Will our generation of Americans, given social networking, etc., cause us to identify more with our international peers than generations past?
What’s the value of information accessibility to the demographic of people who tend to be unwilling to listen to anyone outside their sphere?
Why did all these expectations arise?
Speaking as an older generation member, I would expect the current generation to do what each generation did before it: seek a better future.
I’d expect a more rebellious spirit, I guess. My generation might be stressed out about life, money, jobs, college funds for the kids, etc. But generally, we lived like the Romans did — pretending there was no end to resources. We didn’t change our behavior very much in anticipation of climate change, for example. Your generation is the one who now has to face those challenges in earnest. You shouldn’t ask us for permission on how to address them. We didn’t do much to solve them. We should be the ones to suffer, more than you.
I would tell any individual who was worried or desirous of change that small actions by a person inspired in an area of interest is what turns a culture. It’s the cumulative effect of all those dedicated small actions that does it. I don’t care what Margaret Mead says.
Use art. A bucket of water with a spoon. A splash mob. Drama. Comedy. I’m serious.
My two cents: Just be an activist yourself and hope that it will inspire others at some point down the line. You can’t change people’s minds anyway, best thing you can hope for is that they will be inspired by your actions and decide to change their minds themselves.
Does the fact that the U.S. has so much technology make us inferior to those in other countries?
I don’t think the method of communication or manufacture affects the quality of thought. I suspect that the more complicated a culture gets, the more brain cells are created in the problem solvers. I am told that the world has reached the stage where we now know negotiation is necessary over everything. That’ll grow neurons!
I recently had dinner with a group of academics and journalism teachers from Algeria and Tunisia, and the question came up whether today’s students are smarter or dumber than their predecessors. I found it interesting that a complaint I find common in the U.S., namely that today’s students can’t spell, compute or concentrate, is shared by North African university teachers, and that both groups suspect that digital technology is behind this phenomenon.
Looking at that explanation, I think one factor you’d have to isolate and account for is social background: Getting a college education is no longer restricted to educational elites, as it used to be, so on average, there might be less learning at home. An attempt to study your question, then, needs to include a look at how the introduction of technology has increased or decreased learning outside of school, especially in groups with socioeconomic disadvantages.
More speculatively, I think that the greatest effect of technology has been one of acceleration. In Europe, many would argue that depth comes from focusing on one thing for a longer period of time, instead of just fleetingly. Quality is connected with slowness — as in slow food. Deceleration is seen as a good thing. It’s a charming idea, but it makes me wonder whether that’s also true for innovation. Maybe innovation is a function of speed, and thus spurred on by technology?
Consider, for example, that this lengthy answer to your question would not have been possible without the ability to use Google, to get some idea of what has been thought. As a bonus, it helped me discover a website that contains ideas I haven’t thought myself: http://www.personal.psu.edu/cpl2/blogs/digitaldialogue/blog/
So, technology has allowed me to learn at high speed — but the quality of my thoughts is probably lower than what it would have bee, if I would have been forced to read a number of books on the matter; talk to a number of scientists, and write my thoughts out in longhand. Go figure.
I think this is a two step process. 1) Find an area that really cranks your soul and join a group connected to that area. 2) Scrutinize your talents and use one of them in #1. If this doesn’t work, find another area that really cranks your soul. Each time you try, you will feel better and will be encouraged to try again.
By making others ask questions.
While raising gas prices in Europe might make sense in speeding up the environmental progress in Europe, the United States has the issues of public transportation and greater distances to deal with before it can effectively reduce the amount of gas used.
If we are lucky, Obama will get his “Manhattan Project” or “Marshall Plan” put into effect in the energy area. I would hope that gas price increase would be in there with further subsidies for public transportation and massive investments in alternatives to the oil structure we now have. I’m betting on this because so many entrepreneurs are counting on it.
I just can’t see how this might become an option the U.S. It’s harder than public health care. The American system just doesn’t work that way. It’s true that entrepreneurs are counting on clean energy subsidies, but I reckon that the U.S. taxpayer will have to foot the bill, rather than the fuel consumer.
One of the environmental groups I’ve talked to lately uses what they call the 80-20 rule. The “80″ is the 80% of the U.S. population who are open to conversations, analysis and action. The “20″ is the 20% who will never listen to anything you have to say. So, to start with, don’t waste your time talking to the 20s. As to the 80s, they want you badly to talk to them so find a group and wade in.
