The Greatest Generation?

[Paladin]

It has become "popular" to call the WW2 generation The Greatest Generation.

Were they?

What about the Washington / Adams/ Jefferson/ Hamilton/ Madison Generation?

Or what about the Lincoln / Grant/ Save the Republic / free the Slaves Generation?

Ow what about the generation that won the West --- 1865-1885?

And what about MY Generation, The Boomers?

[KWJams]

Originally posted by Paladin
It has become fashionable to call the WW2 generation The Greatest Generation.

Were they?

What about the Washington / Adams/ Jefferson/ Hamilton/ Madison Generation?

Or what about the Lincoln / Grant/ Save the Republic / free the Slaves Generation?

Ow what about the generation that won the West --- 1865-1885?

And what about MY Generation, The Boomers?

Fashionable? :confused: I am sorry but I find that very disrespectful even though you may have not meant it in that way.

As far as "Boomers" go, what have we really contributed to the world that was not first weighed as something that is tax deductible or not?

[Paladin]

What word would you prefer to "fashionable".
I'll change it.

[KWJams]

honorable

[Paladin]

No.

That changes the meaning of the question.

How about, "popular"?

[KWJams]

What is your agenda?

[Blueangel]

I'm very tempted to say the generation the gave us Martin Luther King.

Then I think of the generation that came just after him.

Undecided.

[Paladin]

What is your agenda?

i find this question humorous. Do i have to have an agenda?
What if i just want to discuss a question?

On another note, i see you are from Wyoming, the 8th largest state, with the 50th largest population, the place like no other place on earth, the Cowboy State, the Unity State, the shining plains, and the home of the first woman ever elected tostatwide office.

Howdy.
I lived in Lander for 5 years.

[KWJams]

<-current conditions-> (http://www.wyoroad.info/highway/webcameras/EvanstonPOE.html)

I may have acted a little gun-shy thinking that your question was meant to be disrespectful of the WWII generation. Is it?

[Paladin]

Not in the least.

Maybe you can make a case for that generation.
I happen to think there were several others at least as good.

How about the generation that won the west in 20 years. You know just about every western movie ever made, was set in the period from 1865-1885.

The best exception I can think of is True Grit, where the hero, Rooster Cogburn {John Wayne} is actually a dying member of that very generation.

[Paladin]

Loved the photo of weather conditions. I've lived in the north my whole life -- Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Montana, and Michigan --- plus Wyoming.

It was not until Wyoming that I learned the tru meaning of 'white-out'.

[KWJams]

I enjoy watching Westerns on TV in spite of their historical inaccuracies.

If there ever was a more shameful generation it would be them.

"Nits make Lice" Sand Creek Massacre. :(

Do you know what was the most destructive implement used during the western expansion?

[Paladin]

???

barbed wire?
wagon wheels?
colt .45...naah.

[KWJams]

Trick question :D

A gentleman named John Deere invented a plow that could turn the sod of the "Great American Desert"

[Paladin]

k

[RepublicanGal]

Paladin, Paladin, where are you going?

"The best exception I can think of is True Grit, where the hero, Rooster Cogburn {John Wayne} is actually a dying member of that very generation."

Oh, Gawd....I was raised by a woman who used movies as her guidance for parenting. This includes "Going My Way". Have you ever seen it? Three quarters of the dialogue in that movie were the basis for my upbringing. Dang, and I had no access to firearms or razor blades... ;)

I think the greatest generation could possibly be those who follow in our footsteps. They have the greatest challenges and the widest choices.

[cpwill]

the founding fathers were our greatest. ww2 our second greatest.

my generation will do some good things as well.

[cpwill]

incedentally; have you noticed that both Founding Fathers and the WW2 generation were fairly conservative?;)

[KWJams]

I'll be dog-gone ;) they also had strong religious beliefs as well.

[Blueangel]

Having thought about it, I'll go for the 1960's generation.

Whilst the WWII generation were probably the bravest, they were forced into a situation not of their making and over came it.

