Musings in Search of a Muse

The MSNBC article "Cell phones and kids: Do they mix?" brings up an important issue that cell phone use among children and teens is bringing new problems to family structure and society in general. "'Parents are totally clueless about what kids are doing on cell phones. They are taking pictures, surfing the Web, playing games and MP3s. They are harassing each other, cyberbullying,' says child safety advocate Parry Aftab."

A more important issue, however, is who is responsible. I say it is parents. Too many remember too late who the adult in the relationship is supposed to be. In a society where youth is king (or queen) it's not easy being an older person. One wants to stay hip or with it or whatever the current phrase is uttered today to indicate belongingness to an assumed level of popularity. Old people can't do that. Never could, really. Even my generation -- the tweeners; to young to be baby boomers but too old to be Gen X -- showed a marked decrease in respect for the elder set just as every generation has to some degree. However, it's accelerated in recent decades as our society's values shift around advances in the science such as TV, the Pill, and the Internet. Yes, people said the same thing about radio.

And it will always be said about something innovative, but here's a good example of what I mean about changes in a society's values: In 1977, my freshman year in high school, a girl was shamed out of our class for being pregnant. She never returned and when I met up with her years later she was still stigmatized. In the last couple years I've seen, as a teacher, baby shower presents distributed in school to pregnant students. Oh, the myriad and multiplicity of changes that must have happened in the last decade or so to bring this reversal.

I am not saying that this is wrong and I am not against change. What I am asserting is that change that simply happens is entropy. Our society is in decay because rational change is not planned, implemented, and guided. Our 30-minute problem resolution ideal set by television and our zeal to cram all that is possible to cram into a day that isn't getting any longer (at least perceptibly scientists would point out) has resulted in a selfish, me-first culture with atrophied vision for tomorrow.

Probably the last truly visionary plan (or at least the last this aging mind can recall) was John F. Kennedy's push to land a man on the moon. Not right away, mind you. But in a carefully hurried fashion laid out in clear steps leading to a clear goal. The idea had unbelievable focus and clarity of purpose. It was such a landmark in organization, leadership, and forethought that people today will describe that a project needs an "Apollo-style program" for implementation. But no one does it.

Why not an Apollo-style program for ending famine? How about one for reducing or eliminating dependence on fossil fuels? Certainly people are working on these laudable endeavors. But where's the societal commitment? Where is the can-do spirit that brings about results because it's for the common good and it's the right thing to do? We seemed to have it after September 11, but it's slipped away only to peek out from it's hiding place once and again when a flag goes by or the date appears on the calendar. Maybe the candle that burns twice as bright really does burn twice as fast.

Samuel Clemens, a candle that burned brightly for a long time under his better known pen name of Mark Twain, commented that one "should always do good. It pleases many and surprises the rest." We should be trying to please the many and not the one. Then we might not have clueless parents with no idea of what is going on in their children's lives.

Now for something easier: getting those pesky things back in Pandora's Box.