Every day on my Meals on Wheels route, I see people at both ends of life. I see seniors who spent decades working, raising families, paying taxes, serving their communities, and doing what society asked of them. Then I see a lot of younger people, and I can’t help but wonder what happened.
Too many kids today seem completely wrapped up in themselves. Every conversation revolves around me. Every disagreement turns into a personal crisis. Respect for other people feels like an optional feature that never got installed. Common courtesy? Accountability? Thinking beyond the next five minutes? Those things seem to be fading into the background.
Not every young person is like this. There are some incredible kids out there who work hard, care about others, and give me hope. But they don’t seem to be the ones getting the attention. The loudest voices usually belong to the ones who think the world owes them something simply because they exist.
Maybe every generation thinks the next one is going to ruin everything. History certainly suggests that’s a favorite pastime. But this feels different. It isn’t just about fashion, music, or technology. It’s about character.
As someone getting closer to retirement than high school, I find myself asking uncomfortable questions. When I’m ready to retire, will Social Security still be there? Will Medicare survive? Will my pension still have value? Will the people running the country understand that these programs aren’t handouts, but promises made to people who spent their lives contributing?
I honestly hope so.
Because if the future is being built by people who only care about themselves, who don’t understand responsibility or sacrifice, then that’s not just their problem. It’s mine too. It’s everyone’s.
I hope I’m wrong. I really do. I’d love nothing more than to look back twenty years from now and laugh at how pessimistic I was.
But from where I’m standing today, watching the way too many people treat each other, it’s hard not to wonder if we’re slowly trading responsibility for self-interest.
And that’s a hell of a gamble when your retirement depends on the next generation keeping the lights on.
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