"Young people are ready for this kind of deep change" (52) -- But are enough of you ready?
Yes. Young people, as a whole, recognize that there is a problem, which is a great first step. However, there is certainly a divide in how us young people view our ability to fix these problems. Of course, there are some of us who don't think climate change is a fixable problem, or who don't think it is a big deal at all (I think they're likely in the minority). In contrast, there are lots of young people who are eager to jump in the fight, or perhaps already have. Somewhere in the middle, many young people are hoping for change but are unsure whether their efforts really mean anything. This is the category where I suspect most young people fall into.
The good news is that little bit of hope this generation has indicates both a desire for something different and a belief that it can happen. Are most young people ready for this change? Absolutely. Are we ready to take action? That, I think, is a more complicated question. Many of us are already putting in the work, whether it be through lifestyle changes, advocacy, and/or voting. But the truth is, our generation won't be significantly represented in powerful political positions for many years. I am glad that AOC is where she is because I feel she is not only a representative of her district but for many young people concerned about the climate crisis, as well. Before we know it, more and more of us will be in these leadership positions too.
My wish is that between now and then, we won't let chronic disappointment erase that sense of hope and passion we have for meaningful change. It is also important that we don't wait until we represent the majority in leadership to work on these goals—for now, let's keep focusing on what we CAN do. Fortunately, I do think that enough of us are ready for change, and willing to work for it too!
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Weekly Summary:
10/29 Posted this Blog!
10/27 Comment on “Questions Oct 26-28”
10/27 Comment on “Questions Oct 26-28”
Grand Total: 47
My family has always told me the classic saying, the most important thing you can do as an American is vote. In advertisement commercials a lot of them say the same thing as well,as I do believe voting is an extremely important part of expressing how you would like your community around you to run I strongly feel that their are more productive ways to change your community for the better. I think that people can innovate new ideas to help clean our ocean waters and help their communities poverty rates by volunteering etc, etc. I just think that america is not ready to give up their free time to work for the betterment of their community around them. These unselfish acts will propetuate our American culture forward, unlocking a healthier America and one day world population.
ReplyDeleteI agree that voting is just one part of the solution! Community work is very important and should not be overlooked.
DeleteI think the climate crisis is the epitome of the Aesop fable, "Belling the Cat." Essentially, we all can agree that there is an issue and SOMETHING ought to be done. But once we review the steps it would take to achieve noticeable benefits, the whole crusade seems less appealing. Who would be willing to give up driving? Air conditioning/heating? Electricity? We are infatuated with consumption and comfort, and the incidental environmental damages we cause far exceeds our incidental proactive behavior.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter is always telling me that her peers are uninformed and apathetic. Maybe she just doesn't know the right people. (Or else you guys are un-representative?)
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