Preparing the Artist Generation through Symbol and Story


In the book, The Fourth Turning by Strauss and Howe, four different Generations are identified as well as four different periods of time called Turnings. In each of the Turnings, a new group of youth come of age and make their impact on the world.  I am of the Generation of the Nomads, my parents: the Prophets, grandparents: the Artists.  My children fall into two categories of Generations; my oldest three:  Heros; my youngest three:  Artists.

When the period of time, or Turning, called Crisis, comes, it is the Hero Generation which usually bear the burdens of dealing with and solving a series of crisis' after an overall unraveling of society.  It is the Artists Generation who come of age in the Founding Turning, who are being raised during the Crisis, and which set up the new forms and systems for the next four Turnings.

Over the last 15 years, whether we knew it or not, we have been preparing our Hero Generation for their future meeting with destiny.  Even though there is still the tale end of them to be prepared (my youngest "Hero" is 12), I have come to realize my purpose with this entire site, is to do my part in preparing a generation of people who can see symbolically, through Symbol and Story.

It is you and I, any Prophet, Nomads, or older Hero Generations, who must learn to see and learn poetically, and then help our children gain this ability so that our children, who will come of age in the next Founding Turning, will be prepared to set aright "good which has been called evil, and evil which has been called good" and usher in a new Millennium.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

I love this article, Katie! Thank you for helping me to see symbolically!