A Scary Thought: Generation Beta Will Be the Final Cohort Born Before America Splits

Wake up now before it’s too late

In a recent Gallup poll, only 39% of U.S. adults reported having extreme pride in the country.

While this almost equates to last year’s record low reporting of 38%, we’re missing some context. If you include the 28% of Americans who say they are very proud, 66% of U.S. citizens still state a high level of support for the nation.

Not surprisingly, political identity and age are two huge dividing lines regarding where folks land on the proud spectrum.

The Gallup poll revealed that 60% of Republicans versus 29% of Democrats indicated extreme pride in being American. Independents’ came in at 33%.

The age difference in connection to support was even more alarming.

Although half of U.S. adults 55 or older proclaimed they were incredibly proud, that number dropped to 40% for those 35 to 54-year-olds and down to 18% for 18 to 34-year-olds.

With such a low percentage for young people, one must ask what this implies for the future?

Specifically, 18 to 34-year-olds will give birth to children in the Generation Beta cohort (born from 2025 to 2039). If they lack American pride, one can only imagine their offspring might show lower support.

Despite how ominous this information looks, I must admit that I also had a rebellious attitude in my youth.

I had a certain amount of apathy for my homeland at that point. However, as I matured and gained more understanding of world history, I started to experience a reality check.

Indeed, America has its warts, but humans throughout ancient and modern times engaged in gross acts toward people because they could.

An unfortunate truth about the nature of our species. This does not mean one should minimize any crimes against humanity; it’s an attempt to contextualize the whole picture, avoiding our tendency to only focus on one area or country with selective outrage.

I suspect what has become popular online and in some schools leads to many young people displaying a distorted view of the present moment.

One recent story caught my eye as a potential example of this phenomenon.

An American soldier ran across the demilitarized zone separating North and South Korea. He went to North Korea, claiming he experienced racism within the U.S. Army. At least that is what the country’s state-run news agency released.

Because America lacks diplomatic ties with North Korea, information has been slow.

As an ex-military member, I know things can get challenging. I even had thoughts about getting out of my enlistment early. What never crossed my mind was to desert my post and flee to a foreign country.

Running away to North Korea sounds unreal.

Frankly, I find it remarkable any American who had a basic understanding of the communist state’s international reputation would think life there trumps even our very worst days over here.

Going back to my military career over 20 years ago, I think I was aware of their 3-generation punishment for crime.

If you’re unfamiliar with it, any North Korean who violates a law gets arrested, and 3 eras of their family face prosecution. I’m assuming they’re trying to deter folks from committing crimes, but doing this to family members who might have no clue of what was going on seems unfair, to say the least.

More importantly for this soldier, if they will do that to their citizens, what exactly does that mean for him?

With that said, I will withhold judgment for the young man. I’m sure his family must be going through hell right now. I assume he felt extremely desperate and lost. I don’t know his mental state, nor can I confirm or deny his alleged assertions.

But, I think the current online environment and low morale in the USA played a part in his decision.

Conclusion

While America has endured tough years throughout its history, the current climate should still cause concern. Displaying a low level of belief in the country, especially by the youth, could foreshadow a breakdown.

I realize everything may pass without a problem. The soldier who ran into North Korea could qualify as an anomaly and not representative of a more significant issue.

However, my thought leads me to think it’s genuinely feasible a connection exists, and U.S. citizens should take notice before it’s too late.

What do you think about my contentions?

What worries do you have about America or Western democracies in general?

Vertis Williams is a Positive Habits Life Coach and a Mindfulness Trainer. He is a regular presenter at employee and team development events. Contact him to request more info on his Workshops or on his Coaching Services! Click HERE to Request a Complimentary Habit Coaching Session!