the arc of the moral universe

Being of Generation X, I've watched this all unfold. From the young Boomers I grew up with, to the millennials I tend to interact with more these days, to some of the neuroscience I've been reading about. I've thought a lot about the differences between them, some inherent to aging itself, others more specific to the modern circumstances we find ourselves in.

There are numerous shifts that occur in public perception, upon which many of our views are formed. Our conclusions built upon entirely different unspoken norms and assumptions. One of these is that we're making progress. Of course we keep fighting, if despite all our losses, look how far we've come, right?

We've made all sorts of social progress - while politicians have used that as cover to decimate us politically. In those realms in which government has real power over the people, we have been losing ground my entire life. This decades long decline can be traced to the mid-seventies or so, in terms of its effects. Causes and coalescing factors being a whole other question.

While I'm old enough to have seen this from the beginning, the consequences of this decline are all millennials have ever known. They don't understand it the way I do, while Boomers seem to have have trouble seeing how much has fundamentally changed. Even hitting the streets isn't what it used to be. You'd probably be surprised how much Americans do hit the streets. The media has learned that by simply not reporting on it, the protest can be largely negated and momentum stalled.

I don't think even Bernie himself realizes how catastrophic Biden winning the nomination or presidency would be (Not to mention Chomsky) - if our progress has not been incremental at all, but in fact a decline, this unconditional support of the lesser evil starts to make a whole lot less sense. This is not a pendulum we're fighting to bring back in our direction, but a series of rights and lefts that need to be defended against. Biden and Trump the same opponent that needs to be destroyed.

A goal that we're out of time to accomplish. Another sentiment I see a whole lot more from younger people. I think there's a terrifying chance they're right. Older generations seem to think we're going to have all the time in the world.

Bernie was the only chance I've seen in my lifetime. That distinction seems to be lost on many too. It was now or never.