Gary,
I hope I speak for those of us who responded--many in quite
similar fashion--when I offer to you that I did not intend to embarrass
you or silence conversation, but to engage you. I want to continue to
hear from you, and have learned from this series of exchanges that I will
probably ask you questions next time to listen and clarify, rather than
simply respond. If we cannot confront our ideas face to face, maybe we
can use the question mark to emulate the tone we intend. I want to encourage
debate, but don't want to just fire back, so I apologize for the way in
which my response might have been too quickly and too easily critical,
contributing to your feeling of embarrassment. Kim
On Mon, 4 Mar 1996, Gary Miller wrote:
> I have been feeling more than a little embarassed and guilty about having
> inadvertently triggered a minor flare-up on the list with an ill-conceived
> and off-handed comment about the "me" generation. I apologize to any whom
> I may have offended with the comment. My intent was to express hope for the
> future based on the behavior of the current student generation, not to cast
> aspersions on those who have gone before. I really only wanted to point out
> that Putnam's data and analysis do not take into consideration the hundreds
> of thousands of students who are connecting with communities through campus
> community service. This is new and I think quite exciting though, as Garry
> Hesser points out, service by itself is not enough to guarantee a future of
> civic-mindedness and caring.
>
> I heartily concur that characterizing generations is misleading and
> dangerous and regret having fallen into that simplistic trap.
>
> Dr. Gary R. Miller
> Office of the Chaplain
> Lafayette College
> Easton, PA 18042
> 610-250-5320
> millerg@lafayette.edu
> http://www.lafayette.edu/millerg/outreach.html
> http://www.lafayette.edu/millerg/rellife.html
> http://www.lafayette.edu/millerg/fyshome.html
>