Generation Gap

When I was young, there was a lot of talk about the "Generation Gap". It was a real thing, and not surprising given the Hippie generation's rejection of their parents' values, embracing of socialist and communist political philosophies, wearing ratty jeans and tie-dyed t-shirts, abusing dangerous drugs and abandoning all sexual mores.

But the Hippies were actually in between my generation and my parents', and those of us in the 70's generation didn't really buy into that whole 60's "scene". From my personal experience, I didn't see the sort of confrontational intergenerational conflict of the 60's. I'm sure the end of the VietNam war was part of the reason for the narrowing of that generation gap.

Today there is a new generation, and although there clearly aren't the same issues between generations that we saw in the 60's, there still are a number of things that I don't understand.

I don't understand video gaming obsession. I'm sure that video games are very entertaining, but how could they replace playing sports or games with one's friends? I fear the video game generation is becoming increasingly detached from other people and much more self-absorbed.

I don't understand courtship rituals. The approach I was familiar with of a casual date to get to know someone before jumping into a "relationship" seems to have all but disappeared. I'm mystified by how anyone can establish a strong and meaningful connection without a gradual and casual get-to-know-you dating process.

I don't understand the casual attitudes toward marriage. Today a huge percentage of households are either single-parent or blended families. What part of "till death do us part" don't people understand? If Hollywood's example is any indication, it seems that marriage today is the equivalent of "going steady" 30 years ago. People change spouses like they change shoes.

I don't understand the music. I can't remember the last time I heard a new popular single I liked. So-called "recording artists" can't even sing anymore; they are vocally challenged, but the new generation snaps them up like crazy. Lots of artists don't even bother to sing anymore, but just "rap". Since when is that music? I want to hear a well-written song that isn't vulgar and has a story or message I can identify with and is performed skillfully and musically. Is that too much to ask?

I don't understand the vulgarity. Why does every sentence uttered by this generation have to include a vulgar reference to a sex act or bodily function? Have we done such a poor job of educating these kids that they no longer have enough vocabulary to make an impactful statement without using epithets and vulgarity? It's embarrassing.

I don't understand the dress. When did it become acceptable for girls to dress like prostitutes and guys to dress like gang bangers?

I don't understand piercings and tattoos. Why mutilate and permanently mar your body? What happens to that barbed wire tattoo around your bicep when you're 70 and no longer have a bicep? What happens to all those facial piercings when you get old and your skin loses its elasticity and your cartilage grows larger?

I don't understand the sexual free-for-all. It seems monogamy is disappearing from the language. When did virginity become a joke, even for young teens? Where is the concern for STD's and AIDS, pregnancy, and the emotional baggage that comes from casual sex? Maybe this is one of the most negative outcomes of the 60's generation; anybody who even suggests sexual restraint at all is held up to ridicule, while STD's approach epidemic status, babies are aborted or born to parents who can't raise them properly. And married partners don't think adultery is a big deal. I suspect this problem is tied closely to the courtship issue I discussed earlier.

I don't understand the selfishness. From my perspective, this may be the most selfish and self-absorbed generation in history. The focus seems to be on each individual's personal happiness. Constant complaints of "I'm not happy", "I'm bored", "My needs aren't being met", and the like suggest a complete lack of empathy and understanding or any spirit of helping someone else just because it's the right thing to do.

Am I wrong about any of the above? Certainly everyone's an individual, and I'm sure there are plenty of individuals who don't fit into the above descriptions. But have I accurately described this generation as a whole?

Anyone from this generation is invited to set me straight, if you can.