Old Aquarians

It’s not a prominent story in the Old Testament but it came to mind this week as I was reading about the demonstrations by young protestors in Nashville over the expulsion of two black representatives and the horrific shooting deaths at the Covenant School there. In the story, two sworn enemies, Abner and Joab, meet at opposite sides of a pool. One says to the other, “Let’s have some of the young men get up and fight hand to hand in front of us.” They agree and twelve young men from each side line up for what becomes a senseless slaughter. “Then each man grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his dagger into his opponent’s side and they fell down together.” Two older men who hate each other sacrifice their young for revenge. Is that a picture of Boomers and our relationship with the next generations? Are we sacrificing the young for our own rivalries or are we, instead, choosing to encourage them?

I will turn 77 this year – as will almost 3 million others born in 1946. That means I started years ago collecting all the good stuff owed to me – like deeper senior discounts, Medicare, full Social Security benefits, people giving me their seats on the subway and putting my luggage into the overhead bins on planes. I’m the stereotypical Aquarian in that I demonstrated against the Vietnam war (my draft number was actually #1), grew my hair long, owned and operated a coffee house for a short time, and demanded everything in my world be changed to accommodate me. I was strident, spoiled, obnoxious and shouted more than I listened. I can look back fondly on Woodstock and reminisce about Neil Young, Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead and the closing anthem by Jimi Hendrix. Was I there? No, but why spoil the effect? Every cause was mine. Every slight was intentional. I was filled with grievances for how unfairly the world had treated me. I would have been perfectly suited for a Presidential campaign today. 

I’ve been rereading Generations: The History of America’s Future by William Strauss and Neil Howe after seeing several posts on Facebook about the uneasy relationship between religion and politics among younger generations. The description of Boomers as we age is not flattering. The authors see many of us as those who will “grow increasingly pompous, intolerant and uncompromising…The major question – indeed, the one whose answer may decide whether Boomer leadership will end in triumph or tragedy – will hinge on this generation’s capacity to restrain (or let others restrain) its latent ruthlessness.” Ruthlessness? Not very inspiring, is it? While there is also the real possibility that many may take on the role of wisdom figures and self-sacrificing patriarchs, it is “just as easy to see these righteous Old Aquarians as the worst nightmare that could ever happen to the world.”

Clearly, we have choices and, hopefully, many of us, unlike Abner and Joab, will take the road of wisdom by investing in future generations. I find many Aquarians who, like the aging Apostle Peter, understand their role no longer as fiery preachers but those who gently remind young believers of the qualities of a productive life. Knowing his time was short, Peter chose to rouse and awaken them – not infuriate and alienate them. He invested in them and their future. Paul’s challenge to Titus was to charge the elders in the new congregations to be temperate and not unpredictable, take the long view of life knowing they would soon be joining others in eternity, and make their passions productive and not controlling as they had been when young themselves. That is wisdom.

The young are our investment in accomplishing what we see as our unfinished work as radicals of another era. Strauss and Howe write, “Elderly Boomers will see in this (next) generation an effective instrument for saving the world. Having themselves screamed against duty and discipline when young, Boomers will now demand duty and discipline from post adolescents. They will get both. In return old Boomers will shower youthful heroes and heroines with praise and reward and (the younger) will be forever honored as a generation of civic achievers.”

I would counsel the young to take advantage of the desire of many aging Aquarians to support their initiatives and projects – even if our motives are more than a bit self-serving. I pray we are not simply interested in the young putting their lives on the line now to save the world while we, like Abner and Joab, watch from the side of the pool.

I’ve written previously about my cross-country road trip conversations with one of my daughters. We discussed what the older can offer the young and what the younger generations can give to the old. There are many right answers, but we concluded that the old should provide examples they can trust – examples of faithful, productive lives. And seeing the younger generation’s new energy, values and activism gives us hope. For that, they should find our support, encouragement and gratitude.

Art by Mal Bray

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