generation gap or is it just a matter of age

has it got to do with growing old
or as some would like to say growing up?
have you noticed how the actions
- and the image they wish to portray -
of so many change once they hit the big 3-0
(or around about that time)
up to then it was ok to stand up for things
not only ok to stand up for them but almost a requirement
and also an utter heartfelt belief that causes are worth fighting for
and if not fighting for
then at least they deserved being discussed
debated
opinions, facts, statements
everything
ripped apart, judged, brought into perspective
shared
not at home
not in front of a screen
but amongst friends and others who would feel the urge to engage as well

and then comes the "coming of age"
that period when it is no longer fashionable
to stand up for things
in public
to share, discuss and debate
relevant issues
issues that are bigger than their lives
but all that becomes important
is to stick to the image one has managed somehow to produce of oneself

has it not always been the notion of the "older" generation
that the young are the ones obsessed with public images
obsessed with everything else than those things that matter

but

have not the recent uproars in the past few years
and especially months and weeks
and actually always
shown that it is not the younger generation
who is letting society down
but those who once were so adamant to
"change the world"
and are yet just as nicely caught up in no more than
trying to keep their position
their image
in society

is it, in fact, the case
that it is not the "generation" itself but rather the time of one's life
that influences whether we still are visionaries
still are idealist
still believe that things can change
should change
and we still have the power to do so

can we not all remember the times
when we were so fresh and new to this finding our place
defining our image in society
that we actually did spent quality time to discuss and debate
think about the bigger picture
read more than only cheesy novels, or celebrity magazines
be interested in more than only sports news and what the weather will be like
for the rest of the week
and we were not afraid to announce and share
our opinions
to gather more and diverse thoughts and facts on issues
ripping apart many and yet at the same time broadening our minds

when did the time start for it not to be fashionable anymore?

is it just me, but are we not becoming this boring segment in society
of a certain age
that is even more lost than we ever were before
as we do not know whether we are still allowed to
speak out and show publicly how we feel about issues
and that we still think there can be change
and that it is still our responsibility
to form and influence those parts of society
that we had previously thought needed attention

have we become so indifferent
so shallow
or lets say too worried about "losing" our status, our image
we (actually never fought for but) just managed to establish
that we can only talk about irrelevant things to one another
as, come on, in the bigger picture
they are irrelevant

that spark
that "Sturm und Drang"
has gone

when did it disappear
it's not that one generation has it and the other does not
I believe
every generation at a certain time has it
it's when the forming takes place
when finally the thinking starts, the investigating starts
and when we really start working on our public and social image
after school, after coming out from under our parents wings
when we need to think who and where we want to be in society
and through those forming years we actually think
contemplate
see more than only facts
but try to understand the bigger picture

and then if one has got it
and is happy with the image
suddenly they stop to engage
publicly (as I do not know the private part of this)
but there is no longer a debate, a discussion going on
apart from fairly mondane issues - the safe issues
just not to ever come in a situation where one might actually have to rethink
the image that was established
and not to have to re-organise the place one takes in society

this is society's big let down
this is the big let down through us
this is how we influence the future
don't ever think that you are any better than the generation before
don't ever think that you are any better than the generation after
we are all the same
and will be
until we realise that there is more to being a human
there is more to being a citizen
there is more to being a father or mother, brother or sister

we have the responsibility to ourselves (and everyone around us)
not to dumb down
but keep on learning, keep on debating, keep on finding facts and sharing
we have the responsibility to keep on changing the images
and with this changing our society
it is, after all, our world to change

don't become lazy
don't become indifferent
don't become so absorbed with keeping the image alive
that you no longer can allow any changes to it
be it through yourself or through others
don't stop thinking
don't stop questioning
and keep standing up for what you believe is right
publicly
and not only infront of your bathroom mirror