"And you know something's happening But ya' don't know what it is Do you, Mr. Jones?"

[Tom Rinaldo]

I just might be a relative of Mr. Jones. Hopefully not quite as clueless but related just the same. It comes, I believe, with the turf of aging, and of generational changes. I think I'm overall less detached from the reality/world view of a youthful generation today than my parents were of mine back when Bob Dylan recorded "Ballad of a Thin Man. It helps that I've been a web surfer for decades, but mostly it's because I intuitively understand that nothing stays the same, having come from a generation when everything it seems was changing faster than those who were my elders seemed to grasp.

I've seen Democrats proudly wield the power of the federal government to counter racist "States Rights" while rapidly expanding the social safety net that we inherited from FDR. And then I saw Democrats proclaim that "the era of big government is over." And then later still Democrats passed the Affordable Care Act. And failed to secure a Public Option, after not even considering Single Payer or "Medicare for All". And now those latter ideas are ripe again for wide scale discussion. Pendulum swings? History rhyming but not repeating?

I've seen Democrats drastically escalate our troop presence in Vietnam, and later run an anti Vietnam War candidate for President. I've seen a Democratic Speaker of the House and many leading Democratic Senators support the Iraq War Resolution, and then later Democrats elected a President who opposed it.

I've watched as the percentage of Americans who identify neither as Democratic or Republican steadily rise until "Independents" make up the plurality of voters. And with dramatic consistency I've seen polls on a variety of issues and political personalities that show that Americans under the age of 40, and even more so under 30, have significant political differences with people of my Medicare eligible generation. So I feel pretty comfortable is saying that I "know something's happening" and also that it's unlikely that most people of my age (myself included) fully "know what it is."

Sometimes there are generational "Changes of the Guard" brewing. Sometimes "sea changes are stirring". I am confident that I will not be among the first to know when they are about to reach critical mass. But because I already know at least that much, I'm pretty hopeful I won't be among the last to know either.

[people]

1. you know something's happening but you don't know what it is . . .

Love your post. So true. As a young person I was so shocked by the assassinations of the 1960's and the government's continuation of the Viet Nam war based on lies and more lies and despite years of protests. Those who are under 35 are far more realistic and cynical. AOC is a tremendous voice for these people for she tells it like it is and does not wallow in bs. I do believe something is brewing but I definitely do not know what it is.

[Tom Rinaldo]

2. My core social network are folks 55 and older.

I help produce a concert series and that is one way I interact with younger generations. And I have a few younger friends but I don't spend a lot of time with them. It is easy to settle into a world view molded by your age group. DU has some healthy cross generational exchanges but it seems boomers like me are way over represented here relative to younger generations. I have little contact with people in their twenties. I know enough to know how much I don't know about some of the changes going on.

I an so encouraged by the emerging leadership of people like AOC.