The Current Generation of Young People Is Less Politically Active. Do You Agree?

The current generation of young people is less politically active. Do you agree?

The current economic crisis in most of the western world, coupled with the alarmist views of global warming and its doomed consequences, has put forward, once more, the question as to whether or not the current generation is less politically active than previous generations. The current generation of young people is less politically active if is compared to previous generations; however this is beginning to change over the past few years. The current generation of young people has been less politically active, not by their own choice, but because the economic system under which they have grown foster individualistic thoughts and habits of consumption rather than habits of political concern. This situation is changing drastically however, because recent economic conditions in most of the world have deteriorated to the point that the survival of the planet earth is at stake. This essay will examine the current economic system and the media saturation as factors that lead to a political apathy in young people; and how the current economic crisis is beginning to turn this apathy into political interest and activeness.

The actual economic system (capitalism) in which society lives, has pushed the current young generation towards a political apathy. During the “cold war” era there were two major confronted ideologies of development; Capitalism and Socialism (Dua, 2011). It is suggested that this duality induced youth (previous generations) to take political position and choose to take part in one or the other. With the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the world went from a bipolar to a unipolar political view (Krauthammer cited in Wohlforth 1999, p.5); this may have caused, in the current generation, an increasingly diminishing interest in political issues. According to Akeil (n.d., p. 11), globalisation under a capitalist unipolar view of the world, promotes the phenomena of individualism, which leads society to a ‘’If is not happening to me, then does not concern me’’ view of worldwide issues. The world has experienced an unprecedented economic growth that lasted around 15 years (1990-2005). Therefore the current generation did not have, as a major priority, political concerns; instead it has been pushed into individualistic and consumerist decisions rather than political thought.

In addition, the current (capitalist) economic system highly influences the youth to live in a state of consumption adopted and influenced by the media. Marx 's theory of alienation describes that the separation of things that belong naturally together is defined as alienation
(Dorbolo 2008 p. 1). This can suggests that alienation is a result of an economic system that fosters a socially differentiated (economically) society. It can be said that Young people and young-adults have been victims of many negative political influences, such as growing up in a marketised and individualized society (Phelps 2005 cited in Brooks 2009). Research tends to indicate that advertisement and most of entertainment television (TV) shows are a major influence on the current young generation. Moreover, Cronk (1996) argues that a variety of commodities and fabricated TV spectacles has being helping the economic system by making society preoccupied with consumerism ideals. With the focus on commodities shown in the media, a society that inhabits shopping malls is created (Bertelsen, 1996, cited in Oppapers.com, n.d.). Akeil 's (n.d., p. 2) claim is that youth, presently, is so influenced by media that their personalities are based on imitation of attitudes seeing on TV. Following from the points stated above, it is suggested that a possible goal from media towards young society might be to foster a consumer youth rather than a youth that analyses politics. Marx argues that in order to give an end to a society characterized by alienation is to radically reorganize the economic system in which humans are living (Gasper 2010).

In contrast, it is well known that the current economic crisis the world is experiencing directly affects the current young generation; consequently this is making youth to "wake up" from the numbness that they have apparently been pushed in and making youth to become more politically active in many countries. At a glance it can be observed that the two major challenges that the world economy is facing is unemployment and poverty (EconomyWatch 2010). However, youth unemployment is rising perniciously across much of the developed world (The Economist 2011). Forbrig 's (2005) point of view is that the current youth generation known for its individualism values and apathy is turning towards social and political commitment. Historical events have characterised 2011 and 2012 so far; youth protests against the economic system have risen in more than 900 cities in 82 countries around the world (Euro-Mediterranean Academy for Young Journalists Magazine 2011). The revolutionary events occurred in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Bahrain, Syria and Yemen; mass protests marches in Greece, Italy, Spain, Chile, Israel, London and New York (Harris 2011) are events that support the fact that political issues are beginning to concern the current youth.

The politically apathic current young generation has become highly politically active in the last few years. Although the capitalist economic system in which this generation has grown has powerfully pushed youth to an individualistic and consumer thinking, the latest world economic crisis is waking youth up from the political numbness that they were in. Now, more than ever, it is time for society and especially the youth to analyse the economic system in which they are living, and to ask ourselves if it promotes justice for everybody or if it is destructive for humanity and the planet Earth.

REFERENCES

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Cronk, R 1996, 'Consumerism and the new capitalism ', viewed 08 May 2012, <http://www.westland.net/venice/art/cronk/consumer.htm>.

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Gasper, P 2010, 'Capitalism and alienation ', International Socialist Review, no. 74, viewed 30 May 2012, <http://www.isreview.org/issues/74/gasper-alienation.shtml >.

Harris, J 2011, ‘Tuesday Global protests: is 2011 a year that will change the world?’, The Guardian, 15 November 2011, viewed 08 May 2012, <http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/nov/15/global-protests-2011-change-the-world>.

Wohlforth, WC 1999, ‘The stability of a unipolar world’, International Security, vol 24, no. 2, p.5, viewed 09 May 2012, <http://belfercenter.ksg.harvard.edu/files/wohlforthvol24no1.pdf>.

Oppapers [website], n.d., ‘Is consumer culture destroying cultural difference around the world?’, viewed 07 May 2012, <http://www.oppapers.com/essays/Is-Consumer-Culture-Destroying-Cultural-Difference/614896>.
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References: The Economist, 2011, ‘The jobless young’, 10 September, viewed 08 May 2012, &lt;http://www.economist.com/node/21528614&gt;.