Posted on Sep 26, 2022
Vetspective: Generational Harmony as National Power
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“When peace comes, remember it will be for us, the children of today, to make the world of tomorrow a better and happier place.”
These were the words of Queen Elizabeth II, then princess, on October 3rd, 1940 in her first public speech. In this radio address, she spoke to the millions of children evacuated outside of London during World War II due to the Nazi bombing campaign.
What is notable about her words is the distinction she made between war and peace. Her quote would suggest that, in war, it is up to the current generation in power to fight the war. And in peace, it is up to the younger generation to make the world a better place. In many ways, we still speak in this paradigmatically bifurcated way when it comes to war and peace and the roles and responsibilities of the current and future generations.
There is no distinction between war and peace today. United States’ competitors, adversaries, and enemies – from China to Russia, Iran to North Korea – leverage military, diplomatic, political, and economic power as tools of “warfare” to compete and advance zero-sum political objectives against the United States and its allies and partners. Can we effectively compete with these actors in this period of mistrust and hyper-strife in US society?
US domestic politics is marked by social strife among different segments of society, including class, race, religion, and so on. A feature of this strife that tends to be overlooked is the disharmony between generations. I am concerned that our class-based, social strife are, in part, strife among generations.
The baby boomer generation remains in control of much of the wealth in our society. They also continue to hold many of the senior leadership positions across society – from politics to business. The baby boomer generation is also among the chief resource draws in our society – in particular through healthcare as they live longer than any other generation. What effect might this have had on the younger generation in our society – from schools, to jobs, to wealth creation?
This is not an indictment of the baby boomer generation. They have brought much to our society. But it begs the question, if there is perceived or real strife among generations in our society, what are the implications for a world in which the distinction between war and peace no longer exists?
For me, it suggests that, more than ever, it is critically important to have harmony among the various generations in society. We need the older generation to serve the younger generation and the younger generation to serve the older generation. Because when each generation believes it is adequately serving and being served by one-another, it creates not only a social contract but also a social bond that makes society better positioned to respond to a context of ongoing “war” or competition with global competitors like Russia and China.
No longer is it the responsibility of the current generation to fight the “current war” and the next generation to make the world a better place in peace as Queen Elizabeth suggested back in World War II. Today, each generation has a responsibility to “fight” together, as one, both for today and for the future.
I am confident that Queen Elizabeth knew this because she may well have recognized the need for multi-generational unity less than five years later on VE Day in 1945, stating:
“[We] then walked miles through the streets. I remember lines of unknown people linking arms and walking down Whitehall, all of us just swept along on the tide of happiness and relief. I think it was one of the most memorable days of my life.”
I think Queen Elizabeth’s single greatest contribution to political thought in the West was the concept of “we are all in this together.” She did this through the term “family.” I like that concept because families have multi-generations working in concert and in harmony (in its ideal form) for their overall future.
We must find a way to lock arms – not only across class, race, and religion – but also generation. We must commit to serving our youngest and our oldest in society and, of course, everyone in between. Because in our time of constant conflict and new forms of warfare, we must be able to rely on one-another across generations to be able to compete globally as a “whole country,” a whole society.
Indeed, let our concept of family be the way we view our country.
Alex Gallo is the author of “Vetspective,” a RallyPoint series that discusses national security, foreign policy, politics, and society. Alex also is a visiting fellow with George Mason University’s National Security Institute, an adjunct professor in the Security Studies Program at Georgetown University, and a US Army Veteran. Follow him on Twitter at @AlexGalloCMP.
These were the words of Queen Elizabeth II, then princess, on October 3rd, 1940 in her first public speech. In this radio address, she spoke to the millions of children evacuated outside of London during World War II due to the Nazi bombing campaign.
What is notable about her words is the distinction she made between war and peace. Her quote would suggest that, in war, it is up to the current generation in power to fight the war. And in peace, it is up to the younger generation to make the world a better place. In many ways, we still speak in this paradigmatically bifurcated way when it comes to war and peace and the roles and responsibilities of the current and future generations.
