Please don't offend snowflake boomers

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I think it can happen that way, but it doesn't always. People can misconstrue or misapply their experience in ways that don't lead to wisdom.

Young people can be wise.

It happens more often "that way" than not -- people tend to either grow old or act unwisely, and rarely ever both.

Just how much useful 'wisdom' can children get by playing Candy Crush on their cell phones all day?

I don't know people who play that all that much. I've never played it.

When I play video games, it usually involves saving the world or doing something productive and helpful like that. The wisdom gleaned from such a practice could come in handy someday if I ever need to fight the Dark Forces.

My dad prefers MaroKart. That could be useful if he's ever in need of fleeing from the cops and has to dodge green turtle shells. I like turtles.

It's documented all the way back to the US Civil War, 'soldier's heart' or 'nostalgia' were that era's terms.

I believe that. I believe that now, less keep moving through life. There was a time when there were no social programs to fall back on, if they just sat down they'd starve to death. In that respect, I feel we've done ourselves an injustice. We can eat if we are traumatized, but I wouldn't necessarily call being the walking wounded living. To each his own, though.

I think it would be immoral not to help those who are dealing with PTSD that was brought about by serving our country. It also should be easier than it is to get disability for other mental problems and the amount of money should be livable, not way below the poverty line like it is for some people.

The mental health of soldiers returning from war is so important because those are some of our future fathers and mothers, if they aren't parents already. If a severely traumatized veteran has the burden of earning a living on top of raising a family, it's going to be that much more difficult to be present for the kids when he or she needs to be. Then we have a generational problem.

If our leaders choose to go to war, they should be knowledgeable of and prepared for the ramifications to come.

We have fewer and worse social programs than many comparably wealthy countries. It's, frankly, embarrassing.

Last edited by TwilightPrincess on 24 Jan 2020, 6:00 pm, edited 2 times in total.

+1

I really wish it was this way more often - sometimes it is.

In my experience, your premise doesn't qualify as such (true), as a lot of people are incapable or unwilling to learn from their own experiences, and it seems very rare from them to be able to learn from others' experiences. I've seen too many young idiots turning into old idiots, which only makes them nastier and more stubborn

I find judging people by their age too arbitrary and unreliable; I'm aware it's an unpopular view.

I am for helping Veterans. I think it's a shame they wind up homeless. My point was that we seem softer than the greatest generation, the WWl generation, the Civil War generation. They took their knocks and went about the business of living. We don't. We get knocked down and sometimes we don't ever get back up. That seems odd to me. Notice I have included myself and my generation in this comment?

I'm seeing the words "seems." I would like to see some statistics regarding previous generations and the success that veterans had or didn't have. In literature from the time, alcoholism and suicide were hardly unknown among veterans post WWI. There was most likely a reason for that. Perhaps there's a tendency to romanticize the past by remembering it better than it was.

About the best I can give you is anecdotal statistics at 100%

Maternal Grandfather Korean War- No alcohol, Navy, died of lung cancer early 60's probably asbestos exposure.
Maternal Step-Grandfather-Korean war, no alcohol, Air force, Ivy League educated Veterinarian (University of Penn), worked until he was 83. Died of old age, 86
Father In Law, WWll- Alcoholic, built a lot of the houses in Levittown, retired from the NY Carpenters Union. Died of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm.
Paternal Step-Grandfather- WW11 Alcoholic, Steel Worker, died at 80+ after decent retirement time.
Paternal Uncle- Vietnam- No Alcohol- Self Employed, died last April at 76
My daughter's father in law- Vietnam, No Alcohol, retired NYPD still living

Alcohol or no alcohol, they kept moving. If others didn't, I don't know them. The people I've mentioned had a host of friends just like them.

I knew a veteran who served in the first world war. He was too young but lied to serve. Which is precisely what he was good at. Not much else in terms of doing useful work.

My father didn't go to Korea----but he was drafted to go to Korea. He passed away at 86 about 1.5 years ago. A social drinker. Heavy smoker until 1964 (4 packs a day).

My grandfather was born in 1900----so he could have gone to World War I. He registered for the draft, but wasn't drafted. He never was in the armed forces. A social drinker. Very modest, quiet man. He passed away at 87 from natural causes.

All of my Great Grandfathers were in the British army (some as Engineers), and my uncle was in Vietnam. My GG's didn't get PTSD as far as I know, but my Uncle definitely did. Regardless I believe veterans' deserve much better care and respect, worldwide.

Of course they do!

Veterans deserve the utmost respect.

They get it here in the US in some ways; in other ways, they don't, though.

It's much easier for a veteran to buy a house in the US. They can buy a house with no downpayment. They don't have to have a good credit score.

But the veterans hospitals absolutely suck. And Vietnam vets were really treated badly back in the 70s.

I agree, they should be taken care of by their governments.

Gen X has not done well by our progeny. They have watched us sink into drug addiction, depression, and apathy. Why should they be tough? They've had no example worth following. I think kids learn what they live (my gran had a plaque on her wall). If they see a bunch of no count losers, why would they know there's a different way?

About the best thing I can say I gave my kids is the love of books and not giving up. I got both from my greatest generation grandparents, not my parents. Both my parents worked sporadically, but both slumped into depression on more than one occasion.
I think lack of movement contributed. When I get up and move, especially gardening outside, I feel so much better. The energy expended, the sunlight, the fresh air helps with depression.
All of the more successfully categorized, desired positions take place inside. It perpetuates depression and insomnia. I've said it before and I still believe it, we have evolved ourselves right into mental illnesses.