... and what is more, its death is necessary.
This, of course, adheres to one of the unwritten maxims of popular culture: In order for the following generation to have something which they own and belong to, their forerunners must be consigned to the ranks of the unhip and cast from grace. Once the new generation has established itself the exile of the old can end. Their repatriation 10 years or so later comes in the form of retro chic.
Im sure many would interpret this is a disrespectful attitude resulting from some kind of throwaway materialist worldview but more and more Im seeing a wisdom in it. After all -
unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.
This game of generational leap-frog (see fig.1), has led me to a conclusion. Basically I think we have to build into the fabric of all our endeavours a self destruct mechanism (*ahem* especially if that endeavour happens to take a material shape, such as a monestary - tonsure ed). The resulting rubble might not only afford the next gen the space to inhabit as they grow their own dreams and build their own stuff, but create the necessity (remember her? Inventions Auld Dear?), for them to do so.
Ouch - tough love all round! So how can we try to introduce a willfull euthenasia into all the stuff we attempt?
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Fig.1Apparently rich families have a 3 generation cycle which goes like this - Generation 1 makes the money and invests furiously in the children. Generation 2 has no concept of its real worth (blood, sweat and love). It is spoiled and frivolous. Generation 3 picks up the pieces gen2 leaves behind. So... just as some of us are in desperate need of weaning (nae mare milk from our predecessors - lets get the solids doon wur gub!), Im so sure its possible to sometimes over invest in those we hope to supersede us.