There is no distinction between war and peace today. United States’ competitors, adversaries, and enemies – from China to Russia, Iran to North Korea – leverage military, diplomatic, political, and economic power as tools of “warfare” to compete and advance zero-sum political objectives against the United States and its allies and partners. Can we effectively compete with these actors in this period of mistrust and hyper-strife in US society?
US domestic politics is marked by social strife among different segments of society, including class, race, religion, and so on. A feature of this strife that tends to be overlooked is the disharmony between generations. I am concerned that our class-based, social strife are, in part, strife among generations.
The baby boomer generation remains in control of much of the wealth in our society. They also continue to hold many of the senior leadership positions across society – from politics to business. The baby boomer generation is also among the chief resource draws in our society – in particular through healthcare as they live longer than any other generation. What effect might this have had on the younger generation in our society – from schools, to jobs, to wealth creation?
This is not an indictment of the baby boomer generation. They have brought much to our society. But it begs the question, if there is perceived or real strife among generations in our society, what are the implications for a world in which the distinction between war and peace no longer exists?
For me, it suggests that, more than ever, it is critically important to have harmony among the various generations in society. We need the older generation to serve the younger generation and the younger generation to serve the older generation. Because when each generation believes it is adequately serving and being served by one-another, it creates not only a social contract but also a social bond that makes society better positioned to respond to a context of ongoing “war” or competition with global competitors like Russia and China.
No longer is it the responsibility of the current generation to fight the “current war” and the next generation to make the world a better place in peace as Queen Elizabeth suggested back in World War II. Today, each generation has a responsibility to “fight” together, as one, both for today and for the future.
I am confident that Queen Elizabeth knew this because she may well have recognized the need for multi-generational unity less than five years later on VE Day in 1945, stating:
“[We] then walked miles through the streets. I remember lines of unknown people linking arms and walking down Whitehall, all of us just swept along on the tide of happiness and relief. I think it was one of the most memorable days of my life.”
I think Queen Elizabeth’s single greatest contribution to political thought in the West was the concept of “we are all in this together.” She did this through the term “family.” I like that concept because families have multi-generations working in concert and in harmony (in its ideal form) for their overall future.
We must find a way to lock arms – not only across class, race, and religion – but also generation. We must commit to serving our youngest and our oldest in society and, of course, everyone in between. Because in our time of constant conflict and new forms of warfare, we must be able to rely on one-another across generations to be able to compete globally as a “whole country,” a whole society.
Indeed, let our concept of family be the way we view our country.
Alex Gallo is the author of “Vetspective,” a RallyPoint series that discusses national security, foreign policy, politics, and society. Alex also is a visiting fellow with George Mason University’s National Security Institute, an adjunct professor in the Security Studies Program at Georgetown University, and a US Army Veteran. Follow him on Twitter at @AlexGalloCMP.
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World History
United Kingdom
World History United Kingdom
Edited 2 y ago
Posted 2 y ago
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Pitifully, a greater and greater percentage of families can't afford to eat together at any given time. The concept of older Americans and younger Americans to the word " Family" has changed.
Almost none attend a service of any Faith.
Almost none get involved in community.
Almost none have the same ideals as their Parent(s) . The fact that there is more to fix as it comes to someone's possibility of Service in the Armed Forces is also coupled with 2+ generations of younger citizens not wanting to defend such a " Horrible Country".
Family,, Country... Deity,,,??? Only " Bonuses" can get any volunteers for the Services. That is those that have good enough records to not warrant a " waiting Period" or having to smooth over a record in order to be recruited.
The Service is a great Barometer of what is going on in the adjoining Society. That is, compare levels of what is acceptable to a recruiter from successive generations of volunteers in the standards needed to be met to go to basic training then what is expected of them in their fitness report standards.
Almost none attend a service of any Faith.
Almost none get involved in community.
Almost none have the same ideals as their Parent(s) . The fact that there is more to fix as it comes to someone's possibility of Service in the Armed Forces is also coupled with 2+ generations of younger citizens not wanting to defend such a " Horrible Country".
