Keepers of the Culture of The Greatest Generation

[John in Covina]

I don't have difficulty with the term "the greatest generation" even if the generation it is applied to actually shifts. The generation of Revolutionary War veterans were given high regard. Civil War veterans were also.

The generation that lived thru the Great Depression and WWII had some rough going that was World Wide. The concepts of Freedom, Liberty and Democracy or as Lincoln so eloquently put it Government Of the People, By the People and for the People was challenged with possible demise on a global scale by determined groups for whom no law regarding humanity was unbreakable. While these challenges have not gone away it has not been so clearly defined with sides lining up on a global scale in modern times. (The side bar is that Communism for many even today is not seen as a threat and by some welcomed so it did not and still does not have the across the across the board impact of the Fascist styles of the Axis powers in WWII.)

We have had the Age of metal, scientific enlightenment, industrial revolution, the age of inventors that all brought us the age of consumerism, however under the Greatest Generation the changes from research, invention and production came into effect and those changes shifted into "high gear. That laid the basis for what we have today. We stand on the shoulders of giants that put into place much of the organization continues to propel our advances today in medicine and technology.

It is impossible to speculate as to the the effect it would have had on our daily lives if that generation had not risen to meet and defeat the challenges they had before them, I can only say that my gratitude for what they did allows me to call them The Greatest Generation with out hesitation.

 

[MissMittens]

That's a good point, Lizzie. We're not *quite* there yet, but I really do believe we're only a hairs breadth away

 

[MissMittens]

It is impossible to speculate as to the the effect it would have had on our daily lives if that generation had not risen to meet and defeat the challenges they had before them, I can only say that my gratitude for what they did allows me to call them The Greatest Generation with out hesitation.

Amen brother

 

[LizzieMaine]

It wasn't until the mid 20's that RCA came up with an optoelectronic fax that sent images and text by "reading" it and sent it over radio waves, or the fax as we know it. I guess I was wrong to say it was purely a 30's era invention, I guess you can argue that the mechanical machine was a fax now that I think of it, my apologies.

It became a commercial reality in 1939, not just a lab curiosity, when the Crosley Reado was put on the market. This was an actual, working system for transmitting electronically-scanned images of print material by radio to a printer that would produce a hard copy on thermally-sensitized paper. The idea was that rather than having a paperboy toss a printed newspaper onto your doorstep, you could simply tune it in by radio and print out your own copy at home. The idea got a lot of attention in 1939 and 1940, but got sidetracked and then scuttled by the war.

 

[John in Covina]

As Keepers I'd say:

That we keep the tradition and spirit of "Can Do."

We need to remind everyone that we should remain moral and fair, at the same time as we respect the rights of others we don't compromise our integrity.

Although others may not understand it the values that were included in the "Truth, Justice and the American Way!" declaration of the 1950's Superman TV program kind of carries that forward for me.

 

[MissMittens]

Lizzy, I'm thoroughly amazed by this :O

I've NEVER heard of this before, and I'm familiar with Crosley

 

[Widebrim]

And yet, we still live in a world where white kids will boast that they can't possibly harbor a racist thought because, after all, they have "cool African-American friends." They're still thinking in terms of Us and Them, even if they don't want to acknowledge it -- and the culture today seems more committed than ever to enforcing identity-based divisions than in bringing us together as human beings. Think about it.

Identity-based divisions are a reality--witness the various clubs that exist based on identity (not that this is always negative), and how many times you are asked on forms about race/ethnicity. What I do see now are more people socially mixing with and marrying those outside of their "race." (Although the definition of "race" almost seems to vary from person to person.) This change in attitude is likely a product of mobility, as well as a general desegregation in housing, the workplace, and schools, etc.

