Joshua Wright2 said:Growing up, I remember hearing endless talk about "Indigo children." Then, if I recall correctly, the narrative shifted toward "Crystal children," followed by a whole litany of other supposed special generations destined to arrive. Even as a kid, I found the whole concept somewhat whimsical, yet there was an undeniable sense of romance to it all. On one hand, parents were using these labels to coddle their children with a sense of uniqueness; on the other, there was this beautiful, lofty implication that these children possessed a certain essence that would eventually save or spiritually uplift the world, making it a better place for those who follow. It felt like a reflection of a parent’s soul—a vision of the kind of world they truly hoped to see tomorrow.
Yet, as the years have quietly slipped by, these stories and aspirations seem to have evaporated. I cannot shake the impression that almost no one thinks about creating a more romantic, spiritual world anymore, nor do they believe their child will be the one to "save" it. Truthfully, our culture has become increasingly materialistic, consumerist, and driven by pure hedonism. We see more and more parents attempting to leverage their children for instant gratification, whether they are grooming them to become the next NFL superstar, a pop icon, or even the next Kardashians. The most melancholy aspect of this shift is how accurately it reflects the modern parent's own ambitions and their vision for their child's future. I am not suggesting this wasn't happening before, but today, this trajectory feels inevitable.
What has happened to us? What became of that sense of romance? What happened to our dreams?
I think I was just hitting my twenties when that whole trend started popping up (specifically with that book *What Color Is Your Aura?* which first brought up the indigo concept), so I didn't really experience growing up as a "special" child myself. Honestly, I’m relieved I missed out. I imagine carrying that label comes with a heavy burden of undefined—and frankly unrealistic—expectations. I know a few people who were raised that way; those kids are young adults now, and I can't quite put my finger on it... they're kind and sensitive people, and they've done okay for themselves, but I highly doubt they actually lived up to those massive expectations.
It seems a bit unfair to project our own vision of the world onto others (even our own children) and expect someone else to fulfill our personal desires. Even when those intentions are coming from a good place.
