All right! We blew it! My Generation, The Millennial Generation, totally fell for the oldest trick in the book and now we look like hopeless idiots in front of the whole world. What was our mistake? Youth. The veracity of naivete that only comes with inexperience, adolescence and a total lack of responsibility.
Characterized by our Pop Culture and Mass Media, we may participate in an election, try to be advocates for hope and change, but as long as “The Bachelor” and “Jersey Shore” succeed in the ratings, The Millennial Generation will be seen as having the same morals, values and ethics as the people who are on these reality shows.
We should know better. At least, with all the education we have had, you would think we might have picked up a thing or two in history class. But no, we are making the same mistake just as naturally and easily as the generation before us, the generation before them, and generations to come.
Despite all our potential and the efforts of our subculture, we allow propaganda to move us when it is there to seduce us; zeitgeist, to inspire us when it is there to distract us.
Welcome to the 21st Century and the Age of Information Technology, ushering in a new generation with all the hopes, dreams, ideals and utopianism of youth. We Millennials stand at the cusp of assuming our role in the future of our country, our world and our culture.
And we look stupid.
NOW WHAT?
First, let’s admit we are making a big mistake by allowing Pop Culture to define who we are and who we will become. At least we can learn to recognize failure. We need to move on and start to correct it.
Entertainment today has as much respect for the audience as the Ancient Romans had for their slaves and lower classes. Realize Ancient Rome is where the origins of Pop Culture began. Unlike the Ancient Greek Theatre where the purpose was to affirm the values, morals and ethics of the community, Roman Popular Entertainment was specifically created to distract people. Instead of heroes, the audience in Ancient Rome got free bread and spectacle. Watching two men fight to the death or be eaten alive by lions was considered Popular Entertainment or as we call it today, Pop Culture.
The world perceives us as juveniles. Our elders look on us with doubt. And we look at ourselves and know we are better than this. It’s not 1965 anymore and the kids who show up at political rallies acting like it’s another Woodstock are just indulging the AARP Members who are living vicariously through them.
If you really want to drag this out, then continue dithering over who’s wrong and who’s right and who’s to blame. The ugly truth is that we all share blame, we all are right and we all are wrong. Honestly, we could lose the redundant rhetoric altogether.
We are all better, much better than this and we know it. We are the Millennial Generation, stepping into the 21st Century, not with hesitation, but with purpose and with virtue. We owe it to one another to hold a higher standard than before. Let’s learn our lesson and not fall for the propaganda, the Mainstream Media or the lazy speeches that reassure us that we do live in an age of hope and change.
Most of all, it is time for Our Voice to be heard. Enough with allowing others to speak for us, to represent us and define who we are and who we will become. We know now the voracity of youth is our weakness.
No one thought we’d notice our exploitation but guess what? We do see it, plain as day. And quite honestly, I find it insulting.
We understand why we should not ask what our country can do for us.
Instead, we want to know what we must do for our country.
I will not go gently into that good night. I will no longer be silent in the face of the criticism intended to dis-empower or negate the promise of my generation. Demanding better content, higher standards and moral boundaries is our responsibility.
The time has come for The Millennial Generation to step up to the plate.
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