Author: Beverly Cleary. As a writer of fiction, I think Beverly Cleary likely had a great sense of the obvious. It is easy for us so called everyday folks, to saunter through life with great expectations, minoring on the mundane things of life, while paying little attention to those around us. While our thoughts on design may be more eclectic in nature, such as wearing different colored socks or even different shoes for instance; we have entered an area where there is a sense of a new freedom that aims at self-definition, unlike perhaps any other time in history. Am I saying that today’s generation is more self-absorbed than that of previous ones? Well, perhaps so, but not to the extent that times have changed so much that human nature has taken a drastic downward spiral. It would be easy for me to just conclude, as it is the nature of some to do perhaps, that my generation is the cause of all that seems horrible (while basically only changes taking place) in the world today.
I remember from my youth that my grandparents, along with many others of that era, were heard to state that their generation and the next, were going to the dogs. I grew up in a changing era like most have. No matter the place or time in which you live, there are always changes. It is dangerous to generalize with such a statement, but I am quoting from the era in which my childhood took its cues. From my youth, I am reminded of my first knowledge of a local murder, and then the Cuban Missile Crisis, that just happened to be acerbated in our area by the fact that we had some huge fuel storage facilities just a mile or so from town. The fuel held in those tanks, used to refill our Navy ships, could easily make that installation become a target on the east coast. The youth of that time began to feel an urgency to move toward a different outlook in life. It became the time of dissent, a moving away from the status quo and into a freedom highly misunderstood by the previous generation.
This was a confusing time, when the reaction to a world that seemed bent on destruction, and was peopled with a generation who still remembered the tough times in the awakening of the 20th century; folks who lived through a depression and some through 2 World wars by this time. Some had just returned from the Korean War, and it seemed like conflict would never end. Children of that generation found new freedoms, were spoiled (as many would see it) by a new economic surge that not only tolerated inflated living, but promoted it. Children in some instances had more than they needed, and many cases, they got whatever they wanted. The process of evaluation took on new meaning, or had the debilitating effect of having no meaning at all.
I remember walking through the Boston Commons in the late 1960’s. It was a time when reactionary pursuits were part of the norm for the so called “Now Generation”! For much of rural Eastern Canada, where I grew up, the full realization of its meaning, or the possible effect on how society may one day reflect its influence on our lives, was hazy at its best. People, post-Second World War, wanted something better for their children, but were in fact feeding them the idea that more is better, that there was little or no meaning in the value of what was before them; everything became expendable or replaceable. This began to translate into a synthesis of complicated issues surrounding the value of the future and so youth of that era began to live for the moment. That sadly included many of the subliminal changes in lifestyle, moral and ethical evaluations for daily living as well.
I have had cause to wonder myself about the changes that have taken place, as my wife and I struggled to raise a family amidst the complacency and over-indulgence of a society bent on what we felt was merely a self-gratification gone awry. I have to freely admit that it is easy to slide into that fashion of living and not even realize that it is the path we are taking. But, what is my reasoning for these thoughts at this time in my life? Am I merely falling into a pattern, historically seen throughout past generations where the seniors of society see a falling away that brings alarm and fear to their hearts? The “going to the dogs” evaluation has both its realistic undertone, holding some degree of truth, and a misconception of both the diversity and resilience of each following generation. How we view the times, evaluate the potentials and the processes by which each generation formulates and carries out its mandates, reflects our image of where things are headed in the future.
Don’t get me wrong! It is important to watch the processes and have watchdogs who can evaluate in both context and potential. Otherwise we will end up with situations such as the world has seen before in the midst of both cruel and meaningless conflict, due to a runaway liberalism that lead to overindulgence and calamity for the world at large. Hedonistic pursuits at any level of society can lead many or all into situations that become detrimental to culture as whole. But, I digress… It is not wrong to want change, but change should take place to make things better. We find ourselves today overwhelmed and drowning much of the time trying to decide which modifications, in many of the facets or our daily lives, are both untenable and distracting. Transformation at too fast a pace adds confusion, and believe it or not, distrust of the system. Let us not become a society of cynics or unbelievers, all because we are let down by fast-paced, overrated change in almost everything, that previously was felt to be a standard in our lives.
So, you ask, why elude those shoes in today’s rant? Well, shoes are merely a reflection of some of the foundational factors of our basic philosophies. Each of us has some level of standards, but each of us needs those foundational principles that hopefully keep us grounded, and secure in identifying both who we are for personal reasons, and for practical interpretation by others. Does it really matter if we wear a bowtie or a necktie to a formal gathering? Today’s eclectic interpretation of the norm may be more restricting than you might think. While the lobbyists advance the cause of much of the backroom deals in both business and politics, we are still under the watchful eye of the mainstream of middle-class society in this generation of boomers and the millennials. One writer considers the proposition that the latest generations will consider even more strict references to political correctness, which may, in fact, translate into the laying down of a narrower tolerance for many of our more fragile and perhaps abused standards.
Going back to the quote found at the beginning of today’s blog; how we feel about the dress codes of today, being tolerable or fashionable, may not mean as much as those more corporate reflections, on the level of care taken to be both neat and tidy, as a norm in our more formal presentation. I can remember from my youth a gentleman who worked at a labour job, but wore a white shirt, tie and vest, every day to work. He polished his shoes every day and took great pride in being the best reflection of his personal standards, that he could muster. My question might be then… Is that wrong? While not everyone can or will appreciate such a view, there is a level of respect that one gets, seeing a person who, while reflecting his/her level of economic status/prominence/influence, still takes pride in presentation, by way of preparation. I know that fashion will often be directed by those fads where the unkempt look supersedes the norm of bygone days, but hey, have you noted that even the commercials we see on TV still reflect the need to be both stylish and tidy.
I am not ready to write-off every manifestation of fashion and design just yet. I also cling to the desire so far not to write off each coming generation, as those who are going to the dogs. I don’t understand every whim and wisp of change that seems necessary today (a grand understatement I am afraid) in most facets of our lives, but that is merely a reflection of my age and a lack of response to both the vastness and speed of change taking place. I am no longer capable of the resilience needed to keep everything in perspective like I used to, but that is OK… I have children who fix my cell phone and tell me that I am almost there; being one step from a nursing home! LOL. Do I want to look as though I am aware of respect on Sunday morning, as I go off to Church? Yes! Do I feel the need to wear a black suit and tie? No! But, I do want to reflect the fact that time with God, on this day is different, not just another moment at the workshop; unless there is a particular reason for a total dress-down level of code, for that occasion.
I find it hard to always know the difference, I admit. Knowing when to feel uncomfortable for someone else and when someone may be feeling uncomfortable because of me, does make a difference in my life. I am not one to tie myself to expectations too much anymore, but they are a part of life for all of us, and we can’t just walk away thinking that is matters not, because it does, at one level or another. Being our brother’s keeper still holds a lot of credence in life, whether we like it or not. We know what goes around, eventually comes around, and if we plant, we shall reap what we have sown. So be kind to that individual who may seem a bit mismatched in his/her choice of clothing (or lifestyle), but also do take time to have a look at the shoes… there you may find a bit of reflection on the relationship between care and situational presentation. A rush to judgement may not offer us some great potential for personal growth, by too quick a negative evaluation. In the walk of life, surprises come in many wrappings, and some of those surprises could change our life for the better. It is like walking near the edge, it is important to know both limits and parameters. Never rush at anything, be aware of both who you are and where you are going with decisions. And, before we get too involved in the critical judgement of situations or even of others, look long at the shoes. But don't be too quick to rush at self-judgement either, believe me, from my life's experience, there are plenty who will do that for us.
