The Greatest Generation

[Riprorin]

According to a book by Tom Browkaw, "the greatest generation" was Americans who came of age during the Great Depression and the Second World War and went on to build modern America.

Do you agree or disagree and why.

 

[NJDevil]

I'd say that the greatest Americans are those who have fought in the wars that allowed our way of life to flourish and survive. It's hard to define the "Greatest" generation, but I'm a big fan of the revolutioinary generation. They, in essence, fought a war against many of their own people, and accepted a completely new form of government, that of a democratic republic. It's a tough sale, to get people to agree with a government no modern nation had implimented at the time. They also inspired the French Revolution, which clearly didn't go over as well (just a point I find interesting).

Without the success of this generation, the United States would not exist as we know it.

I'm also a big fan of the generation you speak of, those came of age during the depression and especially the second world war. They demonstrated the might the US possessed, but had never before shown. Unfortunately, the holocaust of the war that was not the last mass genocide the world was to see, but hopefully future generations will be able to prevent the Rwanda's, Sudan's, Yugoslavia's of the last decade.

 

[yllus]

I don't really think that any generation that lived after 1300 or so was comparatively all that great.

 

[NJDevil]

Originally posted by: yllus
I don't really think that any generation that lived after 1300 or so was comparatively all that great.

I think he's talking about American Generations.

 

[zendari]

The looters who started Social Security? No thnx.

 

[arsbanned]

They crap bigger than you.

 

[her209]

There's are more than a handful of generations that have contributed greatly in their own way that helped shape America to what we know it is today. Some would say those that fought in the Revolutionary War. Others would name those that fought Civil War. Other would say WWI. Yet others would say WWII. And still others would say those who fought for Civil Rights. For me personally, I would have to pick the Civil Rights.

 

[Vic]

Disagree. It wasn't just the 20 year-olds that won WWII.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Every generation has it's trials. Some big and some small. I think "greatest" is impossible to quantify. The Civil War generation? WWII? Revolutionary War days? First settlers?

You can go on as to why each might qualify, but I think the term is too subjective to be a valid concept.

 

[PatboyX]

did he coin that phrase?
i think the reason is more than exactly what they did themselves (although many achievements are great) but rather they happened to live in "interesting times."

 

[Moonbeam]

There is only Love.......greater and lesser do not exist, there is nothing to compare to the Beloved and there is only the Beloved. I am I am I am will be the American lifing 'great'.

 

[boredhokie]

Is Riprorin actually going to add his opinion in this thread, or is he going to sit back and masturbate over the attention like he usually does? I think they were a good generation that spawned the crappy baby boomer gen whose entitlement issues put us into this mess that people my age (20's) are going to have to fix.

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: zendari
The looters who started Social Security? No thnx.

Unless you are rich, you will be one of those "looters" when you get old.

 

[Gigantopithecus]

I disagree with the notion that the Greatest Generation of Americans were those who fought the Second World War. Beating Hitler, Mussolini & Hirohito was no small accomplishment, but I think the generation that brought this country to fruition was the greatest.
The British Empire during the 18th Century was far more powerful relative to the Colonies, I think, than the Axis was relative to the Allies during WWII. The founders of this nation were genius, pure and simple. But that doesn't diminish imho the Constitution, which is probably the most liberating document ever written by humans for humans. The notions that all men (I realize at the time 'all men' meant white landowning men) are created equal, that the law of the land should be decided by its people rather than from on high (be it monarchs or those claiming to speak for some deity), that the government rules only by popular consent, that the military answers to the civilians - these were all incredibly revolutionary ideas. And the founders were not just the Founding Fathers - the populace of this country in the 18th Century was easily the most educated in the world (visitors from Europe remarked that the average farmer could read!), and recognized they had a good thing going and fought the most powerful empire ever to maintain it.

 

[Whaspe]

Tom Brokaw ? Date of Birth: 6 February 1940

These are his parents he's takin about. Must think they were great and maybe misses them. It's not hard to idealize people you respect.

On another note, the generation he speaks of went through tremendous sacrifice and strife. And not that I am eschewing the blind pursuit of such things, but hard times do have a habit of pushing the limits and broadening the envelope of what and who we are. Think of the innovation and leaps in science because of the WW's and the cold war.

