What I love about this conversation is how you and Dad share your very different challenges about the workplace and culture and meet at the same place of “life is hard” AND the common thread between you both is a beautiful work ethic and common sense value.
I don’t see this as a political discussion at all. I see it as a meeting of the minds and values of two different generations.
It’s beautiful. As Teyani Whitman says above, KINDNESS.
This exchange is a beautiful kindness between you and Dad.
Teri it's incredible how what you've written here was echoed in what my Father told me when he had the idea for this publication. "Meeting of the minds" was either one of the phrases he used or super similar to one of them. We wanted to write letters to one another that showcased the differences in generations and how we viewed things. This is a newsletter between Dad and I, but I think in a broader sense this is a newsletter between two different generations--younger and older--and I want to tap into that more with him moving forward. I think he would agree with me. Thank you for reading. :)
I have seen this happening too. So many broken systems. We’ve outgrown all of it.
And, at the edge of this precipice, it is very scary.
Perhaps I’m in the minority, but I am waiting for it all to crash, and I have the great hope in the youth of our time (millennials and GenZ) building new, more equitable systems. Schools, all gov’mt systems, and all the “stuff” that makes the world the complicated mess that it is need to fall apart.
(I suspect I may be preaching to the choir here).
It is the people in their 40’s and younger who are creating new ways of doing things. We must all listen. From radical individualism to radical inclusion must happen.
The world can change or it may be forced to. Can you imagine what it might be like to live with a belief like what the Dalai Lama has, “Kindness is my religion”
Teyani that would be incredible. Young people are fed up with this system. There's a lot it gets right but unfortunately there's a lot that it's been getting wrong as well. I think that anger that we have might just be the secret ingredient to changing the world or at least changing a lot of the problems in our own country. I'm happy to hear someone has faith in the future. Normally I just hear about how much we're all screwed. Maybe the younger generation can come in and save the world, or start saving it.
This is great, Tom. You and my oldest son are about the same age, and I worry sometimes what kind of planet I’m going to leave him. He is very smart and resourceful, but in this day and age with so much grotesque greed out there, even that may not be enough.
I see how hard you both work and would be valuable to any employer, but I would like him to learn to use that to generate multiple income streams without spending 24 hours a day working. Unfortunately, it seems almost impossible the way things are.
I hope so as well Glenna. My wife wants kids but she's very scared for the future. She wonders what kind of a world we will bring a child into. I tell her this world needs more fighters and good people to change things. My solution isn't to procreate less, it's to procreate more GOOD PEOPLE. If we can do that, we have a shot.
Thank you for this article (letter), Tom. I love how you shared so many interesting statistics and facts in a way that also evokes a powerful emotional response. Bravo!
With love and respect, Tom, I find this disappointing.
Not that I disagree with your assessment of "the system."
It's broken for sure.
Big Thanks, btw, for refraining from blaming any subset of our society (Boomers, Zoomers, Dems, Repubs, whoever).
Finger-pointing perpetuates our broken system.
We have to recognize a couple of things.
One, whatever we have, we VOTED for it.
Yes, at the ballot box. We're ALL Biden, and we're ALL Trump. Can you accept the reality of THAT?
But even more-so, we "voted" for the system with our everyday choices. You and I voluntarily took on student loans...was the "education" worth the cost? (A resounding "NO!!!" in my case.)
Literally, we all need to grow up and admit that WE - not "somebody else" - created the society we have.
Two, our words either give us agency or rob us of it.
Our words literally create our worlds. Here's a friendly challenge for you: ask the server at the restaurant if he has pride in his work, rather than assuming he doesn't.
I bet you'll be surprised. Or at least have a really interesting conversation. A dollar to a peso says he will try to have more pride in his work after that conversation.
You know who I want to be like?
(For anyone reading: like Tom, I live in Mexico).
My cleaning lady got married when she was 14 and has 4 kids.
She always sports a big smile and does a bang-up job.
She cleans the topside (the dusty side) of the blades of the ceiling fan, for cryin' out loud.
She brought me a magazine rack to organize my confused assortment of bullet journals.
Her husband is a terrific handyman.
He built me an "outdoor office" complete with electricity and lights so I can enjoy working outside at night. Smiling away every minute.
They're happy people...what words (Inner dialogue counts as words, too) do they use to create a world in which they're smiling all the time?
OK, we all get 5 minutes to gripe from time to time.
Truth be told, I frequently use more minutes than 5 for that purpose.
But I'm trying to do less of that, and trying to admit more of my own complicity with "the system."
Pretty sure the other generations thought this too but heres the thing they had a family to take care of. They didnt have the option nor did they want to live with mommy and daddy. My own nephew had a scholarship to college and he freaked it up by cheating on his exams. The older generation worked cause they had no other alternative. This is how it is. You want a home, things work for them. If you dont like it then for pete’s sake do something other saying I’m to good for this work. The most successful people started from the bottom and took any job. Why for the experience to learn from and build on.
Lol most of the younger generation does not want to work hard (like my nephews), and they think they will make good money just starting out. It’s bs. Work for it like my father and husband. My father had a stroke and still went back to work a few days later. Hardly ever calls in sick . My husband started out doing manual labor in the elements and now pretty much makes his own hours. He gets off when he wants and has three weeks paid vacation. Guess what he worked his bum off to get where he is. He has worked there 24 years .
What I love about this conversation is how you and Dad share your very different challenges about the workplace and culture and meet at the same place of “life is hard” AND the common thread between you both is a beautiful work ethic and common sense value.
