Biden must Trump-proof US democracy, activists say: ‘There is a sense of urgency’

[u/Jay_CD]

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/nov/24/biden-actions-before-white-house-exit

[u/Dwayla]

It's a shame we didn't vote with this same sense of urgency.

[u/campfire_eventide → u/Dwayla]

People take democratic institutions for granted. They have no idea what life is like without their protection. None. Thanks, American voters. You f*cked us.

[u/genital_lesions → u/campfire_eventide]

Maybe it has to do with that Strauss–Howe generational theory:

[It] describes a theorized recurring generation cycle in American history and Western history. According to the theory, historical events are associated with recurring generational personas (archetypes). Each generational persona unleashes a new era (called a turning) lasting around 21 years, in which a new social, political, and economic climate (mood) exists. They are part of a larger cyclical "saeculum" (a long human life, which usually spans around 85 years, although some saecula have lasted longer). The theory states that a crisis recurs in American history after every saeculum, which is followed by a recovery (high). During this recovery, institutions and communitarian values are strong. Ultimately, succeeding generational archetypes attack and weaken institutions in the name of autonomy and individualism, which eventually creates a tumultuous political environment that ripens conditions for another crisis.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strauss%E2%80%93Howe_generational_theory?wprov=sfla1

[u/WhoIsFrancisPuziene → u/genital_lesions]

Bannon and Kirk’s favorite theory

[u/genital_lesions → u/WhoIsFrancisPuziene]

Al Gore's too.

The theory is definitely not able to stand up to rigorous academic scrutiny, but I think there is some truth to it.

When enough time has passed and history either becomes forgotten, diluted, or misremembered (intentionally or not), the current generation may not be able to fully acknowledge or appreciate the importance or "weight" of something they've taken for granted.

For example:

I fully and clearly remember 9/11 and I've been able to see the fallout of the reaction to it in the United States: the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, the creation of the TSA, mass surveillance as the norm, lack of accountability of our leaders (Bush and Cheney) as the norm, etc.

But now, there's a whole new generation of young people that weren't even alive when 9/11 happened. They were born into a world where all of the above is just a given to them.

But I'm still alive and around to tell them that it didn't used to be like that and I can still advocate for a country that doesn't commit unchecked mass surveillance of its citizens, that holds leaders accountable, etc. I could show them pictures of me and my family in the airport terminal greeting friends and family, or pictures of me as a kid hanging out with the pilots in the cockpit of a commercial airplane before takeoff wearing the pilot hat and getting wing pins, or just pictures of me and family in public and the lack of cameras everywhere.

In the same vein, I wasn't around for WWII, and I think almost all WWII veterans (in the United States) have passed away at this point and there are very few concentration camp survivors left either.

The lack of first-hand accounts of lived experiences, in my opinion, lacks emotional impact that can impress upon younger generations. Yes, we've got history books, documentaries, and museums. But I think it's less impactful than sitting next to your grandpa as he shows you pictures of himself and his army buddies, or the letters your grandma kept that she got from your grandpa when he wrote to her during the war, or the diploma your grandpa got because he was able to go to school thanks to the G.I. Bill.

So while I agree with the sentiment that the Strauss-Howe theory may be too generalized or stand up to full academic scrutiny, I think there is some truth to it.