The 60's generation turned the culture of the Western World on it's head for ever!
They made massive inroads into true liberation and racial integration that I shall forever respect. MLK was a man above men. A true visionary and hero.

Besides revolutionising popular culture, this was also the first generation that dared to tell their government that a war was questionable. this does not detract from the sacrifices made by the men that did fight in Vietnam, it just shows that there were valid concerns and questions that needed to be answered.
If anything, it made the rest of the World see that you did have free speech.

It was also the era of the Space Race and great technological advances.

As with anything, there were many down sides of this era, but I don't need to refresh your memories.

[Platypus]

Originally posted by Blueangel
The 60's generation turned the culture of the Western World on it's head for ever!

Did it? I look around me, at the rising tide of conservatism and libertarian rhetoric, united against most of what the 60s were about - civil rights, equality, tolerance, respect for the environment - and it seems like any change from that time was only temporary. After all the hue and cry, are we really that far from the attitudes that held sway during the Gilded Age?

[up2date]

Originally posted by cpwill
incedentally; have you noticed that both Founding Fathers and the WW2 generation were fairly conservative?;) Gee, wasn't FDR our president during WWII? And wasn't he popular enough to be elected four times? Interesting that all those "conservatives" were willing to put and keep him in office. ;)

[Dissent]

Originally posted by Platypus
Did it? I look around me, at the rising tide of conservatism and libertarian rhetoric, united against most of what the 60s were about - civil rights, equality, tolerance, respect for the environment - and it seems like any change from that time was only temporary. After all the hue and cry, are we really that far from the attitudes that held sway during the Gilded Age?


I think movements and society is cyclical, whatever is happening to society now, many younger are looking at the 60’s and becoming inspired, it happened and we learn from it and it will have its day again. What was most important from that time is that it showed that it’s okay and important to speak about issues, its okay to be on the other side. Can you imagine what it would be like it didn’t happen at all? Doing nothing affects society as well, just not positively.
----------

I think maybe all generations have its highlights and lowlights - being in the future and learning from all of that is what's important. I don't think one generation is particularly the best because there will always be something we don’t like. It’s just that I personally take more in from particular events and times as others would from other events and times. :)

[cpwill]

Originally posted by up2date
Gee, wasn't FDR our president during WWII? And wasn't he popular enough to be elected four times? Interesting that all those "conservatives" were willing to put and keep him in office. ;)


the point does hold better for the founding fathers than for the wwII generation, might i suggest, however, that you will notice when the WWII generation got back from the war and started voting that it was more conservative; and certainly was not what we think of as liberal today.

[up2date]

Originally posted by cpwill
the point does hold better for the founding fathers than for the wwII generation, might i suggest, however, that you will notice when the WWII generation got back from the war and started voting that it was more conservative; and certainly was not what we think of as liberal today. Well, they did put Truman back in office. Ike was a war hero, but after his term they voted for Kennedy and then LBJ.

[cpwill]

kennedy believed in an aggressive foriegn policy and tax cuts; i'd say we'd call him conservative.

Johson......ooof, don't get me started on that man......(growls, eye twitches)

[up2date]

Originally posted by cpwill
kennedy believed in an aggressive foriegn policy and tax cuts; i'd say we'd call him conservative. Very true about Kennedy, but aggressive foreign policy was a requisite in those days. One had to be a staunch anti-communist to hold a national office. And even after his tax cuts, taxes were significantly higher than today's conservatives push for. They're higher than most of todays dems push for.

[KWJams]

60'S :thinking: Paisley shirts -- hip huggers -- the whole revolution thing -- far-out!

Yeah I was there :music:

The "Great American Desert" was considered all the land between St Louis and the Rocky Mountains. Sod busters had an implement to turn the plains into productive farmland.

As soon as they could get rid of the Indians and the buffalo. ;)

[Blueangel]

Originally posted by KWJams
60'S :thinking: Paisley shirts -- hip huggers -- the whole revolution thing -- far-out!

Yeah I was there :music: I'd lurrrrvvv to see a photo of that! ;)