Back in my high school years I had discovered James Joyce and became a fan of his literature. In fact I was so much into him that I decided to enter a regional English Literature essay competition. There I won a second prize award for an essay dealing with his autobiographical work. I have been keeping my award ever since together with my personal documents and school transcripts in a safe place at home.
Part of those years I spent deepening my knowledge into his works and particularly in Dubliners The Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man Ulysses and Finnegans Wake. Although regarded as an apolitical author Joyce was in fact sympathetic to the radical political movements of his time particularly in anarchism syndicalism (revolutionary unionism) and socialism which in those years were influential for the avant-garde writers on their road to literary modernism.
During these years after Donald Trump won the U.S. presidency in 2016 fair and square playing by all the rules of the democratic game our nation has started to be confronted with a resurgence of the Left (both moderate and radical-anarchist) the big loser of the elections.
Soon after the elections were called an insurgence of anti-Trump rioters erupted in the cities of Baltimore Oakland Philadelphia and Portland. The rioters went passive-aggressive. From cry to anger from defense to offense. They seem to have forgotten the rules of the game. Now albeit in minority they want to change the rules.
I saw scenes of re-Joyce" (no pun intended!) for destruction during an Odyssey" where after their Election Day Wake" Portlanders" have morphed into Portraits of Anarchists as Young Men." Then I started to wonder like Seinfeld: Who ARE these people?" And I think I know.
Let me attempt to paint" a portrait" in 15 quick brushstrokes (in no particular order). They are the Generation of Me" consisting of those who:
(1) Are told they are special."
(2) Are told they are still winners" when they lose.
(3) Receive awards for getting on the 5th place or lower.
(4) Play games without keeping scores.
(5) Call their parents on their first name and treat them as their best friends."
(6) Dont see their fathers much or at all.
(7) Are peaceniks in times of war and warriors in times of peace.
(8) Text to each other when they sit at the same table.
(9) Text when they stay text when they walk and dont hear when you ask them for directions.
(10) Use their reproductive system for sex but dont accept it for reproduction.
(11) Want to change the family" definition by ignoring familys basic function of natural reproduction.
(12) Believe Marxism is an interesting" philosophy but incorrectly applied."
(13) Say that property sucks" but demand that everyone is entitled to a fair" share.
(14) Play politically correct" when they run out of arguments.
(15) Love democracy when they win and secession when they lose.
In the end there is a silver lining for the Left during the next four (eight?) years of Trump administration and particularly for:
(1) Alec Baldwin who will keep his pathetic SNL job as a Donald Trump impersonator.
(2) Bruce The Boss" Springsteen who will sputter with his heaved voice the same linear protest songs."
(3) Beyonc who will shape the Formation" of a new generation of young African-American girls teaching them about the moral values of being bootylicious."
(4) Madonna Cher Lady Gaga Katy Perry Miley Cyrus Amy Schumer Samantha Bee (oops shes Canadian!) Adele (oops shes British!) and all the cohort of Pantsuit Nation feminist bitches" (how they like to be called) with their pink pussyhats who will make us hear them roar" about their vagina monologues" and girls power."
(5) Spike Lee who will realize that Father Knows Best" is not over" yet.
Instead he the Father will return to his abandoned home. And with the former Single Mother together they will try to fix their broken family. And pick their sons and daughters up from the streets and get them back to school or work where they belong. Sons and daughters who are rioters now. And who are looting the cities of Baltimore Oakland Philadelphia and Portland.
This is the Me" Generation on steroids.
NOTE - A version of the article was published previously in MEDIUM.
Tiberiu Dianu has published several books and a host of articles in law politics and post-communist societies. He currently lives and works in Washington DC and can be followed on MEDIUM.
*****
Back in my high school years I had discovered James Joyce and became a fan of his literature. In fact I was so much into him that I decided to enter a regional English Literature essay competition. There I won a second prize award for an essay dealing with his autobiographical work. I have been keeping my award ever since together with my personal documents and school transcripts in a safe place at home.
Part of those years I spent deepening my knowledge into his works and particularly in Dubliners The Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man Ulysses and Finnegans Wake. Although regarded as an apolitical author Joyce was in fact sympathetic to the radical political movements of his time particularly in anarchism syndicalism (revolutionary unionism) and socialism which in those years were influential for the avant-garde writers on their road to literary modernism.
During these years after Donald Trump won the U.S. presidency in 2016 fair and square playing by all the rules of the democratic game our nation has started to be confronted with a resurgence of the Left (both moderate and radical-anarchist) the big loser of the elections.
Soon after the elections were called an insurgence of anti-Trump rioters erupted in the cities of Baltimore Oakland Philadelphia and Portland. The rioters went passive-aggressive. From cry to anger from defense to offense. They seem to have forgotten the rules of the game. Now albeit in minority they want to change the rules.
I saw scenes of re-Joyce" (no pun intended!) for destruction during an Odyssey" where after their Election Day Wake" Portlanders" have morphed into Portraits of Anarchists as Young Men." Then I started to wonder like Seinfeld: Who ARE these people?" And I think I know.
Let me attempt to paint" a portrait" in 15 quick brushstrokes (in no particular order). They are the Generation of Me" consisting of those who:
(1) Are told they are special."
(2) Are told they are still winners" when they lose.
(3) Receive awards for getting on the 5th place or lower.
(4) Play games without keeping scores.
(5) Call their parents on their first name and treat them as their best friends."
(6) Dont see their fathers much or at all.
(7) Are peaceniks in times of war and warriors in times of peace.
(8) Text to each other when they sit at the same table.
(9) Text when they stay text when they walk and dont hear when you ask them for directions.
(10) Use their reproductive system for sex but dont accept it for reproduction.
(11) Want to change the family" definition by ignoring familys basic function of natural reproduction.
(12) Believe Marxism is an interesting" philosophy but incorrectly applied."
(13) Say that property sucks" but demand that everyone is entitled to a fair" share.
(14) Play politically correct" when they run out of arguments.
(15) Love democracy when they win and secession when they lose.
In the end there is a silver lining for the Left during the next four (eight?) years of Trump administration and particularly for:
(1) Alec Baldwin who will keep his pathetic SNL job as a Donald Trump impersonator.
(2) Bruce The Boss" Springsteen who will sputter with his heaved voice the same linear protest songs."
(3) Beyonc who will shape the Formation" of a new generation of young African-American girls teaching them about the moral values of being bootylicious."
(4) Madonna Cher Lady Gaga Katy Perry Miley Cyrus Amy Schumer Samantha Bee (oops shes Canadian!) Adele (oops shes British!) and all the cohort of Pantsuit Nation feminist bitches" (how they like to be called) with their pink pussyhats who will make us hear them roar" about their vagina monologues" and girls power."
(5) Spike Lee who will realize that Father Knows Best" is not over" yet.
Instead he the Father will return to his abandoned home. And with the former Single Mother together they will try to fix their broken family. And pick their sons and daughters up from the streets and get them back to school or work where they belong. Sons and daughters who are rioters now. And who are looting the cities of Baltimore Oakland Philadelphia and Portland.
This is the Me" Generation on steroids.
NOTE - A version of the article was published previously in MEDIUM.
Tiberiu Dianu has published several books and a host of articles in law politics and post-communist societies. He currently lives and works in Washington DC and can be followed on MEDIUM.
*****