The nature of catastrophe is after all reasonably unvarying in the way it ruins destroys wounds and devastates. But if something can be learned from the event - not least something as profound as the theory of plate tectonics - then it somehow puts the ruination into a much more positive light.
All we can do when we think of kids today is think of more hours of school earlier age at the computer and curfews. Who would want to grow up in that world?