Conclusions
What if none of these five motivators is present in our life? We propose that guardianship without generativity will often lead to obstruction and even to violence. It certainly will lead to a stifling stagnation. We are either stuck in the past or have dismissed the past altogether. When we are stuck in the past, anything or anyone who is new seems to be threatening. The new must be discarded, discredited or destroyed. If we dismiss the past, then we are no longer caring for that which came before us. The past is of no value. It is “irrelevant” – that which “time has passed by.” This includes our personal history, our past contributions, our legacy.
We may instead be nostalgic about our past life—but do nothing beyond it. We don’t honor our own heritage. We don’t honor the contributions of people who have impacted our lives. We move forward without bringing the past with us. This leaves us in a state of stagnation—much as is the case when we are unsuccessful in our engagement of the other three generativity roles. It seems that Generativity always has something to do with extension—reaching out to other people, to a broader scope of care or reaching out to honor a care for that which has existed in the past.
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References
Bergquist, William (2017) “Finding Sanctuary in a World of Complexity, Unpredictability and Turbulence”. Library of Professional Coaching. https://libraryofprofessionalcoaching.com/concepts/managing-stress-and-challenges/finding-sanctuary-in-a-world-of-complexity-unpredictability-and-turbulence/
Bergquist, William, Guest, Suzan and Rooney, Terrence. Who Is Wounding the Healers? Sacramento, CA: Pacific Soundings Press, 2004.
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