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Lard Tunderin' Jeezus
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 1275

posted 24 September 2008 04:27 AM      Profile for Lard Tunderin' Jeezus   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
I didn't want to disrupt the "Green Tory" thread, but I did want to discuss a comment there:
quote:
Originally posted by Daniel Grice:
The new generation grew up after the fall of communism and for many of us, the market system is the only one we know.

We are the google and youtube generation, which are socially progressive and never experienced the original civil rights fight, the dawn of roe versus wade, and have grown up with a general acceptance of social change.

Dogma's such as socialism and communism are not prevalent, but at the same time this generation is looking for a new revolution.

In the US, Obama (v1), Howard Dean, and Ron Paul have inspired this generation to be less passive. I don't believe that "fiscally conservative" is the proper description for this generation, but there is often a rejection of the notion of big government. It is a generation that has grown up with the internet and does not have a lot of respect for traditional authoritarian society.

The idea of a class struggle is foreign. The youth of today have grown up in modern workplaces with fixed hours, decent wages, and after getting their first pay cheque were able to get the newest video game system or a flat screen


I often hear young people make the claim that they are 'socially progressive'; ofttimes in the midst of spewing reactionary libertarian-right dogma. When asked what socially progressive values they hold, they point to their acceptance of gays and racial minorities, and of course, their ecological concerns.

But as Daniel points out, the battles against prejudice were fought (and most would say won, though skirmishes continue) generations before.

And concern for the planet is merely a self-preservation mechanism finally kicking in, so far as I see. Yet progressive impulse or not, I don't see any fight for it lead by the youth of today. They are the most timid, self absorbed and conventional of generations seen in my lifetime.

I guess my question is to Daniel: What is your 'new revolution' about? And what are you waiting for?


From: ... | Registered: Aug 2001  |  IP: Logged
It's Me D
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 15152

posted 24 September 2008 04:33 AM      Profile for It's Me D     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
I'll repeat what I said in reply to David's post, it fits in this activist forum discussion:

quote:
This does a good job of describing the mid-to-upper class youth but its an over-generalization that ignores a large segment of youth who in fact have as their experience with the system shitty jobs with low pay and dysfunctional social services. I don't think I need to remind you that the vast majority of those standing up against the market system and being subjected to police brutality in response are youth.

I agree that many young people are being raised in a "middle-class" bubble which has seriously diminished class consciousness; this is a serious issue as the transient "middle-class" is on the way out. These kids live like the poor and think like the rich, often fighting against their own interests. Then there are actual upper-class youth but they've always existed and generally opposed the interests of the people. On the other hand there are also many youth in whom the lower-class consciousness is extremely strong, stronger than it has been since the Sixties and perhaps stronger than it was at that time as well; go to a rally against poverty or police brutality, see who is in attendance and feel the passion... these youth understand revolution and are ready to make it happen but yes, they do not represent all youth any more than their deluded "middle-class"-consciousness peers.

[ 24 September 2008: Message edited by: It's Me D ]


From: Parrsboro, NS | Registered: Apr 2008  |  IP: Logged

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