An older friend of mine recently reminded me that there was a time in this country when student-run newspapers were the source of some of the best journalism in the nation. Not only were these publications popular outside of the local student body, they strove to express the voice of the youth in politics and the world. This said, I would like to, as much as is possible, dedicate this column in majority to my generation’s role in society as a political body.
His (my aforementioned friends) was a time of political upheaval, as is ours today. Upon not so close inspection though, there has been a great departure from the previous collegiate generation. Far from the loudly involved youth of the 1960’s and 70’s, students now concern themselves less with worldly affairs. This is not a trend limited to participants in higher education. Everyday, it appears, the public becomes more complacent in its role to act not merely as subjects, but as rightful citizens. Is America suffering from its people’s contentedness?
I believe yes. While times have been in the past more economically prosperous, America’s hunger for positive change is flagging. Take for example the news. One can sit down to any hour-long news program and see basically the same thing. There are perhaps fifteen to twenty items reported on, in neat and tidy segments, timed by their relative ratings worth to the average uninformed viewer, and capped off by a “story” involving some type of mammal. The people in charge of this arrangement are not particularly to blame though. In fact, these people are, I’ve heard, very much like you or I, they perform their job in order to pay the bills, get their kid a toy, and occasionally eat exceedingly greasy fast food. Throw in decent cable television, a challenging sex life (depending on age), and the option to vacation somewhere sunny, and one has an American. Four walls, one roof, flashy pictures, grease, sex, and skin cancer. Very few surpass these goals; very few care to push the limit of mediocrity.
One may also contend that mediocrity, by its very nature, is destined to consume the majority of the public, by definition it must. But there is a counter to this argument, in that there is a difference between a dynamic middle-class, and one that is static. It is just this stasis that America must escape.
I believe that this transition may yet occur, starting especially with the young adults, and certainly with those enrolled in higher education. Students, recall that we form the base of the largest voting block in the nation. Remember that we possess in ourselves the opinions that will and must turn the world of tomorrow. Know that we are the people with the new ideas and fresh attitudes, and to turn those concepts outward in daily existence is enough to start in motion what our society needs most; momentum toward not settling for what is expected, but for what can be achieved.
I would love to get some ideas for topics to write about in this column. Feel free to write me with your ideas. My email is ealbrigh@du.edu.
