Terrapin Tables

I believe this photo is the definitive image of our generation.

When I see that pic, I get the Michael Jackson Simpson's song in my head...

Happy Birthday Jesus
Jesus it's your birthday...

And so on. Don't know why. Thought I'd share.

Not to get a more serious discussion started during the holiday break, but I'd almost be willing to say that image may be more representative of our parent's generation, and the half generation between us. You can almost argue that our parents' generation invented the Christian Right movement which almost assuredly was responsible for this billboard. I have yet to see a groundswell of support from our generation for this particularly vile political movement, and I hope we never do.

If I were a Sociology major, I'd write a thesis on the cyclical nature of American culture...what was cool becomes hated as its opposite thrives, then the hated idea surges again. Like disco - it's back right now. Meanwhile, those of us that know better suffer through music-as-commodity.

I think right now we're on the upswing of fundamentalist Christian (well, that's what you call it...there is no such a thing as a fundamentalist Christian in America anymore) thought, as the raging counter-religious ideas I seem to think characterized the 80's and 90's - lots of white Buddhists, people in the suburbs and the NBA changing their names to Mohammed, unafraid Atheism - seem to be fading.

So I guess I have to disagree with Mike...I kind of see things going in a more Christian Right way. It's coming back around again. The President is quick to thank God at every turn, 9/11 was seen as a them-vs-us Muslim-vs-Christian attack instead of a we-messed-with-them-for-far-too-long attack, America has nationally associated "evil" with "Islam," and I guess the backward Christian mindset behind Manifest Destiny has reappeared in our actions in Iraq. I think dark days of Rule by Christian Right are nearing...shudder.

And again, here I go talking about religion AND politics. Dammit.

Um, for the record, I don't actually believe the billboard is the definitive image of our generation, though it does say something about our society. I also doubt it is more indicative of our parent's generation than ours. The following, is, in fact, the definitive image of our generation:

Let me clarify a bit. I'm not saying that the Christian Right isn't on an upswing, what I'm saying is that I have not seen our generation jump onto the bandwagon, or drink the Kool-Aid, as it were. This may be partially due to the fact that we remain in that age bracket that is perpetually apathetic, until we reach an age where we decide to voice our views on topics such as this. Chris, you're absolutely right, the Christian Right movement is taking a firmer hold in America, I'm just not convinced that its because of our generation.

Drink the Kool-Aid. Nice.

Yeah, so we agree. Nice. We (the generation now, not you and I) are jumping on no bandwagons...people don't start fighting for things until they feel they have a lot to lose, and mid-twenty-something middle class white guys like us aren't under many direct threats. In thrity years when we're defending our mortgaged homes and prepping the world for our grandkids, we'll be bitter blue-suit-red-tied Republicans too. I may be in a cave scrawling "wisdom" on the rocks with my own feces, though. You never know.