Daniel-son

So, it's been a busy summer, and I've been thinking more than writing. I put up a couple of postings I had been working on today. And then this one, which I've adapted from a forum posting. This focuses on GenX culture. In thinking of generational theory, I hew pretty close to the Strauss and Howe line

Yesterday I was washing the car. Even waxed it too (it's about that time of year). Every time, literally everytime I do this, I hear Mr. Miagi in my head. Now, the more I thought about it, the more it occurred to me that daniel was a perfect xer and that movie caught the essence of the generation.

So here's an outcast, the poor kid. Folks divorced, he's with his mom. Not accepted in his new town, which is a run down post industrial dump (how's that for an accurate picture of 80s cities). And what happens? All the cool kids get their rocks off beating him up. Where are the grown ups? I dunno. The grown up associated with the cool kids is himself a dangerous psycho lunatic. His mom would like to help, but coming of age as a man is not really her forte.

So he goes to find Miagi. Since he's an immigrant he is really out of the cycle. All of the training focuses on daily chores (the lessons of life are in the real world). Wax on wax off. Don't fight on the street, take it to the competition. Work through the pain. Win the girl.

Lessons:
No one will help you. But the really wizened might give you the skills to help yourself. Those skills best come fom real life. Defense is better than offense, but as long as someone else opened that can of whupass, might as well dish em out a big serving. Keep it on the playing field. Root for the underdog and achieve for yourself.