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a different take on the post-rush limbaugh world
Man, do I feel optimistic lately. Why? Because of my kids. They have a different take on the world, and it’s a take the world is due. We baby boomers have taken things as far as we can with our current Oldsmobile. Our battles lines are firmly fixed, but from their perspective, wearing thin. Now it’s time for us to listen to their take on the world as much as we’ve been yammering on about ours. Then, having listened and learned, we’ll be able to see what we’ve been through in a new light and offer, not more information (they can get it faster than we can generate it) but what they actually crave from us: wisdom, the one thing it takes time and experience and trial and error to gain.
The culture wars are boomer wars. We inherited them from our fathers who lived in a binary world of good and evil neatly separated by geographic boundaries. The evil empire was over there, far away from our fields of presumed good. I actually played cowboys and Indians assuming the cowboys were the good guys. Pick up sides and duke it out; we boomers did it every day all summer long playing baseball in the streets. May the best side win. One side fits all. Side in. Side out. Are you on our side or the side of our enemies? Neither, says this newer take on the world before us. Maybe it’s time for us boomers to sit down, shut up, and take off our shoes.
Rush Limbaugh (with a new 144 million dollar contract, I think he’s safe from my little critiques) is the culture warrior par excellence with a boomer point of view. These efforts to match him bombast for bombast by a left leaning a.m. radio voice are doomed to fail, because the wind filling his sails is dying down, not gaining strength. There’s just not enough bombast left to get Al Franken up and running.
My kids, though, and their friends, have their eyes on a different time horizon than we boomers can even visualize, we who have worshiped all our lives at the altar of the now, thanks to all that LSD in our youth. They see the debt we’ve been wracking up and won’t live long enough to deal with. We boomers can only hear the piper piping. They will meet the piper in person. They will have to pay him off or do the jail time themselves, but only after paying our social security benefits. Our full benefits which we will demand with our AARP cards in hand.
They see the strain we’ve been placing on the planet and they know we’ll be arguing about how bad it is or isn’t until the cows come home. We don’t have the power to change the climate! Yes we do! No we don’t! Do to! Do not! Meanwhile, they are ducking out of our debates in order to make room for the cows.
They grew up with abortion out in the open. I didn’t hear about it until high school. They look at the way the boomers have lined up on this issue and they’ve got their problems with both camps. They grew up with the ultra sound images of what’s going on in the womb and they’re not buying the bit about a blob of tissue because they’ve seen the blob of tissue sucking its thumb. But they also think abortion in some form is here to stay. To them it’s a given; it has been all their lives. They are turning their attention to reducing the numbers of abortions assuming the right to choose them, whether or not they agree it’s a right. Many of ‘em assume it’s a right and feel it’s a wrong. They are less concerned about using abortion to score points that elect politicians who won’t do anything about it one way or the other. They put the quotation marks around the pro-life label when they see their pro life parents unconcerned about getting health care to poor women so it would be easier to have the babies they conceive. They don’t get why the pro-life lobby is working to limit access to condoms in AIDS ravaged Africa; they are not interested in the debate over whether or not it’s moral for a married man with HIV to use one of the darn things. But they have these conversations among themselves, knowing their parents will just get into another brawl over it.
They are the children of the highest divorce rate in history. So it’s hard for them to see gay marriage as the greatest threat to the institution. They are just tired of the fighting.
That’s not such a bad thing to be tired of, the fighting. Anger makes us stupid, a fact of neuroscience they have observed from the sidelines. Now, lesson learned, they are ready to get into the game, which they are hoping to play by a new set of rules. I say more power to ‘em. And to us all.
Tags: AARP, abortion, al franken, boomers, climate change, culture war, debt, divorce, environment, gay marriage, pro-choice, pro-life, rush limbaugh
September 1st, 2008 at 9:22 am
For a boomer, you do a good job thinking like a buster. Supposedly I’m on the cusp — either the “last” year of the boomers or the “first” year of the busters but I’ve always been a buster. This is the best description of the things that go through my mind that I can’t ever quite put into words — the things I ponder and the reasons why. Thank you for explaining why the things that seem SO important and SO self evident and SO certain aren’t, to people like me.
September 1st, 2008 at 11:03 am
boy, something is wrong when young people (according to ken) assume abortion is an inalienable legal right whether or not it’s morally abhorrent. thank god the abolitionists didnt take that tack. it wasn’t a “right” until 1973. now an unborn person can be killed for “any reason” up to about twenty four to twenty eight weeks. ken, do you think that’s ok? shouldn’t pastors like you be speaking up about the million plus abortions in our country every year? i know it isnt the PC thing to do in ann arbor. ken, poor women already have health care for their children. its called medicaid! we only spend about eighteen billion dollars a year on it. apparently every social problem is caused by insufficient entitlement programs? you seem to think that banning coal power plants is so important, but not banning the murder of an unborn baby at 24 weeks. pastors are supposed to be speaking up for the weak and helpless. anger is not always bad–thats why god made us capable of it.