Family,, Country... Deity,,,??? Only " Bonuses" can get any volunteers for the Services. That is those that have good enough records to not warrant a " waiting Period" or having to smooth over a record in order to be recruited.
The Service is a great Barometer of what is going on in the adjoining Society. That is, compare levels of what is acceptable to a recruiter from successive generations of volunteers in the standards needed to be met to go to basic training then what is expected of them in their fitness report standards.
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Amn Dale Preisach
SGT Mary G. when we are happy, politicians, and Car salesmen can get whatever they want .
When times were lean, our grandfathers and their parents had a belief of " we make our own way."
Today, that belief is as far from the norm as it could possibly be.
More and more successive generations seem to look to Politicians for answers. The only problem there is, the politicians are usually the ones gumming up the works.
When times were lean, our grandfathers and their parents had a belief of " we make our own way."
Today, that belief is as far from the norm as it could possibly be.
More and more successive generations seem to look to Politicians for answers. The only problem there is, the politicians are usually the ones gumming up the works.
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PO3 Justin Bowen
"Almost none attend a service of any Faith."
And? The problem with that is...what? Have you looked at what's being taught in churches?
"Almost none get involved in community."
That's not even remotely true. Just as people of prior generations volunteered less than their parents and grandparents when they were younger because of economic and familial demands, people from today's younger generations volunteer less than their parents and grandparents because of - and more increasingly so now than for previous generations - economic and familial demands.
You know who has a lot of time to volunteer? Retired people - who, by defintion, don't work (care to guess which generations are retiring or retired?). You know whose housing costs as a percentage of income has risen far faster than their parents' and grandparents' costs, necessitating more work to make ends meet? Millennials and Gen Z (ratio by in 1960s: 2.6; 1970s: 2.0; 1980s: 2.8; 1990s: 2.6; 2000s: 2.8; 2010s: 3.6; 2017: 3.6).
"Almost none have the same ideals as their Parent(s)"
Uh, that's awesome! Look at the demographics of who people are voting for. Older generations are FAR more likely to vote for people who talk about grabbing women by their genitals, executing LGBTQ people, viewing migrants fleeing violence, poverty, climate change, and oppression as less than human, and so on. Younger people who refuse to pretend that their parents and grandparents aren't horrible people should be celebrated. Evil triumphs when good people do nothing. The percent of children estranged from their parents has skyrocketed over the past couple decades. When the estrangement is due to parents having horrible views, not only should we not criticize them for doing so, we should celebrate them.
"The fact that there is more to fix as it comes to someone's possibility of Service in the Armed Forces is also coupled with 2+ generations of younger citizens not wanting to defend such a " Horrible Country"."
I fully support everyone who chooses not to defend this country given what it's turning into. The true patriots aren't the ones who blindly wave a flag as they spew jingoistic garbage. The true patriots are the people who see the problems that this country has, call them out, and fight to fix those problems without working to perpetuate the system that has helped keep those problems around.
On a very specific note, why any woman would choose to fight for a country that wants to treat women as nothing more than walking breeding machines (even when they're 10-year old rape victims) is almost beyond me (bonuses upwards of $75k are awfully tempting for people who come from disadvantaged families and may be the only immediate way out of their situation). Kudos for the young people who are resisting the propaganda and forgoing what really is a good economic opportunity for many.
And? The problem with that is...what? Have you looked at what's being taught in churches?
"Almost none get involved in community."
That's not even remotely true. Just as people of prior generations volunteered less than their parents and grandparents when they were younger because of economic and familial demands, people from today's younger generations volunteer less than their parents and grandparents because of - and more increasingly so now than for previous generations - economic and familial demands.
You know who has a lot of time to volunteer? Retired people - who, by defintion, don't work (care to guess which generations are retiring or retired?). You know whose housing costs as a percentage of income has risen far faster than their parents' and grandparents' costs, necessitating more work to make ends meet? Millennials and Gen Z (ratio by in 1960s: 2.6; 1970s: 2.0; 1980s: 2.8; 1990s: 2.6; 2000s: 2.8; 2010s: 3.6; 2017: 3.6).
