Day 6 - 301 -- How did we get here?

When did we become that generation? The one where it is our cohort that is leaving this realm. All I know is that it has begun, seemingly appearing without warning. Until recently, it has been mainly older generations, but the natural flow has shifted. People my age are dealing with all manner of chronic illnesses that lead to disability or early departures.

Perhaps I don't think of myself as somewhere beyond middle age. I don't think that I'm getting older, but then I see a photo of myself and have to pause. Mirrors don't tell us what others see. Photos do. I feel the same as I did some years back, but there are physical changes that have taken residence -- without asking permission, I might add. More invaders than guests in my mind. I still feel like me, then something slaps me upside the head to try to force me to see things differently. I have chosen to be in control and not let outside forces become me. They are they and I am me. <smile>

One thing that we have that previous generations didn't is the ability to communicate -- in real time with many people from all over the globe. This can be a video chat, typed chat or and audio that goes beyond the conference call. Sharing daily life events with others is so much easier that having to write letters and wait weeks between messages or the shorter phone calls that occurred less often due to the prohibitive costs. This allows us the privilege of caring and supporting in sad times and celebrating the good times. Since we are creating those electronic supports, we can make them be what we need them to be -- in hopes that others will follow suit behind us. A quote from one of my favourite media theorists, stated, "Post-leterate man's electronic media contract the world to a village or tribe where everything happens to everyone at the same time; everyone knows about, and therefore participates in, everything this is happening the minute it happens. Television give this quality of simultaneity to events in the global village."  When Marshall McLuhan wrote this in 1960 -- yes almost 60 years ago -- electronics as we now know them did not exist. How cool is that? He spoke of surfing the electronic skim as well as coining the phrase 'global village.' A true visionary.

Only one song kept coming back to my mind as I've been marinating in this and other similar thoughts of late. The lyrics carry some of that push back I've adopted <smirk>. Enjoy!

My Generation -- The Who