Children are the raw material of human society. They are the future, and that is an important perception to be factored into nearly everything done by elder generations in the formation of their society. The future of the individual, the family, the community, the nation, the world, turns upon the nurture (love/care), education (principles/models), and values (righteousness/qualities) provided to those children. At the time Isaiah wrote the above passage, youth culture had usurped (as sometimes occurs) cultural patterns (practices/standards) of society. The elders, including parents and the general public, deferred to the young. Some factors that had turned Israel to the dominance of the youthful generation, characterize the current society early in the twenty-first century. Children are strongly influencing the policies for running the general store. More adults than ever before are opting out of generating children partly related to displacement.
Youth dominance gradually emerged after World War II as adults played with materialism’s games. Adults of both genders went to work regardless of domestic concerns. They diluted understanding that no society is firm without ordered families and a culture that develops emerging generations – needing some invisible tools that cultivate a mature society. The gradual emergence became obvious and dominant when Elvis Presley and the Beatles exploded upon the entertainment world during the mid-twentieth century. In short, they became the catalysts for change in attitudes, in personal appearance including clothing styles, in language idioms, in values, in aspirations, and the like. Even the Church was changed in its style, music, preaching, theology, modeling, and management. The change in scope and acceptance is not unlike the differences between the mega-mall and the old fashioned independent family store.
One of the major errors in all this changing and shifting is the failure of the critics of society to accent the problems that have accompanied these emendations and changes. The caterwauling of the rock stars is called gifted. The styles of young, sometimes nearly nude female nymphs, and scruffy lads, are paraded before the public in TV, internet and newsprint. Masses of Christian nurtured youth seized upon some of the movement. The youthful generation follows the celebrities – the ones interviewed, admired and paid well. Much of the Church has included some of the style, rather than forming a style of its own. Especially are many young persons without a clue that, at best, much of this activity is inappropriate behavior for devout persons who honor God. The elders, including parents, do not know what to do about it. The elders appear to accept condescending pastors who do not want to turn away people, or scare them away by disregard for casual/carnal culture, and the parents who want to hold on until the children leave home.
The quality of observed culture in language, films, programs, literature, and so much else that goes into life has become to large degree gross, shallow, and banal. It takes some dedicated search to find the good stuff. Reality TV presents persons following bizarre behaviors in public. This would not be as serious as it is if it did not influence negatively matters that count in preparing children to live and function for good society and honor to God. For good or ill, it is too little understood how youth impacts future society. Review of what has occurred in language usage alone suggests cultural decline. Psychologists are at work showing how communication found in electronics is enticing young generations to shift to shallowness, crudity, even hate, in messages sent, increasing tragic results. Correction begins with firm parenting. *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020