September 1st, 2008 at 12:19 pm
it’s funny how people hear what they want to hear (even if it means hearing a moderate, or moderator, like they’re a polar opposite) – why do we enjoy demonizing people? we feel like we’re protecting the masses from hearing what we’ve distorted in our own head maybe…
September 1st, 2008 at 5:35 pm
“…but what they actually crave from us (boomers): wisdom, the one thing it takes time and experience and trial and error to gain.” Amen.
Frankly, I think we need to continue to confront the brutal facts with a willingness to seek the “awesome” kingdom.
September 1st, 2008 at 9:26 pm
Working with adolescents and teens (and being a GenXer myself), you got it right. And I’m trying not to become cynically paralyzed in thinking about how many condoms $144 million could provide for people in Africa…
September 2nd, 2008 at 2:42 am
Ken, it seems you’re idealizing the “wisdom” of the busters and condemning the “narrow-minded” insight of the boomers.
Frankly, there was a time when various cultures cherished the wisdom of their elders, and dismissed the impulsive and emotional “insight” of youth. Everyone’s mindset was the exact opposite of what you presented here. They viewed it as the responsibility of the aged to share their insight and experience and wisdom with the youth.
These days I spend more time and energy searching the thoughts and writings of those who founded our faith and those who fought for our nation. Granted, I’ve always held conservative views, it’s just that as I’ve gotten older, I understand why.
Shoot, I used to think being 50 would be a sign of being old, now I see how much I need to learn. I adhere more to moral absolutes than I did in High School, and it is our responsibility to share our insights with our children–not theirs to share with us.
September 2nd, 2008 at 6:59 am
Nickolas- I am wresting with your last words and struggling a little – “it is our responsibility to share our insights with our children–not theirs to share with us.” I did a little google search on the word insight and came up with these definitions:
(1) penetration, insight (clear or deep perception of a situation)
(2) insight, perceptiveness, perceptivity (a feeling of understanding)
(3) insight, brainstorm, brainwave (the clear (and often sudden) understanding of a complex situation)
(4) sixth sense (grasping the inner nature of things intuitively)
My concern is that my generation won’t seek the wisdom of those who have gone before, but also that those who have gone before will not humble themselves to new ideas, new visions and new dreams…new insights from my generation. Young men and women will have dreams and see visions, and combined with the gentle wisdom of those who have gone before, man…what an impact we could have on this world.
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:19 am
Nick, it seems you’re not reading what is written:
See Phil’s quote from Ken on this post (comment #4).
Here’s link you may be interested in (esp. point #5):
http://www.stanleyonbible.com/gm/how_to_stay_young.htm
I’m glad you’re still open to learning (and I know it may be difficult to listen to someone who’s younger than you, but hey, I thought I’d give it a shot…)
Cheers
-Trenton
September 2nd, 2008 at 8:40 am
Being in the GenX myself I would have to say that the world we live in today is so different to what it was for the boomers. In many ways GenX tends to give people more grace and acceptance for their mistakes. GenX strives for peace, love, and hope among one another. Our worlds are forcing us to change our opinions about issues such as gay marriage, abortion, health care, and AIDS. With the US with the highest rate of HIV infections among homosexual men, we have to wonder if in the future gay marriage will be legalized for disease control. Studies show that in Canada since gay marriage has become legalized the rate of homosexual male HIV infection rates has dropped significantly. Does that give us the perception that gay marriage will deter the spread of HIV/AIDS? Our generation is more about control as a means of acceptance, which differs greatly from that of the boomers.
September 2nd, 2008 at 9:38 am
It isn’t that I don’t think abortion is abhorrent — I do, very much so. It destroys more than just a baby. I have 4 children of my own, and very well understand exactly what being pregnant is (no “blob of tissue” here). I also know that all the typical “tactics” (for lack of a better word) used so far to fight abortion straight on have been less than useless. I don’t know that abortion is here to stay…I do know that I’m much more likely to make a difference in the actual choice a real woman makes, if I approach it differently than zeroing in on abortion as the litmus test for any political decision I might be faced with, mixed with a generous portion of despite and judgment…I’m much more likely to make a difference in any given pregnancy if I concentrate on making it possible for a woman to take abortion off her list of possible outcomes (most women really don’t want to have one, its often a choice made out of desperation and fear with a healthy dose of ignorance) Is legal abortion here to stay? I dunno. Can we legislate it out of existence? No. I’d rather concentrate on putting our limited resources into things that help women keep their babies, or not have unwanted pregnancies at all, to change the culture at the level of the child-bearing woman because I believe that’s the only way abortion is going to be successfully fought. Women have been aborting their babies forever. The only way to stop it is look at why and address THAT.
September 2nd, 2008 at 10:40 am
what a great post. Ok so things are a little different here in the uk, but not so different as you may imagine. I’m a 35 year old pastor, and see bits of myself in the viewpoints associated with both generations. But definitions don’t fit easily as we’re in a cultural transition; maybe the reason the fight seems so harsh is that so many of us epitomize this transition in the form of conflicts apparent within ourselves. The task of the church is to lead society’s transition with Christlike grace, and not let the change become a blessing mistaken for an idol.
