Aliens

I’ve been thinking about our young’uns a lot these days: the soon-to-be-adults finally taking charge in the fight against guns in America; the youth of Black Lives Matter who are determined to change how their brothers and sisters are treated; the huge movement within the LGBTQ2 community to hold to their own truth.

To some of the people in the generations that have come before and are witnessing this upheaval in our society, these young’uns seem like aliens. They cannot even begin to conceive of their anger, their passion or their determination. And they seem to have forgotten their own youthful determination to carve their own way.

If I did not children who are fully embracing of the agenda of next generations I, too, might be a’feared. But I’m not. I am excited. And while, from time to time, I step into the poo of “old thinking,” I have children who are happy to quickly point it out and redirect me.

I remember commenting to my daughter about a girl friend who wore a tuxedo looking good in men’s clothes. I was quickly told, “Clothes don’t have a gender.” Back in my day they did. Men’s and women’s shirts buttoned on different sides and we dutifully wore the appropriate shirt. But the young’uns who will be in charge next have no desire to conform; individuality is their scaffolding. And what’s different this time – as opposed to the boomers who were all about “I” – is that they are firmly committed to individualism for all, not just for each of themselves. And they will fight for EVERY tribe’s right to the dignity and freedom they want for themselves.

If it is fear holding you back – change can be hard, and it’s coming at a ferocious speed – might I suggest you sit with some of these young people and listen to them describe how they see the world. If it is a lack of understanding, listening and asking questions will help set that right. And if it is straight out unwillingness to accept that the world in changing – and I believe for the better – then you shouldn’t be surprised that you’re seen as ‘old.’

I am turning 59 in June. More has changed around me in the last ten years than in the previous 49. And sometimes I feel like I’m running to keep up. But I am determined to keep up. I will not fall into that tribe of muttering, millennial-bashing, kids-should-shut-up old people (regardless of their age.) I will ask questions, risking the laughter that erupts when I say something that the young’uns see as so yesterday.

If millennials are killing whole industries as they seek to define their own futures, I’m fine with that. Some of those industries have been pulling our consumption strings for far too long and it’s about time they died. Their priorities are not the same as the priorities we had at their age. They’re not the same as the priorities some of us still cling to. And that’s a good thing. It’s what progress is built on.