"Almost none have the same ideals as their Parent(s)"
Uh, that's awesome! Look at the demographics of who people are voting for. Older generations are FAR more likely to vote for people who talk about grabbing women by their genitals, executing LGBTQ people, viewing migrants fleeing violence, poverty, climate change, and oppression as less than human, and so on. Younger people who refuse to pretend that their parents and grandparents aren't horrible people should be celebrated. Evil triumphs when good people do nothing. The percent of children estranged from their parents has skyrocketed over the past couple decades. When the estrangement is due to parents having horrible views, not only should we not criticize them for doing so, we should celebrate them.
"The fact that there is more to fix as it comes to someone's possibility of Service in the Armed Forces is also coupled with 2+ generations of younger citizens not wanting to defend such a " Horrible Country"."
I fully support everyone who chooses not to defend this country given what it's turning into. The true patriots aren't the ones who blindly wave a flag as they spew jingoistic garbage. The true patriots are the people who see the problems that this country has, call them out, and fight to fix those problems without working to perpetuate the system that has helped keep those problems around.
On a very specific note, why any woman would choose to fight for a country that wants to treat women as nothing more than walking breeding machines (even when they're 10-year old rape victims) is almost beyond me (bonuses upwards of $75k are awfully tempting for people who come from disadvantaged families and may be the only immediate way out of their situation). Kudos for the young people who are resisting the propaganda and forgoing what really is a good economic opportunity for many.
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Amn Dale Preisach
PO3 Justin Bowen all i can say to that is, a boomer's slogan. Don't trust anyone over 30.
We do have problems. But if we are sooo horrible, then why are people from around the World doing everything they can- Legal and Otherwise- to get here ? Because we may have problems, but we are the least screwed up country in the World. You think todays boomers are out of touch? Maybe, but they were once like you. Anti establishment. Today those same boomers , who once railed against the system, much like today's generations and for the same reasons , are the establishment. 50 years of Liberal policies. And look at the condition of America. Democrat run cities are now overdrawn and have homeless sh!ting on the sidewalks, shooting up drugs, littering, at record rates, people robbing stores anywhere from a drug store to Tiffany style stores. And the robbers aren't boomers. Are they!!! Your generation, one that is just arriving on the scene, is just as horrible as you deem the Boomers to be. Just look st Maui. Fires went untended and no sirens were sounded. The water was not used for putting out, battling the fires because the person in charge thought i rude to use it for such a purpose. Hint; he is part of your group.
You rail sgainst the older generations. Yet your generation is no better.
We do have problems. But if we are sooo horrible, then why are people from around the World doing everything they can- Legal and Otherwise- to get here ? Because we may have problems, but we are the least screwed up country in the World. You think todays boomers are out of touch? Maybe, but they were once like you. Anti establishment. Today those same boomers , who once railed against the system, much like today's generations and for the same reasons , are the establishment. 50 years of Liberal policies. And look at the condition of America. Democrat run cities are now overdrawn and have homeless sh!ting on the sidewalks, shooting up drugs, littering, at record rates, people robbing stores anywhere from a drug store to Tiffany style stores. And the robbers aren't boomers. Are they!!! Your generation, one that is just arriving on the scene, is just as horrible as you deem the Boomers to be. Just look st Maui. Fires went untended and no sirens were sounded. The water was not used for putting out, battling the fires because the person in charge thought i rude to use it for such a purpose. Hint; he is part of your group.
You rail sgainst the older generations. Yet your generation is no better.
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A quote from an interesting interview. She was telling how she and her 15 year old sister snuck out of the palace during the celebration to join it.
“[We] then walked miles through the streets. I remember lines of unknown people linking arms and walking down Whitehall, all of us just swept along on the tide of happiness and relief. I think it was one of the most memorable days of my life."
“[We] then walked miles through the streets. I remember lines of unknown people linking arms and walking down Whitehall, all of us just swept along on the tide of happiness and relief. I think it was one of the most memorable days of my life."
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