Many generations have called themselves as the lost generations as they had lost a good many years of their lives through no fault of theirs!
Ernest Hemingway, the great writer popularised this word through his novel 'The sun also rises' in 1926 which was made into a 1957 Hollywood movie starring Tyrone Powers, Ava Gardner and Errol Flynn. Interestingly, Hemingway's mother described it as the filthiest book she had ever read but wished his son success anyway. The rights to the movie changed many hands as the theme was deemed unfriendly to movie-goers.
In this movie/novel, the lost generation is referred to the men who came of age after the World War 1. They were probably affected by some kind of post traumatic stress unable to cope with the stress of everyday life. Some people also refer to the artistes loafing around Paris after the Great War. In recent times, the young Chinese Red Guards (1966 -76) during the Cultural Revolution are also called the Lost Generation. They basically wasted their lives shouting aimless slogan to boost one man zest to stay in power.
Now, I am looking at another kind of lost generation. I am talking about Indian boys of the early Generation-X and late Baby Boomers. They grew up doing things to satisfy their parents' expectations and to live up to the set community needs in an environment of strict upbringing where children are seen, not heard. This generation grew up living by certain standards and carved a place in society for themselves. These professionals now in comfortable lives, wanting to continue their legacy, now live to satisfy the whims and fancies of their children, bending over backwards and dancing to their every idiotic tune. They had and are living their lives for others, just like the soldiers of WW1 and the Red Guards who basically lived doing sweet worthless things to satisfy the needs of others so as to maintain the status quo and the betterment of mankind without asking themselves what this generation actually wants to do for themselves and satisfy their inner needs.
Now, how is the next generation, who has had all the comfort and pampering that they can get are going to continue and maintain their offspring. Is the age old Chinese proverb of 'Wealth never stays beyond the third generation' going to be proven true? Are they going to self discover themselves? Only time will tell and social scientists will have a field day righting about it in their theses.
P.S. I just watched this movie! Trying to live up for lost times!
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| Ava Gardner |
In this movie/novel, the lost generation is referred to the men who came of age after the World War 1. They were probably affected by some kind of post traumatic stress unable to cope with the stress of everyday life. Some people also refer to the artistes loafing around Paris after the Great War. In recent times, the young Chinese Red Guards (1966 -76) during the Cultural Revolution are also called the Lost Generation. They basically wasted their lives shouting aimless slogan to boost one man zest to stay in power.
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| Product of a new lost generation? |
Now, how is the next generation, who has had all the comfort and pampering that they can get are going to continue and maintain their offspring. Is the age old Chinese proverb of 'Wealth never stays beyond the third generation' going to be proven true? Are they going to self discover themselves? Only time will tell and social scientists will have a field day righting about it in their theses.
P.S. I just watched this movie! Trying to live up for lost times!
Only time can tell....
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