Theme Seven: 9/11 gave Generation Peace its touchstone
September 11th was and will remain the defining moment in the coming of age of Generation Peace. As several members of Generation Peace pointed out, it meant that they have come of age that much more quickly.
In fact, Orsborn wonders whether from those fallen towers rose a generation that accelerated to the top of the adult cycle and Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, where, as she explains, “a sense of the individual and the global begin to merge.”
Rambam describes it as the “watershed event for this generation,” thrusting Generation Peace into a heightened awareness of the larger issues, and instilling a stronger desire to play a role in them.
Once again, the double-edged sword that symbolizes so much of what this generation deals with is present in the aftermath of 9/11. Grey speaks to this, and perhaps for many:
“It was a sense of hopelessness and helplessness and we tried to change that, to say ‘How can we change this to something positive to give back in service, and help others find what our purpose is on this earth?’
“Younger people have been through a lot in the past few years, but there is always hope. And if we are interconnected and we believe that, then we can find a positive way to move forward and find peace.”
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