A Southwest Airlines flight from Orlando to Washington was delayed for three hours last Thursday. That’s not surprising news in the world of air travel. What was surprising was how the gate agent responded.

He played games with the passengers as they waited, from a paper airplane competition to a contest for “worst driver’s license picture.” Winners were awarded $25 vouchers and Southwest merchandise. 

One passenger called the experience “awesome.” Her social media posts made headlines on CNN. 

“The emerging generation that calls the shots” 

If you want to gain a following today, emphasize community and tolerance. That’s the message of a recent report in the Wall Street Journal. 

Here’s the good news: a survey revealed that Americans believe strongly in the principles of hard work, patriotism, commitment to religion, and the goal of having children. Here’s the bad news: that survey was taken twenty-one years ago. 

When the same survey was conducted recently, it found that “religion, belief in God” was valued by 67 percent of older adults (ages fifty-five to ninety-one) but only 30 percent of young adults (ages eighteen to thirty-eight). Patriotism values ranged from 79 percent for older adults to 42 percent for young adults. Having children ranged from 54 percent for older adults to 32 percent for young adults. 

However, a higher percentage of young adults than older adults value community involvement (61 percent vs. 58 percent) and tolerance for others (83 percent vs. 79 percent). 

One of the pollsters who conducted the report noted: “There’s an emerging America where issues like children, religion and patriotism are far less important. And in America, it’s the emerging generation that calls the shots about where the country is headed.” 

“An idea lives on” 

John F. Kennedy observed, “A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives…