College students: now and then

[Lesleymo]

I have fond memories of college campuses in the 1960's. In fact, my dad was a professor so I literally grew up on a college campus in the 60's. I'm a geezer, I'll admit it. My memories are tinged with nostalgia. But still ... there seems to be a big difference.

Then: College campuses were hot-beds of social change.
Now: College campuses are hot-beds of profit, with students bearing the burden for 10, 15, 20 years after graduation.

Then: College students were politically aware.They held demonstrations and sit-in's and protests.
Now: College students just want to get enough student loans to get through their degree program so they can hopefully join the top 2% who are actually making a buck these days. War? What's that? Sit-in's? What for? Protests? Who me?

Then: Young people had a presence, a voice, and a political force - because we cared enough to get involved.
Now: Young people are ignored, outvoted, and brainwashed by a radically one-sided media.

Come on youngsters! Get involved. Get mad. Us geezers are getting tired. It's your turn.

[femmocrat]

1. I was in college during many of the protests, too.

I am proud of our generation and our fervor to change the world. I can't understand the lack of involvement among the current generation, especially when it comes to the wars.

:shrug:

[greymattermom]

2. but college grads are involved

check out pickupamerica.org a new nonprofit founded by recent grads walking across the country picking up trash raising awareness of environmental issues one step at a time. literally. average 100 pounds a mile of trash on US highways.

[eridani]

3. You're wrong--kids today are involved as much as they can be

--given the very severe economic pressures on them that we didn't have to face in the 60s. We were free to protest the war and learn about imperialism in part because we assumed that all that New Deal stuff we grew up with would remain part of our lives forever. Bad mistake.

[Hippo_Tron]

4. I think if there was a way to bring back the sex, drugs, and music it would certainly help

But AIDS killed the sex, drugs get you a felony charge now, and the music is all commercialized.

[Blue Meany]

5. I share your nostalgia, but the university where I work has

many students who seem much more social concerned than many in the 1960s. They just don't work for change in quite the same way. I work at a largely agricultural university, and I have found that the students are all very environmentally conscious. Those in sustainable agriculture are extremely progressive and are going into it with the idea that they will change the socioeconomic system by starting their own small organic farms to contribute to local and regional economies that are less dependent on the globalized consumer economy. There are others who are active in Habitat for Humanity, alternative spring break projects, etc. I see in this a kind of pragmatic idealism that, while far less dramatic than what we did in the 1960s, may well have a more lasting affect. They actually give me a lot of hope for the future, because they seem to approach social change with less naivete than many of us did in the 60s.

[Lesleymo]

10. Thanks for giving me hope

Maybe I just don't know enough college students - or the right ones. Or maybe I'm just a geezer doing what geezers do, bemoaning the younger generation.

[Odin2005]

6. We ARE involved, and we are ignored.

[JohnnyLib2]

7. Sharing the nostalgia--but I think the draft and its effects were the difference.

Or those Beatles, as many seemed to think!

[provis99]

8. oh good grief. More sanctimonious Baby Boomer bullshit.

You people are the worst generation to ever afflict America. Thank god Generation X people don't reflect your self-referential egomania.

[pstokely]

9. Then: A military draft Now: No military draft

nt

[MadHound]

11. Geez dude, you sound like my grandfather rather than your true age, more like my older brother

I went back to college in '06, and guess what, the kids these days are alright, just as involved, if not more so. At a small liberal arts college in the Midwest I found college students who protested the war, debated issues of the day, raised money for various worthy charities, engaged in social and political change. And guess what, they're carrying that over to the real world once they graduate.

Sure, you're not hearing about massive college protests, but then again, this is the same MSM who turns anti-war marches of hundreds of thousands of people into gatherings of dozens by the time you're done. I will even grant you that a lot of students aren't out marching, but the fact of the matter is that on a lot of issues matters have moved beyond marching.

Instead we've got students engaged in sharp, solid political maneuvers to gain what they want. There was a young lady whose parents brought her here to this country illegally when she was but a baby. When I knew her she and others were actively involved in pushing for the DREAM act and other related activism, and she had the moral and monetary backing of virtually everybody on campus. She accomplished more with her personality, brains and energy than many accomplish simply by marching.

This story can be repeated across the campus. We were exposed to leaders such as Paul Roberts, RFK Jr., Eugene Robinson, and many others, both left and right. We were involved in causes ranging from fair trade to anti-war to famine in Africa. Rather than marching in support of gay rights, students were actually going out and mentoring high school kids who were facing problems at home or at school. The fights that you and I marched for back in the day, well these kids are doing the practical, non-flashy grunt work to advance those and other causes.

Don't worry, the kids are alright. Don't believe me, go check out your local college. And stop sounding like an old man. Now get off my lawn:evilgrin:

[taterguy]

12. Get off my Lawn!