It's time, once again, for my monthly tirade. This will be a more general lament than usual because there's simply too much out there. The title of this blog comes from my favorite Pearl Jam song "Thumbing My Way" which says, "All the rusted signs we ignore throughout our lives, choosing the shiny ones instead." There is a mentality running rampant among our species that presumes itself to be the height of evolution. Before I even begin a post that will have liberals chomping at the bit let me say that I do not prescribe to conservative ideas because I think we need to stay the same. I whole-heartedly believe it is in our nature to progress and to evolve. We are going too fast, however, and in the wrong direction. We advance ourselves technologically and assume we're ever closer to the summit of Olympus, but do not think for one second that we might be uninvited (unworthy, undignified, uncouth, etc.).

I was so discomforted, this last week, to read the story of the teenage girls in Minnesota who are being charged with abusing the residents of a retirement home. The girls were not only rough physically with their fragile victims, but they purposely and mercilessly humiliated them, treating them with reckless disregard for their dignity as human beings. To even think that they would do those things to each other would make me shake my head, but to do them to people who have lived so much life that they need help to continue to the finish makes me a little ill. The next generation knows that it is more intelligent than its predecessor. That's precisely why I get a little nervous when I see the brilliance of today's children; today's children are tomorrow's leaders.

This is what I infer from the lyric above: These highly intelligent little children will naturally choose the shiny signs (fame, self-indulgence, selfishness) if we, the wise outgoing generation, do not help them to see the value of the rusted ones (virtue, character, integrity). This is why I believe in conservative ideals.

And this is where we see the author drop his morose, almost gothic, attitude and warm the blogosphere with his sunny, optimistic disposition... sort of. Though our children are special, intelligent and ultimately part of the most choice of generations, we are the powerful ones today. We hold the keys to the future. People are always saying that it's our responsibility to make sure we take care of the world we pass on to our children; it is equally, if not more, important that we make sure our children are responsible enough to inherit it. We can't change what we've done, but we can influence what they will do.

Note- This post has been marinating in my head for quite some time. Thanks need to be given to all those parents who have given me hope that neither this generation, nor the next, are lost. Dad, Shaunna, Mom, Ken, Kevin, Susan, Jeremy, Becca, all my Grandparents. I hope you all know that you've been watched... and I've taken notes. Thank you, deeply.