Starting Again: Inspiring Vines of the Pergola
It has been a while since I have been writing my blog Inspiring Vines of the Pergola. I’m not exactly sure how I went on mute. My best guess is that being a trained Sociologist, my mind got overloaded and couldn’t find a handle to grab a hold of as our collective ship has been moving so quickly through rough seas. It’s as if a new PhD thesis topic comes out weekly, if not daily: How is Climate Change impacting Human Migration? Is Democracy Dying? If AI replaces the majority of jobs, what will people do?
I have so much to say on all fronts, and I do enjoy sharing with friends over a glass of wine, but when it comes to sitting down and actually writing something that makes a useful contribution, it has felt unclear. I do read many of the most eloquent, smart people who write or podcast on topics that interest me most about current affairs. And there are some wonderful, insightful analyses emerging out there. Thank you Heather Cox Richardson, Tressie McMillan Cottom, Jonathan Haidt, Scott Galloway, Fareed Zakaria, and Marianne Williamson, among others.
What concerns me most now though, is the next generation. Especially the age-set called ‘Gen Z’ in the States, now currently between the ages of 13 and 28 years and the end of the ‘Millennial / Gen Y’’ age-set. These are the children of my best friends. They are the ones who will be inheriting the world we are currently messing up for them environmentally, financially and culturally. Many of the thought leaders I listen to are expressing serious concern for these youngsters. The internet, cell phones and social media have completely rewired their brains, many have lost faith in romantic relationships and marriage, apparently a significant proportion have no desire to have children and they have very real fears of earning incomes they can live on. Basically, the world as we know it, or as I know it as a Gen X-er, has changed in monumental ways. It is unsettling, for all of us. I admit, it makes it hard to remain hopeful about the future.
My plan now is to dedicate my writing, my blogs, my coaching to helping this next generation, their parents and loved ones. I’ll be reflecting on the choices I had to make when I was in University and just after graduation. Over the years Co-Directing my humanitarian organization Terrawatu, I have been approached by many young people who want to do good in the world and I have been mentoring them. I will share with you some of my pearls of wisdom garnered from years of experience, in the hopes these may help you in your parenting. My training in Social Psychology has always been useful, and these days I am beyond grateful for this foundation. It helps so much to understand how the world ‘out there’ influences our individual identity, thoughts and behaviors and how our own ‘inner world’ can impact society, in meaningful, good ways.
I am also grateful for the apprenticeship I had with the Maasai in Tanzania. For those of you who read Time is Cows: Timeless Wisdom of the Maasai, you may remember how I explained that indigenous wisdom is common sense, and it is that common sense, our basic humanity, that has been lost in so many ways in our so-called modern world. I will elaborate on the sections in my book about rites of passage, becoming a man and becoming a woman, one’s role in his or her tribe, community, and village.
My hope in doing this is to bring back hope, even just a bit of it. It just feels like we can all use a bit of it right about now. Stay tuned!