The fact that the lives of the average Americans have changed over the past thirty years is the epitome of understatement. The various alterations we have gone through cannot be calculated. Through the course of these changes the buzz word has been “Change is good” and “You cannot stop progress.” It is undeniable that progress is unstoppable. But has the change it has resulted in really been for the better?
We now have a whole generation of citizens who were raised in day care, as progress and change forced both parents into the workplace, not so much as a matter of survival, but as the most feasible avenue to prosperity. There have been some positive accomplishments as a result of the change, such as the advancement of women’s rights and prestige in the workplace. But at what cost?
Recently I was watching an episode on FOX Business wherein the history of the Barbie Doll was being discussed. Barbie has reflected the dreams and aspirations of young girls since it was introduced back in 1959 and has even projected the perception of interrelationships between girls and boys since 1961 when Barbie got a boyfriend named Ken.
Following the natural progression of our society we have seen Barbie become an interpretation of international culture as evidenced by African-American and Hispanic Barbie. The whole point here is has the evolution of Barbie been a result of the evolution of our society or has Barbie been instrumental in shaping that evolution?
How much power and sway has commercialism had over our youth over the past thirty years? Anyone who has been in a mall has seen examples of human activity among our youth that can leave us wondering, “What in the world are they thinking?”
I know each generation instinctively tests the boundaries of the forbidden and taboo. But what I see today makes Elvis shaking his hips seem insignificant to the extreme. And with the failings of our school system, combined with the failing of our country in general I have to believe that at some point in our recent history the situation has gone awry.
I see pretty young girls dressed in clothes a mechanic would throw away. They are actually paying $50 a pair for filthy blue jeans with holes in them. They do not brush their hair and seem to take pride in being sloppy. This coupled with body piercing and self mutilation paints a disturbing picture.
Thirty years ago young ladies made every effort to be as clean and look as good as their finances would allow. Our Barbies wore sleek outfits and drove Corvettes. And of course Ken was a clean, well dressed, young American male.
I have to believe that we as Americans are failing our youth simply by not being there to raise them. State sponsored child care is a failure and all of us are paying and will continue to pay the price for our failure to recognize one of the most basic facts of human existence, and that is that children need their parents to raise them, as no stranger can possibly care for a child and his or her future the way mom and dad can.
If a Barbie came out today that reflected the true condition of our young people it would have to be Barbie Grunge, dirty and greasy and driving a 70’s model Datsun. Then of course Ken would be just as filthy, with his pants hanging down below his butt cheeks so everyone can see his dirty underwear.
I do not blame our youth as it is our fault. We have become so inundated with political correctness and multi-culturalism that we have set our good sense aside. It is our duty as adults to tell the youth when we believe they are straying. And the fact is with everyone wondering what has went wrong with our society, it might do us well to just look at what is right in front of us. Not to be uncouth, but wouldn’t you tell someone if they had a booger hanging in their nose? We have to realize that our children through their exhibitions are crying out to us to take care of them. And we all should remember that if our children fail it is in truth our failure.