 

[mc00]

Originally posted by: Gigantopithecus
I disagree with the notion that the Greatest Generation of Americans were those who fought the Second World War. Beating Hitler, Mussolini & Hirohito was no small accomplishment, but I think the generation that brought this country to fruition was the greatest.
The British Empire during the 18th Century was far more powerful relative to the Colonies, I think, than the Axis was relative to the Allies during WWII. The founders of this nation were genius, pure and simple. But that doesn't diminish imho the Constitution, which is probably the most liberating document ever written by humans for humans. The notions that all men (I realize at the time 'all men' meant white landowning men) are created equal, that the law of the land should be decided by its people rather than from on high (be it monarchs or those claiming to speak for some deity), that the government rules only by popular consent, that the military answers to the civilians - these were all incredibly revolutionary ideas. And the founders were not just the Founding Fathers - the populace of this country in the 18th Century was easily the most educated in the world (visitors from Europe remarked that the average farmer could read!), and recognized they had a good thing going and fought the most powerful empire ever to maintain it.

yeah man I agree... I look what you said and compare it to our time none of that is being done now, like this one: "that the government rules only by popular consent, that the military answers to the civilians"
military answer to goverment and goverment listen to people when is benefial to them like income tax etc.. and election time lol

 

[sbacpo]

The debate over what was the greatest generation will never be settled. Both my grandfathers fought in WWII and my great grandfather in WWI. My opinion is obviously biased but I consider all of them great men not just for the sacrifices they made to go and fight in a war but the way they lived their lives in general. When I was in the service I got to spend a lot time with WWII veterans groups. There is something special about those guys, especially the ones that saw a lot of combat and the submariners. It's a quality that's hard to describe. "Gravitas" is the closest I can come with my limited vocabulary.

On the flip side of that is the generation that consists of those that were draft age (esp. 18-25 yr olds) on 12 Sept. 2001. You decided to watch your war on TV without even bothering to find out if you were needed. There was barely a bump in inquiries at recruiting stations after 9/11 let alone a rise in volunteers. Rationalize it any way you want but you mailed it in and you should be ashamed of yourselves forever.

 

[Red Dawn]

Originally posted by: Gigantopithecus
I disagree with the notion that the Greatest Generation of Americans were those who fought the Second World War. Beating Hitler, Mussolini & Hirohito was no small accomplishment, but I think the generation that brought this country to fruition was the greatest.
The British Empire during the 18th Century was far more powerful relative to the Colonies, I think, than the Axis was relative to the Allies during WWII. The founders of this nation were genius, pure and simple. But that doesn't diminish imho the Constitution, which is probably the most liberating document ever written by humans for humans. The notions that all men (I realize at the time 'all men' meant white landowning men) are created equal, that the law of the land should be decided by its people rather than from on high (be it monarchs or those claiming to speak for some deity), that the government rules only by popular consent, that the military answers to the civilians - these were all incredibly revolutionary ideas. And the founders were not just the Founding Fathers - the populace of this country in the 18th Century was easily the most educated in the world (visitors from Europe remarked that the average farmer could read!), and recognized they had a good thing going and fought the most powerful empire ever to maintain it.

Do you realize that the majority (albeit slight) of Colonists weren't for Independence? It's kind of hard to label all of them the greatest Generation for their part in securing our Independence when the majority of them were Loyalists

 

[zendari]

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: zendari
The looters who started Social Security? No thnx.

Unless you are rich, you will be one of those "looters" when you get old.

Actually, someone of my age, if you make over $60k a year, puts more money into the system than you get out of it, assuming you live to 75.

And thats disregarding inflation.

 

[Genx87]

Originally posted by: zendari

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: zendari
The looters who started Social Security? No thnx.

Unless you are rich, you will be one of those "looters" when you get old.

Actually, someone of my age, if you make over $60k a year, puts more money into the system than you get out of it, assuming you live to 75.

And thats disregarding inflation.

My guess is anybody who qualifies to pay federal income tax puts in more than they get out.

That means about 50% of this nation.

 

[MidasKnight]

Originally posted by: NJDevil
I'd say that the greatest Americans are those who have fought in the wars that allowed our way of life to flourish and survive. It's hard to define the "Greatest" generation, but I'm a big fan of the revolutioinary generation. They, in essence, fought a war against many of their own people, and accepted a completely new form of government, that of a democratic republic. It's a tough sale, to get people to agree with a government no modern nation had implimented at the time. They also inspired the French Revolution, which clearly didn't go over as well (just a point I find interesting).

Without the success of this generation, the United States would not exist as we know it.

I'm also a big fan of the generation you speak of, those came of age during the depression and especially the second world war. They demonstrated the might the US possessed, but had never before shown. Unfortunately, the holocaust of the war that was not the last mass genocide the world was to see, but hopefully future generations will be able to prevent the Rwanda's, Sudan's, Yugoslavia's of the last decade.

Very well said and I agree with you.