This Generation Is So Sensitive!!!

 There is a truism that, as far as I can tell has been true forever, each generation complains about the generations that follow. And the complaint is always the same, "This generation is ..." and in that "..." is always, they are not enough of something, or they are too much of something.

I remember when I was young, we were called slovenly because we had long hair and did not wear dress clothes a lot. Jeans and T-Shirts, often with holes and no sleeves. That was just one of the ways we were Not and/or too much whatever it was.

And here we are now, denigrating the generation that followed just like our parents and grand parents etc did. We, who thought we were the ultimate Rebels, turned out to be just like our parents. And we are doing the same exact things.

And, while it was bad before, damaging to relationships, today it is far worse. In this day of mass communication and social media it is much more damaging.

So why do we condemn the generations that follow us?

I think that part of it is Fear. You know, False Evidence Appearing Real.

They have learned lessons from watching the generations before and have lived them as best they can. And we, the generations before, often feel like they learned the wrong lessons. Because we are so wise after all. Like we have the right to judge the lessons they have learned. Or to tell people the lessons that they should have learned.

So the big complaint that I hear today is "They are too sensitive. Why do they have to take everything so personally?"

And here is where the problem is. I think that this generation learned Empathy and Compassion much better than we did. I think that they have looked at the world around them and said, basically, that this is not acceptable. That no one should suffer just because of X. Whatever they are looking at that equals X. And that scares the Hell out of us older folk.

Because, while we can see the same thing, we perceive it differently. Based on our own life and belief and the generational way of seeing things that are peculiar to our generation.

And we are afraid of the new generation and afraid for them. It is all Fear.

How are we afraid of them? Because they are going in directions that we did not dare to go. In this case Being Emotionally Vulnerable and Being Empathic. Both of those states of Being require incredible amounts of Courage. And that is something that most prior generations struggle with.

And rather than admit we are afraid we denigrate them and get mad at them. That is much safer, for us, emotionally.

And it is for the same reason that we are afraid FOR them. They are going into territories that we cannot understand and we are terrified of. So we fear for them.

And, instead of acknowledging that we are afraid, because no one likes to admit that they are afraid, we denigrate them and get mad. Because it is much safer, for us, emotionally.

And here is the crux of it for me. That I am afraid. I am afraid of them and afraid for them. Because they are much braver than I am. And I choose to not act in that fear, as often as I am able to catch myself, I must therefore act in it's opposite. With Love, Acceptance, Understanding, Empathy, and do my best to practice these things even when I find it much easier to act in fear and blame.

Because, just like all of you, I do not like to admit that I am afraid. I would much rather look outwards than inwards. I find it much easier to listen to the internal and external voices that tell me it is not my fault. That THEY are to blame. Because THEY are too much and/or too little of something.

Unfortunately, when I do that, then I am Powerless over My Life and My Life is Unmanageable. If I am not the Power in my Life, if I am not Responsible for My Life, then I have no Power to Affect my Life for any Good that I want in my Life.

And when I have no power to affect my life because it is THEIR Fault then My Life Sucks. Because I am then at the Effect of Everything else around me. That is what controls my life. Not me.

And, as someone who lived a Big chunk of my life in that fashion, No Thank You.

What I have learned is that in every complaint I have about others, "they are too much or too little of ..." there is what is going on in my life that I cannot stand. And there is where I need to Be Responsible for My Life so that I can affect a solution in whatever fashion that I need to in order to stop bitching about things.

And that usually means that I have to ask for help from others. Another one of the things that I am really not fond of doing. Because, once again, in asking for help I have to be vulnerable.

And, I must Give Up Control. And Control is only an Illusion anyway. Any time that I am in control, I am actually out of control. Control is the Biggest Illusion of them all.

And in asking for help I need to accept the help that is offered and not insist that I be given the "help" that I think that I need.

So today, for me, I need to listen to my complaints, take responsibility for my life, give up control, be vulnerable, and affect a solution. Whatever that is.

So what about you? Have you heard your complaints lately? Have you noticed where you are Powerless and Unmanageable? Have you seen where you are not Being Responsible?

I offer you the idea that there is a Solution. It is not a comfortable one.

And it is the only one.

Welcome.