95 Mid-life, Mid-dle of the Road

I thought about the mid-life crisis that someone suggested today and then I thought about how a lot of kids are disrespectful. Someone else suggested how the crap on tv was so suggestive and/or explicit. Then it occured to me: they're all connected.

Those damned hippies were inspired by the beatnicks to challenge the establishment and they thereby began a downward spiral of loosening morals and a widespread acceptance of lowered standards, mainstream drug-use and a laissez-faire attitude about a wide range of our morals that helped keep America rock steady(for the most part) for decades.

America has never been perfect, but by the world-standard, we were an example for the better part of a century. We were the pinnacle of industry. We were developing a global-class military, although it didnt become complete until WWII. We spent half of the last century learning how to cope with our might and power and how we wanted to live our lives with the modern, linked world. Our roads, rails and phone systems were finally able to link just about every corner of the nation and most mainstream folks were settling down to the little, pink house with a cat a dog and 2.5 kids.

By the time the 60's rolled around, we were embroiled in an endless war by a president that was at best, corrupt. Not the one at the beginning, the one that looked like a used car salesman mated with an oil baron. The first shot was fired at mainstream society by protesting youth, looking for an escape. They railed against every established notion we had cultivated and they managed to produce a sort of tolerance for all things- "me". The 70's gave us drugs, debauchery and disco and that rolled into the 80's stigma of Coke, coke and computers. Thank all that we hold dear, disco died. Drugs evolved from pot, coke and heroin into pot, crack, speed, meth and a host of other drugs.

Computers brought us into the birth-pangs of what we have now: the electronic or digital age. During the eighties, yuppies lusted after dollars, dope and dames and it almost looked like we would have a resurgence of old-fashioned morals. We morphed into the 90's with grunge music, CGI and oil-based wars. As we are now a tenth of the way into a new century, we have molded the past 40 or so years into a well-dressed, well-housed, well-connected travesty of the former America. We have the ability to talk instantly from coast to coast and beyond. We have easy access to the best of absolutely everything: clothes, cars, food, housing, medicine, booze and drugs. We have a standing Army that, if used properly, could bring just about every country on the planet to its knees.

What we dont have is a majority of youth that can keep the advancements of the last half century moving in the right direction. There are plenty of youths with talent, smarts and motivation, but what about the attitudes of the majority? Screw you, screw the teachers, screw everything. I want to brood and do my "thing". I want to wear my Abercrombie and Fitch or whatever and be left alone to my texting. I want my x-box and a Monster and get the hell away from me. I know, I know: dont generalize all of them into that lump. Well, how many of your kids friends act like that? How many horror stories do you have to hear?

Those of us that are approaching what I guess is considered middle-age are products of that first writhing, screeching, clicking digital revolution. We are all a part, large or small, of the me, me, me attitude that has led to the current mess our country's in. We had both the advantages of the ultimate, modern conventions and the ease of access to drugs, both illegal and prescribed. I listen when my kids tell me about the kids in the bathroom at the high school, crushing their parents medicines and snorting them. Yes, it happens in Kingwood. It happens just about everywhere. No, not all your kids are innocent. They have sex, just like we did. They sneak drinks, just like we did. They might smoke a little leaf, just like you did. ( I did not fall into that category, although I wanted to try it, I figured I could stay in the minority) Now they have a computer and phone hooked to the internet to answer any questions they have. They dont have to spell much correctly because everyone "gets it". They have the benefits of the pharmaceutical research of the last several decades and they can always live at home if things dont work out. Right?

It's not really fair of me to generalize, is it? I know. YOUR kid doesnt do that. YOUR kid is going to be a millionaire astronaut doctor. YOUR kid stays straight and narrow. Just...like...you....did.

Many of them will go on to college, but how has it all changed? Are they dumming everything down? Have you ever watched the movie Idiocracy? It made me laugh when I watched it, but then I realized that it could almost happen. There would be just enough smart people to build the things that need built and made to keep us happy, healthy and wise and the rest will have become a race of idiots, consuming, copulating and co-habitating.

I see a ray of light with every smart kid that doesnt appear to back-talk teachers, parents or friends. I feel hope with every kid I see at least acting like they have some school spirit or interest in something other than a keyboard, that they will bring back some spirit, some magic, to our people. Is this how the American Indian felt, watching their once-proud people turn to alcohol after disease and war decimated them and they had been subjugated? Watching their remaining kinsmen being herded onto reservations and there-to-stay?

I wonder what mid-life will mean in a generation? Two? It used to mean a sports car, a girlfriend on the side or at least a dangerous hobby. I'm just not sure any more. We watch shows on tv that say and show everything that only real-life used to hold. They glamorize sex, drugs, business, school and everything in between and we watch it with our kids.

We tried to teach our boys as best we could. We tried to lead by example and we held their hands long enough for them to hopefully know they are loved and will be helped when they cant help themselves. We are beginning to pull back on the apron strings and I hope every day that we did it right. Do you? Are you more concerned with them or yourself? Think about it.

I, for one, cant wait for my razor not being used on a peach-fuzz face and not having to spend the gross domestic product of Uruguay each month on groceries, but only with a measure of relief. I will always look back at those little diapered butts and fuzzy heads and remember wondering: " How will you grow up? What kind of man will you be?". Well, what kind of man are YOU? What kind of woman are YOU? I wonder if I'm too old to have more kids? Someone tell Roz to find a 20 to 25 year old surrogate. Besides, the other side of the bed's a little cold.....talk about mid-life crisis. Sheesh.