I like the previous commenter’s answer. But coming at it from another angle, I’m afraid that, so far, the most effective way to promote change has been fear. It is daunting and unpleasant, and very unsuited to the current generation that seems less prone to fear than previous generations. Nevertheless, it’s true. It’s also something I wouldn’t want to advocate. What a conundrum. As an alternative, I think that leading by example works as well. The trick is to do it in a way that inspires the greatest number of people in a sustainable way.
Studying at a small private liberal arts school in the Midwest, it is extremely surprising to me even today to see how people just neglect issues of global importance because of their reluctance to act upon them. Our different political views make it difficult for us to act on problems that concern our future as a whole. Do you believe that there is hope for a generation divided by political ideology to deal with a common issue in a cooperative way?
I actually disagree with your latest point. I don’t think that your generation is divided by ideology. In truth, I haven’t met many of the 20- to 30-year-old generation in the US or in Europe who follow any kind of defined ideology. Tell me if I’m wrong (this is only anecdotal evidence, of course).
What I do observe is a divide between those who ignore global problems like climate change, most likely because they find them overwhelming and boring (this is the majority). Then, there’s a minority that cares and would like to act preventatively.
This kind of divide has been around as long as arctic sea ice, it seems to me.
Most people tend to wait until a crisis comes to its head before they act. The problem is that, once mass migration, energy shortages, etc., start in earnest, some people will respond with violence to protect their particular interests. The majority will waver and look to others for leadership. That’s when you come in. It seems to me that it would be wise to prepare for that moment — and in doing that, you should band together with people who are like-minded.
Disclaimer: This might be an old-fashioned, old-people way of looking at things. I’d be very curious of anyone who has a different plan.
Well, I won’t dispute that generalization since I have no data but I do think that every generation has their individuals who will lead. That is their value.
It’s like a baseball team where the pitcher has the responsibility to pitch the team out of the inning. The remaining defense in the infield, outfield and the catcher provide that group effort. It’s that balance of group and individual effort that makes for a functioning team or a society.
I don’t think it is an accident that the U.S. national pastime is baseball. It is the metaphor for our society. We enable our individuals; we depend on them to lead us out of trouble and take advantage of better circumstances. We also depend on the community or the group to work with the individual.
What are good professional paths for asking these big questions? Grad programs?
A good storyteller is always valued whether it is in a newspaper, magazine, books or in the internet, to list a few. I think the questions are: Do you really, really like to write? Can you handle rejection? Are you tenacious? Do you believe in yourself? Do you realize that there are always more questions to ask?
Yes there is — but you need to make it up as you go along. Grad programs are here to facilitate that. Ideally, they provide a place to strip down journalism to its essence, and then create new, better venues to ask questions, big and small.
russell, 
transatlanticnomad, and 
SerbianSpruce are discussing. 
transatlanticnomad 11:13 pm on February 28, 2011 Permalink |
My sense is that the Internet, social networking, etc., make it harder to tune out — but at the same time, they cause a loss of mutual knowledge. Society fragments into dense clusters of people who have a similar world view. Those clusters include people from different continents, nations, societies, which is a good thing. The downside is that people living in the same community (or state) who don’t share a world view are in danger of ceasing to communicate. The trick is how to effect change under these new conditions.
jhwygirl 11:44 pm on February 28, 2011 Permalink |
I believe I am more curious of what real people have to say on all matters. the world is smaller with twitter, and I know there are others who see things as I do . I also like being able to tell others I am disappointed in my government. I think I will like the world it will bring.
transatlanticnomad 1:30 pm on March 1, 2011 Permalink |
Makes complete sense, but reminds me of a question that has preoccupied me since first moving to the United States: What, exactly, is a real person? When do real people become unreal? It is a puzzling and probably very American concept that have yet to understand.
russell 7:32 am on May 11, 2011 Permalink |
hey Transatlanticnomad, did you create this “connect for change web site”? I want to create a web site with this name with a similar concept to yours, but take it one step further. I like your ideas, can you get in touch with me via an email about a mutual desire to create change for the better in this world. russell.histon@hotmail.com