I discovered mention of an interesting theory yesterday in the comments to an Orcinus post (2/25, "Fascination with Fascism," having trouble linking direct for some reason): 80-year cycles of Anglo-American culture, in four parts, that have held true (according to the authors) since the 1400s, with only a couple of hiccups. Four generations, each in one of the four life phases (child, young adult, midlife, elder) at a different phase of the cycle (high, awakening, unraveling, crisis), which tends to provoke different attitudes and responses in these generations (Artist, Prophet, Nomad, Hero). The website where the book(s) on this subject is promoted/discussed is fourthturning.com, although a better link to go directly to a summary of the theory would probably be this one.

I can't argue that I've sometimes felt like (what I am here labeled as,) a Nomad, though the adjective "hell-raising" certainly has not applied, at least in the social arena.

We'll see what happens during the Crisis.

contents of purple tricycle are copyright 2005 carrie lynn king unless otherwise noted.