In Western society, and societies across the world, the elderly were revered as pillars of knowledge, morals, values, and guidance among the family, the community, and, ultimately, the nation. It was like this for good reason and Western society was not the only region where this was practiced. Virtually every society to ever exist, or does to this day, continues this practice, except for the West.
As part of the continued fading and the overall strangeness of our current age, the West has turned its back on this practice and with devastating consequences. Of course, this isn’t to say that all elderly people are wise or worth a fireside chat. I’ve met plenty who are ignorant or useless; however, the general practice of honoring and learning from your elders is the correct path forward. But, part of the West’s tragic decline is related to the abandonment and neglect of our elders.
So, when did this shift occur and why? It’s an important question to ask, especially if you label yourself a traditionalist. There was good reason, throughout human history, we listened to the words and lessons of our elders. And, it comes down to one fundamental truth – they survived.
I often tell folks the following, to help put things in perspective or whenever they are throwing their life away doing something foolish (like drugs), “Your ancestors survived thousands of years of war, plague, famine, disease, natural disaster, and any other number of things that could have killed them, and you’re going to piss all over that legacy?” I have found that comment gives many room for pause because most simply do not reflect on what came before them. They live for today and the moment.
It seems when tracing this cosmic shift, it can be pinned down to starting around the emergence of the 20th century, and growing ever since then. You will also make note of many important historical “movements,” specifically of the leftist variety, that occurred over this time period. One commonality in these movements, and the defining ethos of the age, is individualism, wherein the identity of the individual is fundamentally paramount. This worship of the individual, really just self, takes precedence certainly over tribe, but even family and God. This was an important element for the Left to push. Ultimately, individualism destroys the roots of an individual. Therefore, the widespread growth of individualism disintegrates the molding that holds together a functional society.
A critical component of individualism is the neglect of our elders, both physically and socially.
When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years.
Mark Twain
Have you ever noticed how the Left grandstands children as the paragon of knowledge, righteousness, and morale authority, as if questioning them is some sort of sacrilege? Greta Thunberg is a good example of this, same as the Parkland teenagers. On the other hand, the older generation is typically ignored, besmirched as racist dinosaurs, or their generational demise, and extinction as a voting block, is celebrated. An exception to this would be the Covington boys (young) and Nathan Phillips (old). But in this example, the Left’s racial and gender animus against white males was the prevailing theme.
One of the most popular selling leftist book of all time is All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten by Robert Fulghum. From it, we can begin to trace the mind of the leftist and why they have abandoned the notion of listening to their elders – essentially, it’s because they believe that they know best, or better, than anyone that came before them. That is why we call them “progressives.” There is no past, only a progression forward to the future. In simple terms: the past is bad, the future is good.
Take a moment to reflect back to your teenage years and think about the things you believed back then. How much have you changed since then? How much are you still changing? This is the point. As we live and grow older, we learn. We are not born with knowledge, or an innate understanding, of the world, man or God. When we are young, we want everything now, in the instant, on the spot. That is not how things work. Slow and steady wins the race, as the Left has shown. In order for the Right, and traditionalism, to win the race, it must adopt the same approach. But, why is this necessary? Because patience is a virtue and with it comes knowledge.
The elders in your life have been around longer than you, and most likely know more and have seen more. As such, it is wise to listen to their counsel, to prevent you from making the same mistakes they did. There is something to be said about making your own way, or learning the hard way, but it doesn’t have to be like that all the time.
So, stop showcasing children for political purposes, be it on the Left or the Right. Let children be children, and let the adults do the serious work. Also, for those who can’t let go, and who haven’t put childish things behind them, it’s time for you to grow up, too. It’s time for men to be men, women to be women, and parents to be parents again. We all have a job to do to ensure society continues to function when we are gone. Forsaking that sacred duty is what got us into this mess in the first place.
I’ve coined a term I like to use to describe adults who behave like children or think like them, “Children LARPing” (live action roleplaying). In other words, adults with the maturity and responsibilities of a child. Take a look at a self-avowed leftist and see if the expression holds true.
When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
1 Corinthians 13:11 KJV
God bless you and God bless Dixie.
I have seen three emperors in their nakedness, and the sight was not inspiring.
Perhaps the rise of technology has been a factor in this role reversal. There’s much truth in the adage “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks”. This is particularly true of seniors when it comes to things like computer coding, smart phone apps, etc.
The pace of technological change/disruption has been accelerating for centuries, actually, and became a significant societal influencer in the late 19th century. When innovation moved slowly, elders had a better grasp on it than children and teenagers. But the faster the technological revolution becomes, the more stark becomes the advantage of youth over wisdom in that realm.
Young people mistake the lack of high-tech competency in their elders for stupidity, and this mindset is brought into other areas in which, unfortunately, the youths are out of their depth.
Greta Thunberg is a child. She doesn’t know anything about AGW other than the propaganda with which she’s been brainwashed. But this goes unnoticed by the Left, most likely because they’re brainwashed themselves. What else can we expect from folk who think women and men are the same?
When women and children rule it over a nation or nations, then it’s a pretty good indication that nation (or those nations) is under God’s curse. See Isaiah ch. 3.