4 ms·

I grew up in similar fashion, and with similar freedom. Bad datapoint: To the maximum possible, I free ranged my own kids. They still mistrust. The dominant

I grew up in similar fashion, and with similar freedom. Bad datapoint: To the maximum possible, I free ranged my own kids. They still mistrust. The dominant cultural influence is "everyone just trying to get theirs", fish bowl style. This impacts everything, and yes. Ethics are a challenging conversation. I tried hard. Conditions are just not good. Hard to compete. "But I really need or want mine" is super compelling and can justify a lot. I have a granddaughter to raise. Am trying it again... I agree with what you put here. Can add to civility: much thicker skin and giving people outs to reconsider or make better choices without closing doors on them. I am generally slow to make, and avoid personal judgement. I want to continue talking. It helps a lot, can build trust.

hilbert42 5y ago
I can only agree and sympathize with what you say. One of the few advantages of being our age is that we've experienced both era and we know what has been lost. You hit the nail on the head with your earlier comment in that the 'national dialog needed to improve'. It's extremely difficult to have one's children listen and respect one's point of view when the national dialog among their peers is very different. One needs the zeitgeist to change but from what I see around me I remain pessimistic. Hopefully my view is myopic and I'll be proved dead wrong.
- ddingus 5y ago
  You and I both! There are encouraging developments. I recently read about a group of young progressives, basically looking for better, more reasonable, equitable social democracy type policy being active, are 16, and doing activism that appears effective enough to put elections into question! They are digital natives, nimble, smart and if they garner any influence from more accomplished activists, will be knocking on doors asking for help. I do not have the link handy, but it should not be too hard to find. The phrase "they do not take orders" from the Democratic Party is in the headline. If that proves real, and is not just being sensationalized, those kids may have somehow picked up on some of what we are discussing as well as the idea of raising the cost of continuing down our current path being effective politics on par with New Deal type efforts familiar to us. So who knows? They have very strong incentives! Rough gig for them right now.
- ddingus 5y ago
  I misread the article. Never mind earlier comment.

hilbert42 5y ago

I can only agree and sympathize with what you say. One of the few advantages of being our age is that we've experienced both era and we know what has been lost. You hit the nail on the head with your earlier comment in that the 'national dialog needed to improve'. It's extremely difficult to have one's children listen and respect one's point of view when the national dialog among their peers is very different. One needs the zeitgeist to change but from what I see around me I remain pessimistic. Hopefully my view is myopic and I'll be proved dead wrong.

ddingus 5y ago
You and I both! There are encouraging developments. I recently read about a group of young progressives, basically looking for better, more reasonable, equitable social democracy type policy being active, are 16, and doing activism that appears effective enough to put elections into question! They are digital natives, nimble, smart and if they garner any influence from more accomplished activists, will be knocking on doors asking for help. I do not have the link handy, but it should not be too hard to find. The phrase "they do not take orders" from the Democratic Party is in the headline. If that proves real, and is not just being sensationalized, those kids may have somehow picked up on some of what we are discussing as well as the idea of raising the cost of continuing down our current path being effective politics on par with New Deal type efforts familiar to us. So who knows? They have very strong incentives! Rough gig for them right now.
ddingus 5y ago
I misread the article. Never mind earlier comment.