly plants a foot right in your nether regions.
“Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire.”― Gustav Mahler