Where did the indigo children go?

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?

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?

Honestly, it looks like a total lack of manners—not just from the kids, but from their parents too.

Cheap "spirituality" is just as volatile as any other passing fad. It’s always the same cycle of trendy "mindfulness techniques," manufactured narratives, fake myths, or some other kind of magic pill.

Why hasn't this brand of superficial spirituality evolved into anything substantial? Instead, it seems to have regressed into something purely primal, materialistic, and ultimately hollow...

I suspect you might be missing the core issue here. While the whole "indigo child" or crystal-healing craze certainly qualifies as cheap spirituality, the real driver was the romanticized parental delusion—the belief that their special child would somehow engineer a better world. That idealism has since evaporated.

The crux of the matter lies in the shifting worldview of the parents themselves:
A) The parent of an "indigo" child envisioned a new spiritual era defined by universal love, shared resources, and a world devoid of suffering or sorrow.
B) The parent of today’s child focuses on the immediate gratification of becoming an overnight billionaire, prioritizing self-interest and social status above all else. It is a "look at me" mentality where empathy is discarded unless it serves one's own image of success.

The world has never been a spiritual place, and it never will be.
Spirituality has always been reserved for a tiny minority, while the remaining 90% are just a primitive mob.

The only thing that changes is the specific flavor of primitivism, which shifts whenever society makes a technological leap forward.

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?

We have become far too individualistic, losing that essential drive toward the common good and the dream of building a better society for everyone.

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.

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?

It’s always been like this. Parents influence their kids and honestly think their own brats are special. Like, more special than everyone else.

Is it something that "happened" to us, or is the bill just coming due? Paying the price for being "special"?
Isn't there some romance in loving people who aren't even yours? Beyond your own circle? If we can't manage to love, maybe we can at least try to understand.

I’m still a romantic at heart and I’m living my life. Not exactly a wide-eyed kid anymore, though.

There isn't just one single direction the world is moving.

darkcanyon10 said:It’s always been like this. Parents influence their kids and honestly think their own brats are special. Like, more special than everyone else.

Is it something that "happened" to us, or is the bill just coming due? Paying the price for being "special"?
Isn't there some romance in loving people who aren't even yours? Beyond your own circle? If we can't manage to love, maybe we can at least try to understand.

I’m still a romantic at heart and I’m living my life. Not exactly a wide-eyed kid anymore, though.

There isn't just one single direction the world is moving.

I suppose we are all unique—each one of us is truly one-of-a-kind.
Children enter this world without any built-in limitations—though they eventually get "taught" by adults that things like spirits don't exist, or that their dream experiences weren't real—and then there is this long journey back to reality guided by actual spiritual helpers. It seems society is quite programmed, and maybe children are our best chance at breaking free, especially if they have adults who have managed to wake up themselves.
Instances like knowing languages adults can't understand—or even light language and scripts that entire civilizations haven't mastered—suggest what these children bring with them. Usually, adults and society just hold them back. But perhaps now is the time for the adults to wake up too.
Kids arrive with most of their abilities unlocked—but I guess there aren't many adults left who are actually capable of being incompetent. We were all chosen from hundreds of qualified candidates, I suppose. Only the most capable are down here—since this process is just too vital.

graniteridge31 said:I suppose we are all unique—each one of us is truly one-of-a-kind.
Children enter this world without any built-in limitations—though they eventually get "taught" by adults that things like spirits don't exist, or that their dream experiences weren't real—and then there is this long journey back to reality guided by actual spiritual helpers. It seems society is quite programmed, and maybe children are our best chance at breaking free, especially if they have adults who have managed to wake up themselves.
Instances like knowing languages adults can't understand—or even light language and scripts that entire civilizations haven't mastered—suggest what these children bring with them. Usually, adults and society just hold them back. But perhaps now is the time for the adults to wake up too.
Kids arrive with most of their abilities unlocked—but I guess there aren't many adults left who are actually capable of being incompetent. We were all chosen from hundreds of qualified candidates, I suppose. Only the most capable are down here—since this process is just too vital.

Then they listen to the older crowd—the ones who’ve been around the block—and learn they aren't actually any more special than anyone else.

Like you said, we're all just unique. One of a kind.
Not "more special."

Get what I'm saying?

darkcanyon10 said:Then they listen to the older crowd—the ones who’ve been around the block—and learn they aren't actually any more special than anyone else.

Like you said, we're all just unique. One of a kind.
Not "more special."

Get what I'm saying?

Well, I suppose everyone is unique in their own way—nobody really stands out more than anyone else.
And honestly, people are much more special than they realize, or even more than what others might assume about them—everyone is probably a bit more capable than we typically give them credit for, I guess.

mistybison said:We have become far too individualistic, losing that essential drive toward the common good and the dream of building a better society for everyone.

Well, bravo... you hit the nail on the head. We have indeed lost that pursuit of the common good and the dream of a better society for all. But one must ask why. Did we simply realize it was a utopia? Or have we undergone a sort of social devolution? I am curious to know what others think.

The reality check finally caught up to them

Joshua Wright2 said:Well, bravo... you hit the nail on the head. We have indeed lost that pursuit of the common good and the dream of a better society for all. But one must ask why. Did we simply realize it was a utopia? Or have we undergone a sort of social devolution? I am curious to know what others think.

Precisely. If you observe small children playing, the dynamic becomes quite clear: one child possesses a mountain of toys while another has just one single item, yet the first will attempt to snatch that solitary toy away without offering even a fraction of their own collection in exchange.

Eventually, once they break their toys and find their own corners of the world insufficient, they will inevitably decide they require the entire planet.

Google!

Joshua Wright2 said:Well, bravo... you hit the nail on the head. We have indeed lost that pursuit of the common good and the dream of a better society for all. But one must ask why. Did we simply realize it was a utopia? Or have we undergone a sort of social devolution? I am curious to know what others think.

Then the nineties hit. 🤷

Joseph Bailey41 said:Then the nineties hit. 🤷

True, but on a global scale, even God can no longer goad the misguided nations of the Middle East into fresh conflicts.

wearyowl29 said:Honestly, it looks like a total lack of manners—not just from the kids, but from their parents too.

And this is how they’re being raised now:

mistybison said:We have become far too individualistic, losing that essential drive toward the common good and the dream of building a better society for everyone.

Being a self-assured, mature individual is never going to get in the way of spirituality.
The real issue? It's how shallow our connections have become. People aren't willing to make sacrifices anymore, and frankly, there's a massive lack of proper guidance and upbringing...

Plus, we're totally lacking a clear vision of what kind of society or what kind of people we actually want to be.

Charles Moore said:And this is how they’re being raised now:

Spot on! Honestly, when parents lack any real discipline, they aren't actually raising kids—they’re just babysitting them until the day they finally bolt for the door.

All sorts of oddballs, hippies, activists, anarchists, and whatnot.