Millennials and Generation Z. Are they our most selfish generations? They want free healthcare. They want free college. They want their student debts forgiven. These generations want guaranteed income. They want to take liberty from some and redistribute its benefits to themselves. They believe themselves to be immune. They see themselves as “special.” To be their own community, separate, distinct and apart from everyone else. They see their fellow human beings as here to serve and provide for them. They are owed things to which they are entitled.
What will or do they offer in return? When called upon to sacrifice, like almost every generation before them, they refuse.
It’s too much ask, they say. How dare you ask us to stay home? It’s inconvenient. It’s unfair for us to give up spring-break. We can’t live without partying. We’ve got to hit the bars, the gyms, the games. Sacrifice? No way! This virus isn’t going to kill us. We are immune (actually, no). Four, eight or even ten weeks is simply too much to ask of these most selfish generations. Weeks of sacrifice are bridges too far.
We used to ask of Americans: “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” Question to them: who said this? (Hint: the 35th President of the United States). But these most selfish generations don’t care. Sacrifice, community compassion – these are words that just don’t apply to them. They’re not being asked to storm the beaches, for goodness sake. Just stay in that awful apartment of yours and – heaven forbid – read some books, preferably about American history starting pre-Revolutionary War. Or maybe a little ethics, morality, liberalism – whatever.
The most selfish generations, you have a choice. In a time like now take responsibility for whatever you do – or fail to do. It’s time to grow. You cannot escape the reality that your refusal to follow social distancing will lead to death. Perhaps not your own (but recent data suggest yes, maybe your own), but most certainly yes – it will lead to death. When you know that your actions put others at grave risk, then you have a moral responsibility to them. You cannot escape this moral responsibility by refusing to accept it. It’s here and it’s now. And there is no liberal theory which can assuage and unburden you.
It’s time to realize that you are not so personally significant as to be spared. Not from the killing virus. And not from the responsibility you bear from passing it along to those who cannot survive it. Your actions can either spare those around you – or kill them. Your handling of the task left to you now – to sacrifice a brief moment in your lives for the benefit of others – may bring honor to each of you. Or it will burn into your soul, from now until your final days whenever they may be, the stain of dishonor that your children, will they come to pass, will carry with shame. Rise to the occasion and experience what it is to be countrymen. The duty falls to you.
