It seems that the previous generation always defers to the new one. It’s something that’s been going on for decades, with the cry of “When I was your age!” at the tip of every adult's tongue when they notice the slightest laziness or incompetence. In reality, each new generation brings waves of progress and innovation, building on the old. In this sense, it is because each generation has the duty to do better than the previous one. Each generation must be bigger, bigger, and bolder, but that proves to be a challenge after countless centuries of people accomplishing the exact same task. However, this problem can be simply solved by breaking down the components into individual levels. People just have to stay true to themselves and the rest will follow. Of course, as Andrew Solomon's Son and Leslie Bell's Hard to Get demonstrate, creating an identity is much easier said than done. People have an obligation to be better than the previous generation and do so by discovering who they are and then remaining true to themselves. As a capable person with many resources, the individual has an obligation to become a proactive and contributing member of society. This belief comes first from parents' expectations. They want their children to be doctors, lawyers, etc. Parents want their children to be the best they can be and try to instill this sense in their children. Sometimes they go further and try to change their children about their personal beliefs. Andrew Solomon's own mother forbade him from taking a pink ball, but as Solomon insightfully puts it: "Banning the pink ball should be seen in part as a protective gesture." » (Solomon 375) Solomon's mother was afraid of the consequences of choosing a cultural boy... middle of paper ...... she certainly reaped the benefits of experiencing a heterosexual man but he came back from there. People can try to suppress who they are, but ultimately, they will return to who they really are. In Solomon's case, it was being gay. Although his parents and society told him it was wrong, he has reached the point where he feels comfortable with who he is. Each generation has a duty to be better than the last and this can be achieved by individuals discovering who they are and then staying. true to themselves. Andrew Solomon's Son and Leslie Bell's Hard to Get both use the idea that identity is very complex. But by sticking to their true identity, they can create a generation better than the last. With this idea in mind, by this generation, people will be able to say with confidence that this generation is the best the world has ever known..