In Breaking The Cycle Did We Really BREAK The Cycle?

Everything has a cycle. Its the ultimate measuring tool. Day to Night. January to December. Before the Common Era (BCE formerly known as BC) and After the Common Era (ACE formerly known as AD). Birth to Death. Wealth and poverty. War and Peace. Discovery and annihilation. The human experiment is ever changing, constantly evolving. Some changes take millions of years (ie homo erectus to homo sapien). While others can manifest themselves within a generation.

Natural Selection ensures survival of a species. Humans have survived on this planet because we have been designed to consistently adapt to our environment. Dinosaurs were fossilized because they could not. It is the reason we have maintained our position atop the food chain. As I reflect on the history of humanity I wonder if some of the changes we have made placed us on a path to extinction.

Since the dawn of time life had an order, and gender came with assigned roles. We cry. We eat. We talk. We grow. Boys pee standing. Girls pee sitting. Boy learns trade. Girl learns to nurture. Boy leaves home. Girl cleans home. Boy meets Girl. Girl falls in love. Boy buys ring. Girl says "yes". They say "I do". Husband provides. Wife enriches. Couple buys a house. Spouses become parents. Son emulates father. Daughter emulates mother. The cycle begins anew.

When Earth was gripped in its first global war, victory was achieved because America sent her sons to war and taught her daughters a trade. The unexpected bi-product of this shift in gender roles was a boost in Capitalism. New wage earners created new taxpayers and consumers. The cycle of poverty was broken and the Middle Class was born.

In breaking the cycle did we BREAK the cycle?

Empowered females no longer saw the value in traditional gender roles. Men were only needed for sex. Marriage was no longer needed for security.

Prophylactics ushered in the era of planned parenting. An entire generation of children grew up watching Mommy provide in Daddy's absence.

In the matter of less than four generations there has been a dramatic shift in gender roles. Post WWI Americans demanded more rights. Boys have the right to pee sitting down. Girls have the right to learn a trade. Boy meets Girl but has the right to meet more Girls (or Boys). Girl has the right to never fall in love. Boy has the right to buy watch instead of ring. Girl has the right to become a mother before she becomes a wife. Boy has the right to become a father and never become a man.

Why does that Boy pee sitting down? He learned to pee by watching his mother.

Why does that Girl learn a trade? She was taught by her mother to never depend on a man.

Why does that Boy never commit? He is perpetually in search for the mate that makes him feel needed.

Why does that Girl never fall in love? She sees men as equals instead of embracing their differences and only has a desire to enrich her own life.

Why does that Boy buy a watch instead of a ring? The appearance of wealth attracts more mates than responsibility does.

Why does that Girl become a Mother before she becomes a wife? The various cures for pregnancy have removed the fear of the consequences having sex can bring. Love is no longer a prerequisite for sex.

How can that Boy be a father and never be a Man? He had no male to emulate. He grew up believing that women were supposed to be strong and independent like his mother.

Can the cycle be repaired? Can humanity be saved? Or will we learn to embrace our gender roles with pride knowing that offspring learn behaviors through emulation.