War changes everything

It should be obvious that the times one lives in can have a tremendous impact on the worldview of any generation. Those who fought in WWII have an inherent certainty that they can handle anything. They saw themselves (rightfully so in my opinion) as the saviors of the world. They were scared, but they did it anyway. When the rest of the world was on its knees, with only the British still standing tall and free, they fought, and they won. They are the last true heroes. Then they came home, and they saw the world they had fought so hard for, shed blood for, laid down their lives for, change.

Russia went from ally to enemy in the blink of an eye. Nazi's were replaced by commies, Germany with Russia and China. Nuclear war wasn't a question of "if" but "when." They were sure that it would happen ("Duck...and cover"). The Korean war was, at best, a draw. Those who fought in Korea saw their country show weakness for the first time. They knew defeat.

Then a new level of cynicism entered the lives of the next generation After McCarthy and Nixon they felt they could no longer blindly trust in the government. Those who fought in Nam KNOW they can’t trust the government, or even their own commanding officers. They have seen their country lose a war. They have seen soldiers who risked their lives spit on and called baby killers. They saw JFK, RFK and MLK gunned down.

Today, we have seen an attack on our own soil. We saw our hunt for the killers sidetracked into a "greater war on terror" that has cost us more lives than the attack itself, while also weakening our moral stance in the worlds eyes. We have seen secret torture camps, and not-so-secret torture camps (Abu Ghraib).

We are a generation that has traded security for liberty. That has been all but abandoned by its leaders, where any man or woman who possesses real leadership ability would never subject themselves to the witch hunt that is a political campaign these days. Where a soundbite has replaced thoughtful dialog, a good haircut substitutes for solutions.

Who can we look to for guidance? For a way to live? Who are our role models? Athletes with coke-problems who beat their wives? Celebrities? Models? In all honesty Barak Obama (who, in the interest of full disclosure, I probably won't vote for due to a lack of foreign policy experience) is the first politician I have ever heard publicly state that he doesn't have all the answers. That is powerful to me. "I don't know" is often the best answer. It doesn't mean that you don't want to know the answer, it simply acknowledges that some questions deserve more than a simple easy 10 word answer.

I can always look up to my father, who served in the Air Force between Korea and 'Nam. He raised two great kids (if I do say so myself), started a successful business, and has been married to my mom for nearly half a century. But I don't know that I can have a life like his. Mom stayed home to raise us (we had a cleaning woman who helped out). She had dinner on the table when he got home, and kept us out of his hair after bad days at the office. She ran the family, so that Dad could focus on work, and providing for us (which he did very well). I can't seem to find a "wife" these days. Part of that is my own fault, as I find intelligence a turn-on. Smart woman just do it for me. However, smart women these days have great careers. My sister is a good example - partner at a law firm, husband at a hedge-fund (yeah, they're loaded). Huge house in the suburbs...and 3 kids being raised by a nanny for the most part. Don't get me wrong, my sis and her hubby are great parents. They spend as much time with the kids as they can. I just think kids need their mom around.

What do you think (hypothetical non-existent reader)? Are there woman out there who don't buy into the theory that wanting to be a mom is a cardinal sin? That are up for the challenge of raising kids full time? That are willing to run the family while the husband "brings home the bacon?"