Talkin' 'Bout My...G-G-G-G-Generation's Intellectual Capital

I heard something very interesting today during a conversation I had with someone I'm traveling with this week. He is around my dad's age and as children at or around their late 20's, early 30's. We were talking about the state of manufacturing today - low cost labor leading to outsourcing, material consumption in low cost countries driving up commodity prices here in the USA, trade deficits with Asia, America's transformation from industrial powerhouse to a service industry economy, and the changing worldwide political spectrum that will determine the way businesses strategize and plan for the future -lighthearted topics for a Logan's Roadhouse dinner. As the conversation progresses he says that it more than likely won't get any better and that the future for his children and grandchildren doesn't look good. His argument centered around his perceived reality that American youth today do not possess the "intellectual capital" that the Boomers and their predecessors carried with them in past generations.

I'm sure my jaw dropped, as that statement did sound rather bleak and defeatist. We talked about the spoiled nature of the typical American - the self-imposed fat and happy entitlement we share as a free nation, devoid of the knowledge of how much worse it could be as we take our freedoms for granted. Is there apathy among us? Sure, but me being the optimist I am don't agree with the statement that we are completely incompetent. Room for improvement? Absolutely! The solution? Not sure...

For the sake of my country, my children, and my children's children I hope we find it. We most certainly are on an interesting path. The next 50 years should be VERY interesting.

I'm not quite done with this topic, however I am tired. I'd never sleep if I continued to dwell on the state of the world and how God has planned me to be involved. Until then, I'll give you a topic: The Holy Roman Empire wasn't Holy or Roman - discuss...