I don’t see this as a political discussion at all. I see it as a meeting of the minds and values of two different generations.
It’s beautiful. As Teyani Whitman says above, KINDNESS.
This exchange is a beautiful kindness between you and Dad.
Teri it's incredible how what you've written here was echoed in what my Father told me when he had the idea for this publication. "Meeting of the minds" was either one of the phrases he used or super similar to one of them. We wanted to write letters to one another that showcased the differences in generations and how we viewed things. This is a newsletter between Dad and I, but I think in a broader sense this is a newsletter between two different generations--younger and older--and I want to tap into that more with him moving forward. I think he would agree with me. Thank you for reading. :)
I have seen this happening too. So many broken systems. We’ve outgrown all of it.
And, at the edge of this precipice, it is very scary.
Perhaps I’m in the minority, but I am waiting for it all to crash, and I have the great hope in the youth of our time (millennials and GenZ) building new, more equitable systems. Schools, all gov’mt systems, and all the “stuff” that makes the world the complicated mess that it is need to fall apart.
(I suspect I may be preaching to the choir here).
It is the people in their 40’s and younger who are creating new ways of doing things. We must all listen. From radical individualism to radical inclusion must happen.
The world can change or it may be forced to. Can you imagine what it might be like to live with a belief like what the Dalai Lama has, “Kindness is my religion”
Teyani that would be incredible. Young people are fed up with this system. There's a lot it gets right but unfortunately there's a lot that it's been getting wrong as well. I think that anger that we have might just be the secret ingredient to changing the world or at least changing a lot of the problems in our own country. I'm happy to hear someone has faith in the future. Normally I just hear about how much we're all screwed. Maybe the younger generation can come in and save the world, or start saving it.
This is great, Tom. You and my oldest son are about the same age, and I worry sometimes what kind of planet I’m going to leave him. He is very smart and resourceful, but in this day and age with so much grotesque greed out there, even that may not be enough.
I see how hard you both work and would be valuable to any employer, but I would like him to learn to use that to generate multiple income streams without spending 24 hours a day working. Unfortunately, it seems almost impossible the way things are.
I hope so as well Glenna. My wife wants kids but she's very scared for the future. She wonders what kind of a world we will bring a child into. I tell her this world needs more fighters and good people to change things. My solution isn't to procreate less, it's to procreate more GOOD PEOPLE. If we can do that, we have a shot.
You make a good point. I believe the world is worth fighting for. My kids have grown up on the right side of history, and for that I'm grateful.
Thank you for this article (letter), Tom. I love how you shared so many interesting statistics and facts in a way that also evokes a powerful emotional response. Bravo!
Thank you Charity!! Really appreciate the fact you took time to read. :)
👏👏👏👏 yesssssss
With love and respect, Tom, I find this disappointing.
Not that I disagree with your assessment of "the system."
It's broken for sure.
Big Thanks, btw, for refraining from blaming any subset of our society (Boomers, Zoomers, Dems, Repubs, whoever).
Finger-pointing perpetuates our broken system.
We have to recognize a couple of things.
One, whatever we have, we VOTED for it.
Yes, at the ballot box. We're ALL Biden, and we're ALL Trump. Can you accept the reality of THAT?
But even more-so, we "voted" for the system with our everyday choices. You and I voluntarily took on student loans...was the "education" worth the cost? (A resounding "NO!!!" in my case.)
Literally, we all need to grow up and admit that WE - not "somebody else" - created the society we have.
Two, our words either give us agency or rob us of it.
Our words literally create our worlds. Here's a friendly challenge for you: ask the server at the restaurant if he has pride in his work, rather than assuming he doesn't.
I bet you'll be surprised. Or at least have a really interesting conversation. A dollar to a peso says he will try to have more pride in his work after that conversation.
You know who I want to be like?
(For anyone reading: like Tom, I live in Mexico).
My cleaning lady got married when she was 14 and has 4 kids.
She always sports a big smile and does a bang-up job.
She cleans the topside (the dusty side) of the blades of the ceiling fan, for cryin' out loud.
She brought me a magazine rack to organize my confused assortment of bullet journals.
Her husband is a terrific handyman.
He built me an "outdoor office" complete with electricity and lights so I can enjoy working outside at night. Smiling away every minute.
They're happy people...what words (Inner dialogue counts as words, too) do they use to create a world in which they're smiling all the time?
OK, we all get 5 minutes to gripe from time to time.
Truth be told, I frequently use more minutes than 5 for that purpose.
But I'm trying to do less of that, and trying to admit more of my own complicity with "the system."
Cheers.
Pretty sure the other generations thought this too but heres the thing they had a family to take care of. They didnt have the option nor did they want to live with mommy and daddy. My own nephew had a scholarship to college and he freaked it up by cheating on his exams. The older generation worked cause they had no other alternative. This is how it is. You want a home, things work for them. If you dont like it then for pete’s sake do something other saying I’m to good for this work. The most successful people started from the bottom and took any job. Why for the experience to learn from and build on.
Quite simply they are lazy !
Lol most of the younger generation does not want to work hard (like my nephews), and they think they will make good money just starting out. It’s bs. Work for it like my father and husband. My father had a stroke and still went back to work a few days later. Hardly ever calls in sick . My husband started out doing manual labor in the elements and now pretty much makes his own hours. He gets off when he wants and has three weeks paid vacation. Guess what he worked his bum off to get where he is. He has worked there 24 years .