Column: Oh, the things we learn… – BOE Report

July 15, 2020

That masterful Twain quote, one of a million or so he has, is a generational thing. Certain cycles are, in broad strokes, predictable. It’s a part of growing up I suppose; at a certain age, everything seems simple and obvious – parents are stupid, for starters. As one moves through stages of experience and responsibility, a few of those certitudes begin to melt like ice sculptures.

Don’t worry, this isn’t one of those “kids are horrible these days” bonehead rants. I’ve worked with some astonishingly capable young people in the past few years, with formidable work ethics. Furthermore, sometimes this illusion-shattering strikes us all, no matter how much we think we have it all figured out. It happened to me just recently.

Before discussing my own personal obtuseness, it’s valuable to map out what today’s activists/idealists’ paths might look like. The current generation of youth doesn’t remember the hippie movement, and to be honest neither do I – not because I was in on the drug fest, but because I was two. As I grew up I did become aware of the battle cry of the day, the fight against “the man” and “the establishment.” It was a pretty big deal, particularly in the US, and was sort of definitional of that generation (or so the stereotype goes anyway).

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