Like this:

I worry about how to overcome the problem of the “Lost Generation,” at least that’s how I refer to them.

Who are they? I guess the easiest way is to use social security as an example. This is very simplistic (and I know there are more factors and variables than mentioned here, but this will give you an idea about what I am referring to.)

• People have been paying into social security with the promise of it being returned in the form of monetary support;
• It can’t do this indefinitely based on the current system;
• People need to divert payments from social security to some other vehicle for “future support”;
• Once payments are no longer made into social security, there is a group of people that made good faith payments to the old system, but will receive no benefit. This group spans the time until those who ‘invested’ into the new vehicle are able to receive benefit.

I call this group the “Lost Generation.”  Without some form of Stop Gap, Phase In, Phase Out, Opt In, Opt Out, or something else – these folks would be in trouble.

This concept can be applied to many situations, not just social security. In fact, I first came upon the concept when discussing the Juvenile Justice system, what is wrong with it, and how do we make it better. My class had some great insights and ideas, some of which were revolutionary.

In our brainstorming we came upon the ‘novel’ idea of not having any single parent births, to the end of not having any more single parent households (remember, we’re brainstorming) – a factor that would greatly affect juvenile problems. However, even if this started happening tomorrow, we still have 18 years of kids caught in the old system. A Lost Generation. What about them?

The problem becomes implementation – many, if not most, revolutionary ideas are completely different than the currently implemented plan. Any radical change will (may) see opposition from various factions that benefit from the status quo, or even just ‘fairness’ advocates – it’s not fair that the new plan is better, because I’m (they’re) caught in the old plan, why can’t I (they) participate in the new plan, too.

Let me use a current example of this (I apologize for the Mormon vernacular and concepts, I hope it will be clear enough anyway):

My son started high school this year. Because he is musically talented, he was asked as a Freshman to play in the school’s Jazz Band in addition to the regular band class. This means that he is taking two music classes, filling his elective slots.

A few years back, the local Church Education System (CES) Coordinator/Representative/Whoever was able to finagle a ‘released time’ program from the school district. (For those unfamiliar with this, it means the school district agrees to ‘release’ the students during the school day, who want to take seminary, to the CES program, which holds the class in a building off of the school campus. The school then uses the grade given in the CES program on the student’s transcript and counts it as an elective.) This is apparently, quite a feather in someone’s cap when accomplished outside of the Utah, Idaho, Arizona corridor.

Well, my son is using both of his elective slots for music, and is therefore unable to take seminary in the ‘released time’ program. My son wants to keep his BYU options open (that’s a different discussion, but both Mom and Dad and Sister have gone there), but is told that he has to ‘graduate’ from the Seminary Program (or attend four full years).

I thought there wouldn’t be a problem, we’ll just start an early morning class, and I’ll volunteer to teach it (I’ve done it in the past and quite enjoy it), he’ll be able to get four full years, problem solved. Or, if that doesn’t work, we can use CES’s Home Study Program to fulfill the requirements.

To my surprise, neither of these options will work with the current people in charge who make the decisions – “If we allow that, then too many kids will take advantage of that option and we’ll lose the Released Time program.” So my son is not doing a ‘sanctioned’ Seminary this semester.

Finally, the issue: If I am able to get this policy changed, my son will not be able to take advantage of it. He is already behind a semester and therefore cannot complete 4 full years. Next years students will have the benefit of all of the options. But my son is trapped between those who bought into the old system – who chose seminary instead of that ‘second band class’, and who would claim that it wouldn’t be fair to let my son’s unsanctioned ‘home study’ count toward his requirement of four full years. My son is a member of the ‘Lost Generation’.

So how do you make a radical change in today’s society, while overcoming the challenge of the Lost Generation? I don’t think it is impossible.

I wonder about Nineveh (see Jonah 3:5-8). . .

Advertisement