Tuesday, March 30, 2010

John Adams echoes Freeman Hunt

Do you remember this post by Freeman Hunt called "He Is Not Coming"? I responded to that one twice, here and here.but I'm currently reading David McCullough's book John Adams. And I came across this interesting passage:

"I wander alone, and ponder. I muse, I mope, I ruminate," he wrote in the seclusion of his diary. "We have not men fit for the times. We are deficient in genius, education, in travel, fortune—in everything. I feel an unutterable anxiety."

It must be admitted that to some degree the times create the character of the people. The Greatest Generation is considered to be the greatest because of their handling of the Depression and World War II. And, frankly, I don't think they handled Great Depression that well since they left us a legacy of unsustainable social programs, to say nothing of a compromised Constitution. We won't even get started on their child-rearing abilities.

I think there's a real opportunity here for greatness and I think the American people are up to it. I guess what I'm saying is that he may not be coming but perhaps we are.

10 comments:

  1. Don't forget the complete failure by the Greatest Generation at their most important job, raising their children.

    They birthed and raised the insufferable Baby Boomers, so that's got to be a huge strike against them.

    (and most of that 'Greatest Generation' crap was generated by boomers like Brokaw as a way to apologize to their parents for treating them so crappily for most of their sorry self-involved lives)

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  2. As I said, "We won't even get started on their child-rearing abilities."

    Yeah, it could all just be daddy issues. Or a love a Communism. Ya just never know.

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  3. Dudes. My daddy was part of the Greatest Generation and a WWII hero to me.

    I'll have none of that.

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  4. And if you say I have daddy issues now. POW! *shakes fist*

    :)

    I'm kidding. A little.

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  5. Your daddy raised you, so he's part of the timeless "greatest generation".

    And I don't knock that generation's WWII sacrifices. Almost unfathomable today, and they almost never talked about it. They thought their loved ones should be protected from the horrors of war, I think.

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  6. I think there's a real opportunity here for greatness and I think the American people are up to it.

    God, I hope so. All eyes on November.

    We are at such a disadvantage. Being libertarian/conservative/right-leaning, we don't live and breathe politics. We don't want it to solve our problems. I'd rather do just about anything than show up to a political event. But it looks like I'm going to be attending some tea party events and protests in the next 6 months or so.

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  7. Thanks, Blake.

    I was just giving you guys some grief, but the idea that the GG were a failure at raising children is an interesting one. I really don't know if I believe that. We have a lot of ex-hippies that turned out rather well, after all.

    Hi knox!

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  8. Hi Darcy, miss you 'round Althouse.

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  9. Yeah, it could all just be daddy issues.

    And if you say I have daddy issues now. POW! *shakes fist*



    Gosh I sure hope that Trooper York gives us all a chance to vent our pent-up "mommy-issues" this Mother's Day. I know I've got a few.

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  10. Hey I will definately do a Mother's day post. And another Father's day one as well. Happy Easter and Passover to one and all.

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