# Help identify this plot/story please **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 20, 2013, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identify-this-plot-story-please/661489 "2013-06-20T17:49:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identify-this-plot-story-please/661489/1 "2013-06-20T17:49:09Z")
I have a memory of a story about three generations of a family where the first strives hard and makes a fortune, the second maintains it, and the third fritters it away, but I can;t think exactly what it is. It’s not exactly the Magnificent Ambersons, nor the Radetzky March, or 100 Years of Solitude. A friend suggested I might be thinking of something out of the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible. Does anyone have ideas? Thank you for your help. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identify-this-plot-story-please/661489/2 "2013-06-20T18:02:00Z")
“We are an immigrant nation! The first generation works their fingers to the bone making things. The next generation goes to college and innovates new ideas. The third generation snowboards and takes improv classes.” - Jack Donaghy ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identify-this-plot-story-please/661489/3 "2013-06-20T18:19:52Z")
Look [here.](http://ejmas.com/pt/2012pt/ptart_tong_teacher24-1210.html) ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identify-this-plot-story-please/661489/4 "2013-06-20T18:47:21Z")
The trope is well known: “[Clogs to clogs in three generations](http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=224877)”. I am sure there are lots of literary versions of the story. ---
**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identify-this-plot-story-please/661489/5 "2013-06-20T21:55:03Z")
Right, but that’s the thing–we’re all familiar with the notion, but I can’t think of any stories that follow that arc. Thank you for the links but they didn’t have any fictional referents either. ---
**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identify-this-plot-story-please/661489/6 "2013-06-23T04:52:02Z")
Bumping my own thread in hopes of other replies. Sorry for that but thank you all for any help. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identify-this-plot-story-please/661489/7 "2013-06-23T05:34:58Z")
Wasn’t there a _ **Family Guy** _ episode with the same theme? IIRC, they struck it rich _twice_ and managed to fritter it away both times. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identify-this-plot-story-please/661489/8 "2013-06-23T11:43:15Z")
> [@TSBG](#): > > I have a memory of a story about three generations of a family where the first strives hard and makes a fortune, the second maintains it, and the third fritters it away, but I can;t think exactly what it is. It’s not exactly the Magnificent Ambersons, nor the Radetzky March, or 100 Years of Solitude. A friend suggested I might be thinking of something out of the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible. > > Does anyone have ideas? > > Thank you for your help. “The Good Earth” [The Good Earth - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Good_Earth) ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identify-this-plot-story-please/661489/9 "2013-06-23T12:05:40Z")
I seem to remember a Philip Roth or John Updike novel. . .? ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identify-this-plot-story-please/661489/10 "2013-06-23T15:02:49Z")
It wasn’t a fictional story but I remember hearing a group of Authors on the radio who wrote a book about how you can classify almost every long lived society into a cycle of generations (I am paraphrasing from memory). The first Generation lives through an Economic Catastrophe. Then their children (the authors called them The Builders) end up with a strong work ethic and end up rebuilding the Civilization. Then their children, who by reaping the benefits of the Builders, are able to be creators and thinkers. Then their children forget the lessons of the past and create a new Economic Catastrophe which starts the cycle all over again. They had names for all the Generations and showed how you can see this again and again in different societies. I tried Googling but couldn’t find it. I heard it on the Thom Hartmann show a long time ago. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identify-this-plot-story-please/661489/11 "2013-06-23T15:09:56Z")
Quimby. the book is called “The Fourth Turning”. Very interesting. > **[Strauss–Howe generational theory](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strauss%E2%80%93Howe_generational_theory)** > > The Strauss–Howe generational theory, devised by William Strauss and Neil Howe, describes a theorized recurring generation cycle in American history and Western history. According to the theory, historical events are associated with recurring generational personas (archetypes). Each generational persona unleashes a new era (called a turning) lasting around 20–25 years, in which a new social, political, and economic climate (mood) exists. They are part of a larger cyclical "saeculum" (a long hu... ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identify-this-plot-story-please/661489/12 "2013-06-23T21:59:09Z")
> [@E-DUB](#): > > Quimby. the book is called “The Fourth Turning”. Very interesting. > > [Strauss–Howe generational theory - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strauss%E2%80%93Howe_generational_theory) Reading the page, that was indeed it, thank you.