The Lost Generation
Jonathan Reed
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The Lost Generation by Jonathan Reed
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Jonathan ReedAbout
“The Lost Generation” is a poem about both cynicism and optimism that became viral upon winning second place in AARP’s 2007 U@50 video contest, wherein contestants were told to create a two-minute video describing their vision of the future. For contrasting perspectives, read to the end, then read i...
The Lost Generation Annotated
I am part of a lost generation.
And I refuse to believe that
I can change the world.
I realize this may be a shock, but
“Happiness comes from within”
Is a lie, and
“Money will make me happy”
So in thirty years, I will tell my children
They are not the most important thing in my life.
My employer will know that
I have my priorities straight because
Work
Is more important than
Family
I tell you this:
Once upon a time
Families stayed together
But this will not be true in my era.
This is a quick fix society
Experts tell me
Thirty years from now, I will be celebrating the tenth anniversary of my divorce.
I do not concede that
I will live in a country of my own making.
In the future,
Environmental destruction will be the norm.
No longer can it be said that
My peers and I care about this Earth.
It will be evident that
My generation is apathetic and lethargic.
It is foolish to presume that
There is hope.
And all of this will come true unless we choose reverse it.
Backwards:
There is hope.
It is foolish to presume that
My generation is apathetic and lethargic.
It will be evident that
My peers and I care about this Earth.
No longer can it be said that
Environmental destruction will be the norm.
In the future,
I will live in a country of my own making.
I do not concede that
Thirty years from now, I will be celebrating the tenth anniversary of my divorce.
Experts tell me
This is a quick fix society
But this will not be true in my era.
Families stayed together
Once upon a time
I'll tell you this:
Family
Is more important than
Work
I have my priorities straight because
My employer will know that
They are not the most important thing in my life.
So in thirty years, I will tell my children
“Money will make me happy”
Is a lie, and
“True Happiness comes from within”
I realize this may be a shock, but
I can change the world.
And I refuse to believe that
I am part of a lost generation.
The Lost Generation Q&A
Who wrote The Lost Generation's ?
The Lost Generation was written by Jonathan Reed.
When did Jonathan Reed release The Lost Generation?
Jonathan Reed released The Lost Generation on Fri Nov 30 2007.
What's the meaning of the title?
The term Lost Generation refers to the post-World War I generation, often its writers. The term is a cynical view of America’s materialism and emotional barrenness that went on.
Originating from a remark Gertrude Stein made to Hemingway – “You are all lost generation” – he later used it as an epigr...
What did Jonathan Reed say about "The Lost Generation"?
Reed wrote in his video description that this piece was inspired by “The Truth” by RECREAR, which uses the same vice-versa form.