jharek, “people of the world” is an awfully large term. The majority of young people in the world are neither latchkey kids nor punk wannabes: they’re working hard to earn a basic subsistence. They wouldn’t recognize the Western malaise that you seem to be describing.
But to redirect from the world to the context I think you probably mean…
Personally, I work with young people, from c. 18 to about your age. And I think you do them an injustice. Punk rock and hiphop music sometimes make serious social statements. By including such people in your candy-ass catalogue you seem to want to damn young people if they don’t and if they do. There are young people involved in anti-sweatshop movements and other globalization-related political activities; in political organizing, in environmental issues. Some of them even listen to Rage against the Machine ;).
Is it possible that what you’re describing is your own personal alienation from the world and that you’re projecting something inside yourself onto this dark view of youth today?
You are, after all, apprpoaching the 30th birthday ;).
Seriously though, maybe it’s time for you to become involved in something so you feel more connected.
My take is that we have a tendancy to withdraw from issues when we fail to recognize how various issues will impact our lives. We appear to have become self-absorbed and somewhat spoiled. I find myself expecting world leaders, politicians, diplomats, and public servants to consider the issues carefully and chart the correct path. This works great when these people are of integrity. I am forgiving of poor decisions if they are made with honest, communicated, intention. I do not like secret agendas.
As for being an activist myself… I am turned off by the radical, borderline, fanatical nature of many of these groups. Naturally, this is exactly the kind of passion required to sustain activist culture. I mean, it’s not like you see folks marching and carrying signs, and stuff that are appropriately tolerant and considerate of other views. They seem so cinvinced that they are right and “being right” is more important than “doing right”.
I am involved in a few service projects. Not nearly enough. Maybe I will do something about that soon. Thanks for raising this issue. It has made me consider the example I set for today’s youth.
Mandelstam I neither meant to categorize “punk-rock” and “hip-hop” music and being derogatory to the culture, only pointing out the seeming THUG MENTALITY of people today.
We all saw what happened at Woodstock '99. Most of these kids would as soon piss in your face then lending a hand to a fallen person. So it seems. Im certain there are very good people in the younger generations. I have met them, and I believe most people have good in their hearts, but it seems that most people, adults included, are jaded, and almost anti-emotional about things.
I have a feeling that what the world is going to experiece in the next 20 years will be very tough on a lot of people. Jacksen9, I dont like secret agendas either, and I too am an activist. Im just thinking we need people, younger and older generations to help generate some change in the world, and for one , DO NOT REELECT BUSH 2004. We need a real leader not a corporate puppet.
“There are so many people sleeping.” Jimi Hendrix … and those that just dont care.
Jharek, you should generalize a generation of people based on a few of them.
I don’t understand how you are going to sit there and assert such things based on one or two incidents. I mean really, I could say that about the generation of the sixties: Let’s look at it shall we?
They did lots of drugs
They had lots of sex
They had riots at concerts (example: Rolling Stones Hell’s angel fiasco)
Now based on that LIMITED perception I would have concluded that the world would have ended in 1995 by nuclear bombs.
Shit dude, the world has always been full of hate and apathy, Check out the Roman Empire.
Personally I think in order to make any of your statements true you have to take out “the people of the world”, “kids” and replace these words with “I”.
You are upset about your own feelings about the world and are projecting your feelings onto society as a whole.
How does me being a latchkey kid make me a supporter in the decline of civilization? What was my mom supposed to do after the divorce, mail fraud? Bah! i say! Bah! Bah! Bah!
Yeah, I base it all on being a latch key kid. Idiot.
I love how people take one instance of what you say, dont get your point at all, and harp only on the one minute trivial thing and totally miss the big picture.
Moderator’s Note:jharek, please don’t call people names or use direct insults in Great Debates. Address the other poster’s ideas and arguments, don’t attack them personally.
And people generally assume that all people have a hidden agenda. This Great Debates board is a nice place to have intelligent discussions, but even here it is very hard to support a given point of view without having people accuse you of doing it only for self-serving reasons.
Not reelecting George Bush in 2004 won’t be enough. The Democratic candidates are just as willing to sell their integrity for votes. The only way we can get people with real integrity in our government offices is to vote for idealistic people that believe they have no chance of winning. Most third party candidates know that they are not going to win the Presidency and so run only on ideals. If enough of America banded together and voted for one of these individuals, we would have a chance of getting a President that will not sell his ideals to the Political Action Committees.
And here is a question for you, why should people care? Does it really matter that many people are so apathetic? When you have so many people in the world why do people need to be concerned with all of them or even a significant portion of them?
Quote:
First they came for the Communists,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Jew.
Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me,
and by that time there was no one
left to speak up for me.
Jharek-You can’t pretend to know something, when you don’t. People see through that. I think you need some serious treatment. I’m not trying to be mean or anything but the attitude you are showing to us, if it is how you truly feel, needs to be addressed by professionals.
I think you’ll find that a lot of people do care, but about different things.
The question is, where do you start when you want to change this? And when you do start, what do you aim for? Remember, what you think would be good for society may be exactly the opposite of what somebody else wants, so who are you and I to decide that?
The sad fact is that we are becoming detached from things which only a few years ago we would have had very strong feelings about. What you have to learn to do is carry on and keep your faith in the things you believe in within yourself. If you do that, at least you’ll retain your humanity even if you slowly start to lose you sanity!
And please, just because I used the word ‘faith’ does not mean I’m trying to use religion on you - I am most definitely NOT religious in any way, shape, or form. I just have my beliefs and stick to them whilst accepting everyone else and their beliefs, and respecting them.
Modern life is not easy, you just have to learn to filter out the BS and keep your head.
You and I are sentient creatures on this planet who have the right to make decisions on things that affect our lives. Wishy-washy-ness in the guise of tolerance is a moral cop-out. An example: I think innocent Americans(or anyone else) NOT being blown up by terrorists is good for society, while Osama wants just the opposite. Who am I to decide?
How do you stick to your beliefs whilst accepting and respecting “everone else’s?” Others’ beliefs are going to come into conflict with yours, and you have to defend them. I respect everyone’s right to HAVE their beliefs, but some people’s ideas are just plain nutty. See: Pat Robertson, Jerry Springer, and any member of the Crazed Dictator with a Dream club.
The way you stick to your beliefs while accepting and respecting everyone else’s is to only apply your beliefs to you. You have the right to do what you want with yourself, but making others live by your beliefs is inappropriate. We each have beliefs and if we each apply them only to ourselves the moral preaching goes away. Certain behaviors must be regulated to have a smooth-flowing society, but it is not necessary or appropriate for anyone to push their beliefs and morals onto others.
