In general, it does seem to be valid that different generations have characteristics, are individual men “writ large”.
It bears saying working more is a lot easier when it’s rewarded. The economic landscape of the boomer was basically a foreign country. Other generations work less not because they somehow lost interest in money, but they no longer saw a connection between their actions and a better life because, well, there was less of one. At the same token you also see a massive increase in the entrepreneurial spirit. When they see a connection they’ll work harder, much harder, whereas employers seem dead set on doing anything to get employees to work harder so long as it doesn’t involve more money to employees or even much in the way of formal recognition any more (employees with awards might get hired away you see).
I have noticed this as well with certain people, who, when speaking, command attention, even if it is rather dull or even unimportant. They just assume what they are saying is worth saying and people should be listening. I often do not think that of myself.
I would say that Aaron has stumbled on to a truth. But I don't think it, as he says, has as much to do with what generation you were born in other than the change in technology. I've never been a believer in "generations" having certain characteristics.
As one who was born in 1954 which supposedly makes me a "boomer" what I have seen from younger individuals (and not all) is that the ubiquity of cellphones with access to the internet makes them hesitant to say anything is true. They instantly "fact-check" whatever is said (of course from their preferred sites) so they really don't believe in much. Add to this, most of the college-educated (indoctrinated) have been taught there is no such thing as truth, and everyone has their own truth. So how can you be self-confident if there is no truth?
1. I acknowledge the need for confidence in life and to project the same to be successful
2. Most generations of Americans (especially) have been very confident about changing things and the world around them. The Boomers are in line with prior generations, who were optimistic about the world and their ability to change it.
3. I also think the Boomers are the generation that began, in earnest, to tear down our optimism even as many preserved it.
4. It's pretty hard to be optimistic in generations since the Millennials and especially Gen Z, when we increasingly think of all former progress as colonizing.
I will also say that Piper and Keller's generation is also from the period of the zenith of the Billy Graham crusades and the formation of things like Christianity Today.
A mentor of mine grew up in the Park Street Church. Harold Okinga was his mentor. He met Billy Graham as a youth and told him he wanted to be a Pastor.
He and many other Christians his age were strongly affected by the deaths of the missionaries at the hands of the Amerindians in the 50's. My mentor was at Wheaton when news came of their deaths, and so many were inspired to do impossible things for the Gospel.
That generation had optimism to do impossible things for the Gospel. Now, most Evangelicals are more likely to pick at all the mistakes and the sins of the past and have doubts that the Church has ever done anything good for the Gospel. It's an exaggeration but most Christians have almost been instructed to think of all the zeal in the past as mostly misguided.
I think one of the reasons why Biden not only became the nominee, but then was able to effectively get everyone around him to lie about his wellbeing is connected here. He, like so many other boomers, had a tremendous amount of self-confidence, and even when his mind was starting to falter, he still had the patterns and mannerisms that could fool you, and if they didn't fool you, they could still scare you. I remember Jon Stewart one time talking about a personal phone call he got from Biden, where Biden threatened physical violence if Stewart ever commented on his age and frailty again. "I'll personally kick your ...." While everyone is looking for blood when it comes to the Biden health cover-up, few seem to know what it is like to be in the orbit of a very self confident boomer, even a failing one.
I definitely think that pastors should preach with that boldness, which should come from their reliance on the word of God and unerring confidence in the Spirit to guide them. The pastors during the Revolutionary War showed that kind of boldness.
The Spirit cannot err but we can. Self confidence is the problem, because of the “self” part. That doesn’t mean inaction or lack of boldness just a knowledge that you can be confident enough to act or make a decision and still know you might be getting it wrong.
I’m thinking about this because I think about what happened with Ted Cruz in 2016. There were so many people who were dead certain he was God’s chosen man then when it didn’t happen wound up with a crisis of faith, at least to an extent. That’s why I think it’s important to say even to yourself, I THINK God is leading me to do X, not “God is leading me to do X.” Unless you’re an actual prophet you might be getting it wrong, it may be part of God’s purposes for something to fail, etc.
