WHERE HAVE ALL THE GREAT MEN GONE
My question is a simple one – where have all the great men gone? Throughout recorded history there has been a litany of great men and women who have inspired generations of young adults to chase their dreams and very often succeed in doing so.
Anyone astute enough to examine this world we are living in beyond the sound bites spewed by every media outlet should recognize that the Millennials may very well have the hardest task in front of them than any previous generation in centuries. One major factor to this is the total lack of great leaders in the world now that can inspire a generation.
What makes this a unique time in history is that multiple situations have come to pass that can cause the extinction of homo sapiens on the planet. We now have a nuclear situation that has the potential for mass destruction on a scale that would create a nuclear winter that would cleanse the planet of nearly every living thing. Then of course there is the threat of deadly viruses that spread more rapidly worldwide due to extensive air travel. But the real threat is climate change. No matter what the politicians spew regarding this matter the science is incontrovertible.
My father’s generation fought in WWII in a world when the threat of domination was real and two great men, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill inspired an entire world to make a stand. Dwight Eisenhower warned the country of the military industrial complex that has completely crippled the economy of America through decades of war so the boys can play with their toys. Gandhi proved to all of us that one man with conviction and dedication can inspire millions.
Why have we no leaders today that can inspire this young generation to tackle the immense challenges they will soon face? I for one believe that money and greed has completely corrupted those in a position to make a difference. I do believe there are great men and women who can and do inspire but they are for the most part lost among media noise intended to deafen us.
Millennial’s may be our only hope in the fact that they are beginning to tune out the noise. They have the burden of the largest student debt combined with the lowest wages for college graduates in history. Needless to say, few of them think the American dream is alive and a vast number of Americans feel the same way. They have no allegiance to those in position of power. The fact is they have a growing disregard for them. The irony is those individuals wanting to remain in power are beholding to these young voters to keep them there.
Each generation finds a way to stamp time with their uniqueness. I came of age when there was a great surge against “the man”. I suspect we will see another one very soon.