Talkin’ bout my generation
In the mid-sixties hit “My Generation” the Who declared they hoped they’d die before they got old. It appears most rockers have further considered the matter and decided death isn’t that great a career move.
Watching recent inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was a reminder of what geezers “my generation” has become. Wrinkles, gray hair, and paunches that make Marlon Brando look like a health nut made up the uniform of the day. The “Young Rascals” are older than the president of the United States is, even though they don’t have their remaining hair feathered as nicely.
Something that was obvious was a change in mind-set. As usual in such situations, the recipients rattle off a litany of people to whom they’re grateful. Lots of the rockers thanked God for what He’d done for them. Considering the booze, drugs, and profligate living many rockers engaged in, they should be giving thanks. It’s a miracle some of them are still around. David Crosby of Crosby, Stills & Nash thanked his wife for sticking it out with him while he did a prison stretch for drugs.
One thing that struck me was the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame must be running out of groups to induct. This year it brought in Buffalo Springfield. Buffalo Springfield? They had one, count ‘em, one whole hit, “For What It’s Worth.”
You remember it. It starts:
“There's something happening here. What it is ain't exactly clear
There's a man with a gun over there. Telling me I got to beware.”
It goes on to explain that young people speaking their minds get so much resistance “from behind.” Wherever that is. After telling us that, they go on: “Paranoia strikes deep. Into your life it will creep. It starts when you're always afraid. You step out of line, the man come and take you away.”
Paranoia sounds like something these guys are pretty familiar with. Not to mention a complete detachment from reality. Those of us who were around back then know that most of the time young people said and did pretty much what they wanted with impunity. Protest rallies, shrieking obscenities at the president, using the flag as the seat of your jeans. . . . just about anything went. I only wish that “the man” had come and carried off some of those jerks.
Maybe Buffalo Springfield was inducted because the pooh-bahs who run the Hall of Fame think their song captured the spirit of a generation. It did, insofar as we boomers were – and continue to be – the most self-indulgent and pontificating generation in history.
Our parents made it through two monumental catastrophes, the Great Depression and World War II. They wanted our lives to be so much better than theirs had been. So they coddled us. We grew up spoiled and smug and egocentric.
The smugness was reinforced in colleges and universities across the Nation as we unquestioningly accepted the Leftist dogmas many instructors dished out. Bill Buckley had it right many years ago when he observed colleges claimed to be centers of academic freedom, but in reality they practice indoctrination.
As boomers bought into the liberal bromides, we were rewarded with being told we were the smartest generation to grace the face of the earth. Ever. We even started believing it.
Now we’re attempting to resist the rules of nature. When we were kids 50 was old. Not any more. We have the right to be young forever, darn it. And if we don’t feel like we did 30 years ago, then some doctors had better come up with pills that’ll do the trick. It’s our right. After all, we went to all the trouble of being born and are the smartest generation. Ever.
Don’t forget that, you young whippersnappers. Or we’ll have the man come and take you away.
LOL!! That's very funny - and very true.
I sometimes look at online dating services (been widowed a long time). I'll read thru a person's musical tastes and see that they are similar to mine. Then I look at the picture and see an old man. I wonder how come that old guy likes the same stuff I do - and then note that the 'old guy' is in my same age range (50-55). Scary stuff, dude.