Boomers, Etc.

Yeah, My Generation has fucked things up good.  But let's consider why.  As the rant went last week, I was zeroing in on the apparent lack of discussion anywhere, by anyone, of this obvious fact.  Sure, you hear how our children will be the first generation to possibly have it less good than the previous, but again, why?   Three things, the first covered in today's rant.  Wasting Away Of Empathy.  We got to stretch norms to the limit (and often beyond) so all things considered proper (mutual respect, topics of discussion, clothes, hairstyles, sex, etc.) were targets for our fun.  Shit, now you can't outrage anyone on anything as it's already been done.  The race to the most outrageous was a great time for my generation.  I don't believe this has necessarily lead to less prosperous economic times, but it has contributed to a change in social attitudes that in turn has resulted in less honesty, shame, morality and, of course, empathy.  
No one gives a shit what someone else thinks of them, mostly because they can't begin to put themselves in their shoes.  Why bother?  Doing so could somehow curtail my pursuit of MY needs.  So, you lose empathy and you lose a cornerstone of humanity.  This affects our economic well-being in so many ways.  One consequence, I believe, is there are fewer top notch sales people.  My parents generation had traveling anvil salesmen for hell's sake.  Now sales is generally relegated to mass marketing and sending e-mails. Has this contributed to the decline of manufacturing in this country as we were getting out-sold by more empathatic and less self-centered outsiders?  I think so.  Remember the 70's terms - the ugly American!   Not even servers in restaurants understand fundamental sales techniques.  They rarely zero in on the individual at the table who will determining their tip.  That's just dumb, but it doesn't occurr to someone naturally if their feelings for their fellow humans has been numbed.
One final comment.  How awful to read this morning about the killings in Tucson.  More later.....