You bring up a valid point regarding friendship. Regarding that topic, I would ask this: When a person says that he has "a friend," of whatever ethnicity, would does that really mean? I heard it said a while ago, that a friend is someone with whom you would trust your kids (if you have kids). Based on that one criteria, I would have to admit that I have very few "friends" who are not of caucasian, European ancestry like me. Workmates or acquaintances of different "races," yes, but not friends. Now I've gotten a bitfftopic: again. :eusa_doh:

 

[Widebrim]

Although others may not understand it the values that were included in the "Truth, Justice and the American Way!" declaration of the 1950's Superman TV program kind of carries that forward for me.

I like that, John. I can get goosebumps hearing that, and the opening words of the Longe Ranger...

Unfortunately, many today question those "values," and even discourage us from speaking of "the Amerian Way." There is, as you know, a move to squash any type of national identity, in a move to further promote the idea that all cultures are relative and equal (which they're obviously not). Although, as stated in previous posts, there are some aspects of the Greatest Generation's culture that we would not want to embrace today, we should not totally jettison their (albeit not perfect) concepts of truth, justice, morality, and so on. These concepts were, and are based on the Founding Fathers' ideals of what a nation should be, and how it should run. Rather than obliterate those ideals, we should be striving to extend those concepts to those who may have not fully experienced them during the Golden Age.

 

[Widebrim]

It became a commercial reality in 1939, not just a lab curiosity, when the Crosley Reado was put on the market. This was an actual, working system for transmitting electronically-scanned images of print material by radio to a printer that would produce a hard copy on thermally-sensitized paper.

Makes me want to see Call Northside 777!

 

[LizzieMaine]

Identity-based divisions are a reality--witness the various clubs that exist based on identity (not that this is always negative), and how many times you are asked on forms about race/ethnicity. What I do see now are more people socially mixing with and marrying those outside of their "race." (Although the definition of "race" almost seems to vary from person to person.) This change in attitude is likely a product of mobility, as well as a general desegregation in housing, the workplace, and schools, etc.

And yet, in urban areas especially, schools are now more segregated than they were in the fifties. Are we truly making progress when this is true, or are we simply pretending we're making progress because we don't want to face the reality of the culture we've created?

This is where I think there's a specific effort to paint the era of the 1930s-50s in as bleakly as possible in terms of racial/ethnic and gender relations -- because it makes what we have today look so much better by comparison. It assuages guilt without actually requiring modern folks to *do* anything about the problems that still exist.

No sane person denies that there was plenty of discrimination -- and worse -- in the Era. But -- and this is a very important "but" -- it was also a culture that understood the importance of groups pulling together. When you read articles on racial issues in the mainstream popular press of the era they never emphasize differences -- they emphasize commonalities, and how those commonalities have to outweigh our differences if we're to survive as a nation.

Today, we've moved in exactly the opposite direction -- we stress differences over commonalities. And has that been a good thing? I don't think so.

You bring up a valid point regarding friendship. Regarding that topic, I would ask this: When a person says that he has "a friend," of whatever ethnicity, would does that really mean? I heard it said a while ago, that a friend is someone with whom you would trust your kids (if you have kids). Based on that one criteria, I would have to admit that I have very few "friends" who are not of caucasian, European ancestry like me. Workmates or acquaintances of different "races," yes, but not friends. Now I've gotten a bitfftopic: again. :eusa_doh:

Well, again -- what good does it accomplish to think at all in terms of "white friends" and "black friends?" I have a friend in town here who I'd known for several years before I realized she checks African-American on those census boxes -- it's just not something that came up in conversation. Does that mean I now have to shift her from my "friend" file to a "black friend" file?

 

[MissMittens]

Nice segue into film noir

 

[MissMittens]

Makes me want to see Call Northside 777!

Nice segue into film noir

 

[Widebrim]

^^Hey, make sure you check out the two Film Noir threads in the Moving Picture forum!

 

[MissMittens]

And yet, in urban areas especially, schools are now more segregated than they were in the fifties. Are we truly making progress when this is true, or are we simply pretending we're making progress because we don't want to face the reality of the culture we've created?

