The Channels

Issue date: 2/28/07 Section: Opinion

Our generation doesn't really care about apathy. Though it sounds like the beginning of a mildly amusing joke, this truth is not our inheritance. Generations before us have marched, protested, demanded great changes and made extraordinary discoveries. What will become of us, the MySpace-addicted slackers?

In 1963 amidst the backlash of an unsuccessful war with no exit strategy, Bob Dylan asked: "How many deaths will it take till he knows that too many people have died?" and found the answer "Blowin' in the Wind." In 1969, The Rolling Stones shook the world with graphic lyrics: "War, children, it's just a shot away... rape, murder! It's just a shot away… gimme shelter or I'm gonna fade away."

Music acted as the voice of an impassioned generation, just as today's protest music mirrors the angst of a pessimistic youth.

But instead of poetic eloquence, we are left with whiny voices to match our own. Identical pop-punk bands fill up the trendy "Rock Against Bush" albums, anchored by tracks from Green Day's cheap shot at regaining popularity, the album "American Idiot."

Rather than composing something original, artists today regurgitate the same predictable libretto: Bush sucks! War sucks! Life sucks! Well, yeah. But unlike our parents we sit comfortably numb, paralyzed by apathy or hate, and unable or unwilling to spark revolutions.

Maybe it's a fear of polling booths. According to the Civic Youth web site, in 2004 only 47% of 18-24 year old citizens voted.

Over half of what should be the most active age bracket chose silence, and yet millions find the energy to vote for which mediocre-at-best attention hog will be crowned American Idol.

Maybe if The White House could figure out text message voting, a candidate would be elected who represented the ideals of my lost generation.

We sit here comfortably at City College and take classes on politics, philosophy and global studies; we pretend to be interested in, or better yet, engaged in the world around us.

We debate broad topics and make sweeping generalizations like, "Less Guns for Bad People," "Save the Rainforest," and "World Peace!" like participants in a beauty pageant.

We ignore our guilt--or worse--have none, about the decaying state of the world and our country.

What scares me most is this: how many people reading these words will ever care enough to fight and how many will make a change?

It's easy to point fingers and get swept up in the cynical attitude of anti-patriotism, but never forget to take part in the single most patriotic act one can: to think, and to care.

You say you want a revolution? Well, you know, we all want to change the world.

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