Branded

​

Excuse, me, but did someone just speak for me?

I thought I heard someone say that grandparents (aka older adults) are willing to die to save the economy.

Really?  I don’t recall being asked.

I am not surprised.  This trend has been growing over a long period of time.  It was annoying before, now it is terrifying.

When did we begin to see people as merchandise?  Stock to be moved around in the warehouse?  An inventory system of first in, first out?

What’s your “brand” people ask.  A reputation earned by deeds has been replaced by a popular slogan that tells us nothing about the ethics of the person.

Have you prepared your elevator pitch?  Character revealed through a lifetime of action is now spun into a carefully crafted thirty-second-commercial-message.  It is more important that the message be memorable than true.

The ability to “sell yourself” has become more important than a track record of competence.

Wisdom and know-how take time to develop.  In a society of disposable goods, we need to make it clear that people are not the equivalent of items on a store shelf rapidly approaching a pre-determined expiration date. 

It is the folks with a long shelf life who are going to get us through this epidemic.  Do we really want to trade a Dr. Birx, a Dr. Fauci or a Governor DeWine, for the youthful consumers who crowded the beaches in recent weeks?

The distinction between the two groups is not age.  It is education, knowledge, wisdom, experience, and perspective.  The ability to have the long view is essential in a crisis.  Frustrating as it has been, young people cannot be blamed for having the perspective of youth, a perspective that can be lacking in experience, seriousness and urgency.   The young will never mature or become more thoughtful without the guidance of their elders.  We need the older adults to save the young, not to save the economy.

---