Thanks to Tom Brokaw, we all "know" that those Americans who guided us through WWII are "the Greatest Generation." While we should not underestimate the cooperate spirit of that group, one wonders why the generation that founded our country did not earn the title. And, with all due respect to Mr. Brokaw, what about that generation of humans that had the courage to leave Africa, some 80,000 years ago?
My own generation, often referred to as the Baby Boomers and derided by older Americans for our anti-war protests, race riots and tree-hugging tendencies, has achieved a great deal, especially in the areas of social justice and environmental protection. Are we less patriotic for having focused on the futility of militarism, the vital importance of conservation and both the dangers and injustice of discrimination and intolerance? Should we overlook the more prevalent racism, homophobia and careless environmental pollution of the "Greatest Generation?"
In fact, it is both misleading and inaccurate to label human generations (though that practice does sell books). Every generation has its leaders and its followers, its producers and its consumers, its members who inspire humanity and those who tarnish our image. Hopefully, with each generation, we become more enlightened as a species, discarding failed policies, expanding personal freedom, diminishing our impact on natural ecosystems and ensuring a better life for all segments of future generations. If we learn to focus more on the rights and capabilities of the individual and less on the artificial divisions of human society, we will all reap the benefits.