In general, it does seem to be valid that different generations have characteristics, are individual men “writ large”.
It bears saying working more is a lot easier when it’s rewarded. The economic landscape of the boomer was basically a foreign country. Other generations work less not because they somehow lost interest in money, but they no longer saw a connection between their actions and a better life because, well, there was less of one. At the same token you also see a massive increase in the entrepreneurial spirit. When they see a connection they’ll work harder, much harder, whereas employers seem dead set on doing anything to get employees to work harder so long as it doesn’t involve more money to employees or even much in the way of formal recognition any more (employees with awards might get hired away you see).
I have noticed this as well with certain people, who, when speaking, command attention, even if it is rather dull or even unimportant. They just assume what they are saying is worth saying and people should be listening. I often do not think that of myself.
Which can be used for good or evil granted, but there really such a thing as “presence”.
I would say that Aaron has stumbled on to a truth. But I don't think it, as he says, has as much to do with what generation you were born in other than the change in technology. I've never been a believer in "generations" having certain characteristics.
As one who was born in 1954 which supposedly makes me a "boomer" what I have seen from younger individuals (and not all) is that the ubiquity of cellphones with access to the internet makes them hesitant to say anything is true. They instantly "fact-check" whatever is said (of course from their preferred sites) so they really don't believe in much. Add to this, most of the college-educated (indoctrinated) have been taught there is no such thing as truth, and everyone has their own truth. So how can you be self-confident if there is no truth?
1. I acknowledge the need for confidence in life and to project the same to be successful
2. Most generations of Americans (especially) have been very confident about changing things and the world around them. The Boomers are in line with prior generations, who were optimistic about the world and their ability to change it.
3. I also think the Boomers are the generation that began, in earnest, to tear down our optimism even as many preserved it.
4. It's pretty hard to be optimistic in generations since the Millennials and especially Gen Z, when we increasingly think of all former progress as colonizing.
I will also say that Piper and Keller's generation is also from the period of the zenith of the Billy Graham crusades and the formation of things like Christianity Today.
A mentor of mine grew up in the Park Street Church. Harold Okinga was his mentor. He met Billy Graham as a youth and told him he wanted to be a Pastor.
He and many other Christians his age were strongly affected by the deaths of the missionaries at the hands of the Amerindians in the 50's. My mentor was at Wheaton when news came of their deaths, and so many were inspired to do impossible things for the Gospel.
That generation had optimism to do impossible things for the Gospel. Now, most Evangelicals are more likely to pick at all the mistakes and the sins of the past and have doubts that the Church has ever done anything good for the Gospel. It's an exaggeration but most Christians have almost been instructed to think of all the zeal in the past as mostly misguided.
I think one of the reasons why Biden not only became the nominee, but then was able to effectively get everyone around him to lie about his wellbeing is connected here. He, like so many other boomers, had a tremendous amount of self-confidence, and even when his mind was starting to falter, he still had the patterns and mannerisms that could fool you, and if they didn't fool you, they could still scare you. I remember Jon Stewart one time talking about a personal phone call he got from Biden, where Biden threatened physical violence if Stewart ever commented on his age and frailty again. "I'll personally kick your ...." While everyone is looking for blood when it comes to the Biden health cover-up, few seem to know what it is like to be in the orbit of a very self confident boomer, even a failing one.
I definitely think that pastors should preach with that boldness, which should come from their reliance on the word of God and unerring confidence in the Spirit to guide them. The pastors during the Revolutionary War showed that kind of boldness.
The Spirit cannot err but we can. Self confidence is the problem, because of the “self” part. That doesn’t mean inaction or lack of boldness just a knowledge that you can be confident enough to act or make a decision and still know you might be getting it wrong.
I’m thinking about this because I think about what happened with Ted Cruz in 2016. There were so many people who were dead certain he was God’s chosen man then when it didn’t happen wound up with a crisis of faith, at least to an extent. That’s why I think it’s important to say even to yourself, I THINK God is leading me to do X, not “God is leading me to do X.” Unless you’re an actual prophet you might be getting it wrong, it may be part of God’s purposes for something to fail, etc.