September 2nd, 2008 at 2:27 pm
How cool to have a dad who inspires this kind of debate by being inspired by his kids and then in turn inspires his kids, again. Love you daddio.
September 2nd, 2008 at 3:55 pm
wow, great conversation. jake blake (do people ever call you jack black, because i would love that) and nikolas, i dig you’re passion.
the boomers weren’t all bad, i mean, pencil thin black ties, transformers, the police, ghandi, keith green. but times they are a changin.
a couple thoughts…
if boomers want to pass on the wisdom they’ve worked so hard to earn, they need to love us enough to speak our language and our language doesn’t care about absolutes. i know that sucks, but oh freaking well. deal with it. you built the internet and the megachurch, im sure you’re up to the task.
re abortion: gretchen (and cassady) are probably in a better place to speak with authority on that topic than a bunch of guys who could *perform* abortions but never actually have one in the first place.
FTR, 1-issue voters piss me off. seriously, when was the last time congress was ever able to legislate social change? we’ve been trying to get an energy policy enacted since nixon got elected, what makes you think that the political fiat “don’t have abortions” is going to be any different.
sorry about the diatribe, diatribes are bad regardless of which side of the chalkline you’ve been pushed over.
re gay marriage: i know im going to get flamed for this, but im in line with the likes of (gasp) tony campolo on this one. im not in bed with the guy (metaphor, pun, snicker) but i when he talks about gay marriage being a human rights issue, that makes sense to me.
and done…
September 8th, 2008 at 12:35 pm
wow, i’m just catching up here. i was just about to write my pops an email asking what Ken has had to say about the election issues etc., because i’ve been hopping mad over watching the brain-washing that goes on when people “pick up sides” over the “issues.” what a relief to find this post!
as a kid i was constantly struggling with feeling and thinking differently than the rest of my community. once i found the courage to speak my mind, or my heart, rather, i never turned back. i always found Ken’s approach to ministry encouraging and inspiring. he’s never shoved his opinions down other’s throats–in fact, he encourages us to challenge assumptions–even those well established by the religious right. to me, Ken truly delivers Christ-love in the light of the Jesus i know, the revolutionary.
to love is to risk everything!
i’m so blessed to be surrounded by young people, and even baby-busters like my own wonderful poppa, who really embrace this risk. people like Ken and his family are not afraid to be in the world and grapple with the matrix: we love this planet, its people, its Creator, and we love FIERCELY. i don’t think we are tired of fighting, we are just tired of empty bickering, and we want to fight our battles a different way. compassion, grace, and mercy are our weapons of choice, not judgment! (i try to leave that to the Higher Ups.)
i’ll try to get to what i wanted to talk about, which is one of Ken’s last lines: “anger makes us stupid.” i agree with that statement for the most part. i think anger comes from fear and insecurity, which are part of darkness. however, at moments like these, critical moments in history when you can feel the entire atmosphere shift, i think that RIGHTEOUS anger is called for.
i don’t have any scripture on this, but i do know that the light in my heart is a dangerous and effective weapon. i know that i’ve been called to be a warrior, and that i must continue to communicate my outrage when i see injustice running rampant in our society.
the only people Jesus was witnessed passing judgment on were those in power. those who were abusing their power–using that power to make the rich richer, turning their back on the poor, on the sick, on children, on women, on the “wretched.” sound familiar??? given this ultimate example of how to love and be in the world, i’m not sure why when we talk about political “issues,” we feel so comfortable passing judgment on gay people, or women who don’t feel loved and protected enough to be able to love and protect a child of their own.
at any rate, it angers me when i see judgment aimed at the victims of darkness. i think righteous anger can be extremely productive. when Dave Chapelle asked Maya Angelou how to deal with all the anger he feels about how the world is, she replied (to the effect of):
“Use that anger–march it, speak it, write it, act it…only don’t be bitter. bitterness cannot affect change–it only feeds on its host.”
(if you can snag the Sundance film channels 2nd season of Iconoclasts, check out their amazing interview.)
in my opinion, it’s often bitterness and jadedness that prevent the baby boomer generation from affecting change in the present world. and who wouldn’t be bitter when you’ve seen all your heroes cut down by assassins bullets, and the ideals you tried to uphold turned into marketing ploys??
but remember, baby boomers–remember love? remember when you risked, when you argued with your parents and your government, when some of you marched your righteous anger into the streets and the world payed attention? times have changed, but Jesus/Love has not. Jesus/Love is still a revolutionary! and with busters like Ken around to “represent,” i still feel hope that it won’t only be the young who shoulder the responsibility to conquer injustice and carry this world into a better day.
September 8th, 2008 at 3:21 pm
Naomi, You made my day! Now I feel doubly optimistic and you’re right about anger that makes us stupid and anger that we put in the service of love. Write on! Ken
September 11th, 2008 at 7:51 pm
Naomi… preach! (How I miss you!)