27 February 2012
Creating a Historical Perspective
I cannot recall when this notion came to me, but for the longest time I have categorized or understood each of the decades according to a particular, retrospective theory: A decade defines itself by the end of the second year. The third year of a decade sets the change by which years three through twelve create a new existential reality for itself and formenting the following decade. If this seems a bit banal to you readers, perhaps it is. In the February 18-24th 2012 edition of The Economist, Matthew Engel writes his retrospective of 1962. I was a junior in high school and I had forgotten a lot of what had happened that year. I highly recommend you read this article. The Economist editors provide a website: moreintelligentlife.com for the overall series, but for this article 1962, "to download a full edition on the iPad, or a more straightforward version on the iPhone, go to the App Store; both are free of charge."
Engel also points out the differences in ways authors writing about 1962 present their perspectives according to their birth years. Engel clarifies this by reciting the generational question: "Where were you when _________?" Older Boomers tend to use the event of JFK's assasination. Those born before 1946 might use "the Cuban Missle Crisis" or "on VE Day" or our grandparents might use "on October 29, 1929," "in 1917, when we entered WWI," etc. In high school, I remember the Cuban Missle Crisis being the major topic of discussion at lunch, especially as the country braced for a nuclear confrontation with the Soviets. Some of the more strident among us were declaring that they were going to join the Marines and fight those Reds. No wonder the geezers of Washington are so willing to send young men to war. Inflame, engage then send them off! Many of us did end up in military uniforms within the next two to five years, but for Viet Nam, not Cuba. Who knew?
Remember the tensions about Y2K and how our computerized infrastructure would make the millenial change? What a non-event! Well, at least the titans of industry became aware of the power residing in systems programming and technology change management. The 2000s would not become the Information Decade (perhaps that had been the prior decade's nome de rigueur. Instead, the defining event would occur on September 11, 2001, and the rest of the decade responded in political and military cyclones involving Southwest Asia and Africa. Some felt they were liberating their world of insidious, commercial patronage. Some believed a new phase of religious crusades were moving humanity closer to End Times. Paradigm-breaking political alliances emerged in Europe and in Asia among the most stalwart iconoclasts of the Cold War.
How will the 2KTeens evolve? [TwoKeens? TouCans?] After all, by the end of 2012 the defining elements will be sprouting everywhere.
It's still drizzling outside.
Engel also points out the differences in ways authors writing about 1962 present their perspectives according to their birth years. Engel clarifies this by reciting the generational question: "Where were you when _________?" Older Boomers tend to use the event of JFK's assasination. Those born before 1946 might use "the Cuban Missle Crisis" or "on VE Day" or our grandparents might use "on October 29, 1929," "in 1917, when we entered WWI," etc. In high school, I remember the Cuban Missle Crisis being the major topic of discussion at lunch, especially as the country braced for a nuclear confrontation with the Soviets. Some of the more strident among us were declaring that they were going to join the Marines and fight those Reds. No wonder the geezers of Washington are so willing to send young men to war. Inflame, engage then send them off! Many of us did end up in military uniforms within the next two to five years, but for Viet Nam, not Cuba. Who knew?
Remember the tensions about Y2K and how our computerized infrastructure would make the millenial change? What a non-event! Well, at least the titans of industry became aware of the power residing in systems programming and technology change management. The 2000s would not become the Information Decade (perhaps that had been the prior decade's nome de rigueur. Instead, the defining event would occur on September 11, 2001, and the rest of the decade responded in political and military cyclones involving Southwest Asia and Africa. Some felt they were liberating their world of insidious, commercial patronage. Some believed a new phase of religious crusades were moving humanity closer to End Times. Paradigm-breaking political alliances emerged in Europe and in Asia among the most stalwart iconoclasts of the Cold War.
How will the 2KTeens evolve? [TwoKeens? TouCans?] After all, by the end of 2012 the defining elements will be sprouting everywhere.
It's still drizzling outside.
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