As a longtime supporter of dance and musical theater, I recently saw a local production of the musical Hair for the first time. This musical tells the story of a group of politically active hippies living a bohemian life while participating in the anti-Vietnam war movement and fighting for peace and justice.
Because of this, I have recently taken an interest in the youth culture and activism of the 1950’s and 1960’s. This musical and period in history really made think.
These people were my age or even younger and they essentially molded their lives around fighting against an unjust war that was taking the lives of their peers left and right.
While the war itself saddens me greatly, the young people of that time inspire me.
The fact that they, as mere teenagers, were able to not only recognize that peace and justice were the most important things in life but also to actively fight for them during a time when that idea was so controversial astonishes me. And, more importantly, it makes me question my level of activism in today’s important issues and that of my generation as a whole.
Updates and commentary regarding what is going on in Syria and the controversy over America’s involvement in it have been all over the news and social media in recent weeks.
Certainly there is no shortage of information or opinions on this issue or any other modern political or social issue.
It has become commonplace to post your reaction to controversial news stories on Facebook and twitter and to give feedback to your peers regarding their statements via these social networking sites.
And don’t get me wrong, this is a great thing. It allows us to be exposed to a wide array of ideas and opinions and to exchange our thoughts and ideas freely.
I fear however, that activism for my generation stops here. We are, as a result of highly advanced technology, an instant gratification generation and culture. So, we post our opinions and thoughts on twitter or Facebook, we blog about it, we get feedback from others and our work is done.
The youth facing the Vietnam War protested day and night, called, wrote letters, marched and burned their draft cards to force government officials to hear what they had to say and hopefully change their minds.
We change our profile pictures in support of gay rights or share a video of an American soldier returning from Iraq.
I would venture to say that very few have actually picked up the phone, gone to a protest or campaigned for what they believe in.
It would seem that those types of activism do not provide the tangible, instant results my generation craves. So, our activism never leaves our computer screen.
There is something to be said for the fact that the Vietnam War was a terrifying reality that the youth of the 1950’s and 1960’s were facing directly. It was easy to see how that war effected 18 year olds.
At this moment, no one is being forced into the military to fight and lose their life for a cause they do not support, so our modern political and social issues may not seem as pressing to my generation.
But the reality is that the repercussions of the political and social changes that are made today will have the biggest impact on our lives and the lives of our children a few years down the road.
Cyber activism certainly has its place and can be a very useful tool, but we can’t stop there because that is simply not enough.
Granted, our problems will not be solved with a single protest, vote or petition and it will take much more than a day. Expecting those instant results will only lead to discouragement.
We have to realize that true social change isn’t like an instant message.
As a generation, I would like to see us adopt some of the passion, courage and determination possessed by the youth of the 50’s and 60’s. I think we really underestimate how powerful we could actually be.
As history shows, a group of young, determined people who are willing to step away from their personal lives and computers to actually do something to promote what they believe in and make a change can be a force to be reckoned with.
Bridget Goedke
Viewpoints Editor
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