I think this is the 60 yr old+ white politicians at work, the last of their breed fortunately

 

[MissMittens]

^^Hey, make sure you check out the two Film Noir threads in the Moving Picture forum!

I'll be sure to, there's so much to do here at the lounge

 

[sheeplady]

Unfortunately, many today question those "values," and even discourage us from speaking of "the Amerian Way." There is, as you know, a move to squash any type of national identity, in a move to further promote the idea that all cultures are relative and equal (which they're obviously not).

I can give an extreme example of this. I live in the U.S., and at the time of 9/11, my then-campus held a memorial/vigil/turnout to support people affected by the attacks on the main quad. The chimes/bells played the national anthem and many students brought flags. (Some flags were inappropriately displayed, as in worn, but that is off topic). We had several speakers and a moment of silence.

In the following days, there was an outcry by some in the local student paper about how playing the national anthem was divisive, militaristic, offensive, and near-racist. Granted, this was a large U.S. university with many international students, but it was an attack on U.S. soil and I cannot understand how it was offensive to play the U.S. national anthem.

 

[Widebrim]

And yet, in urban areas especially, schools are now more segregated than they were in the fifties. Are we truly making progress when this is true, or are we simply pretending we're making progress because we don't want to face the reality of the culture we've created?

Oh, yes, there is "de facto" segregation in many urban public schools (including in L.A.), something which, as a teacher, has disturbed me. This is greatly based on immigration, though, as well as housing patterns affected by economics. East L.A., for example, has for quite a few decades been overwhelmingly Mexican American, due originally to the availability of "cheaper" land. Even when a newly-middle-class Chicano family moves from East L.A. to the (slightly) more upscale city of Pico Rivera, it encounters many other Chicano families who did the same thing; in fact, they again find themselves in the majority. Does this produce a type of segregation? Yes, but it is more "de facto" (in fact, not a matter of law) rather than "de jure" (based on law"). And, again, this is greatly based on immigration patterns and economic factors (the latter of which could spur a discussion on whether we have really provided the tools for economic expansion equally to all...) Despite the above, there are many schools which, due to financial mobility and the end of real estate restrictions, are very integrated. Integration in higher education can especially be seen much more than in the past. (The quality of that higher education is another matter.)

 

[Widebrim]

I can give an extreme example of this. I live in the U.S., and at the time of 9/11, my then-campus held a memorial/vigil/turnout to support people affected by the attacks on the main quad. The chimes/bells played the national anthem and many students brought flags. (Some flags were inappropriately displayed, as in worn, but that is off topic). We had several speakers and a moment of silence.

In the following days, there was an outcry by some in the local student paper about how playing the national anthem was divisive, militaristic, offensive, and near-racist. Granted, this was a large U.S. university with many international students, but it was an attack on U.S. soil and I cannot understand how it was offensive to play the U.S. national anthem.

I've got news for you, sheeplady. When I was on a tiny forward base in Iraq, we were told by "higher command" to take down the U.S. flag from its pole. Why? The posted flag would make it look like we were "occupying" the country. Excuse me? We were occupying it. Flags were flown on U.S. compounds in Vietnam, which we were not occupying, but not allowed in Iraq? When my former squad leader was KIA, we defiantly posted the flag at half mast...I'll stop there out of respect for FL policy. Let's get back to Keepers of the Culture of the Greatest Generation!

 

[LizzieMaine]

Despite the above, there are many schools which, due to financial mobility and the end of real estate restrictions, are very integrated.

True -- but this was also true of the Era, especially in medium-sized cities above the Mason Dixon Line and east of the Mississippi. It's a common modern belief that de jure segregation existed everywhere prior to the mid-sixties. It did not -- but I submit that there's a reason why modern folks want to think it did. It makes the stalled progress of the modern era look that much better by comparison.

 

[Chas]

Reading the article it appears to me that school segregation is determined by demographic/geographical trend. I have a hard time believing that there is an official policy of it.

I'm always wary of statistics though. I don't reject them outright, but I'm always wary of them.