www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Newt Gingrich, Real Change

Has anyone read Newt Gingrich, Real Change? I haven't yet but I think I will. I heard the very end of a speach he gave at the American Enterprise Institute yesterday broadcast on CSpan. Among his many fascinating proposals was the proposal to end the socially and personally damaging category of "Teenager". I've thought about this for many years. It began in college when I noted how useless a life many of my college acquaintances lived. They had many trinkets but no purpose. I thought then that maybe it wasn't so bad that my Dad taught me to work simply as an expected contribution to the family from the age of 11 or 12. I actually felt sorry for these lost young adults. So what I had to work 40-60 hours per week to put myself through college. I, not my wealthy inattentive parents, like these poor souls. Not that may parents were perfect but I always knew that I was needed. Many people I knew never had that sense that they were needed.

Then I reflected on the fact that David was a warrior when he was a young "teenager". Some suggest that he was 14. Then Mary the Theotokos was only 14 when she was pregnant with Jesus. Also, we kept running into people at various events who had become millionaires at a relatively early age. Most testified that they had a business already by the age of 15 and some as young as 10. I'm certainly not yet a millionaire, not yet but getting close. It has taken a while and it certainly is not liquid and we drive older cars and live in a tiny house yet if we live to retirement we won't starve. Yes, it wasn't so bad that I've had to work most of my life. I won't always.

Back to Gingrich...

He says that "teenager" is a late nineteenth century invention. Before then a person was either a child or an adult. We have created a category of absolute uselessness and wonder why so many people between the ages of 13 and 22 get into trouble. Why would anyone find purpose in standing around doing nothing for ten years?

I agree with Gingrich. Look at all of the wasted lives we create as a society. In the Church we confirm kids at 13 and wonder why so many disappear immediately after. We tell them that we now expect them to start taking on adult responsibilities and then send them off to high school to be bored to tears and actually do nothing that even comes close to "adult."

Then there are the young adults who throw fake blood on parishioners on Easter Sunday. We have 14 year old people becoming "baby daddies" and grown men who don't have enough drive to get their lazy butts over to a bus garage and rescue their neighbors from Katrina. We have created an enormous nightmare.

Has anyone read Gingrich's book?

CDL

Dan:

I have not read the book, nor do I intend to do so. However, I'm in agreement with what he's saying about the need to get rid of the category of "teenager."

For so many years, I resented my parents because they were so demanding--I felt like no matter how well I did, it was never enough. It was made worse by the fact that there was a huge disparity in the way my sister and I were treated. Far fewer demands were placed on her. However, I now greatly appreciate the fact that my father taught me to work and that both of my parents believed that I needed to learn to take care of myself.

It seems to me that so many people close to me in age (I just turned 37) have had far too much done for them by their parents. Then, there are the high school kids who are my students. The problem with them frightens me even more. With some of them, given all their parents do for them, I'm suprised they can take themselves to the toilet (please pardon the illustration).

It's time we realize that extending childhood well into the 20s and sometimes beyond is disastrous. Let's go back to teaching young men and women the value of work and responsibility for contributing to the common good. It's the right thing to do.

Ryan

This may boil down to the question of how we raise our children up in the fear of God, preparing them for the pursuit of wisdom.

High expectations and strict discipline without love is tyranny.

Terry

I've always tried to take children seriously and listen to them and speak to them as though I am taking them seriously. It bothers me when adults speak to children like puppies. How we treat children can have a long-term effect on their temperament and work ethic. A memory can haunt or bless for years.

Terry

I think there are limitations to Gingrich's insights here. We are after all in a more intellectually demanding error than we were in pre-industrial society. Nevertheless, people still need the challenges of adulthood at a much younger age than what usually happens. We too treated our children with respect. We spoke to them in loving but not childish ways. Adults need to help young people look forward to being adults by giving them progressively more serious responsibilities.

CDL

27 year old here with my two cents.

Growing up society always told my generation that these are the best times of your lives, so I think anyone would naturally want to extend the "best time of their lives" as far as possible!

I agree that my generation and the ones that followed (I'm officially Gen X, but just on the otherside of the Millennium as I think they're called) have had it easier then the previous generations, but I think it has to do with much more then parenting.

1.) Sexual Revolution. It is no longer frowned upon in society to sleep with someone you have no intention of marrying. This being the case, why would someone who considers waiting until marriage outdated get married? Birth control prevents (to a certain extent) pregnancy, so there are no consequences for satisfying desires as they come without settling down.

2.) Economic Situation. It is now even discouraged to start families at a young age because of the economic implications. Not even factoring in how many young couples are looked upon as foolish for not knowing what "True Love" is, let's face it, starting a family in your early 20's is setting yourself up for economic hardship for a long time. Housing is still astronomical, and one-wage households are becoming a rarity, especially for families with parents in their 20's.

3.) Increase in people attending college. Nothing allows you to stay young more then 4 years housed with people your age where you rarely leave the campus. I don't think I need to say more.

4.) Parenting

The main problem that I see that that young people are not told the importance of seeking the vocation that God has for them. That vocation may be religious or secular, but, finding what God wants you to do rather than doing what 'you want to do' will solve the problems mentioned in this thread.

I try to emphasize that with my two teens over and over. I don't know if this was a past theme in the Eastern Churches or not but it certainly would be a good 'Western' practice to adopt.