6.22.2008

Social unrest, virtually

As of June 20th, summer officially started. And so, then, has the summer of lust. But if you stop and look around, the country seems eerily silent for a period of claimed social unrest.

Where are the protesters? The uprisings? The riots? Already by this time in 1968 police had clashed with citizens and organizations across the country. Today, campuses across the nation are quiet with a generation of Americans who have always been called apathetic. Sure the violence and theatrics of the summer of love might not be present today, but this is the summer of lust and a culture of instant gratification.

Despite appearances, the protesters are there. The voice of opposition is ringing loud and clear. You will not find the modern demonstrator pouring into the streets, but rather flooding the virtual world. The Internet, the defining characteristic of a generation of Americans, has drastically changed how the people choose to let their voice be heard.

Why put in the effort into going outside, standing in blistering heat, becoming hoarse from making your point of view heard, dealing with crowds of people, and put yourself at risk with authorities when you can sit in the safety of your home in your underwear? I could be in my underwear right now. And I probably haven’t taken a shower.

The point is America has taken to their keyboard rather than the picket sign.

With organizations such as moveon.org and dividedwefail.org, grassroots has moved virtual. Moveon.org, who is backing Obama, has created a challenge to tell McCain and Bush Part Deux apart. They are using contributions from millions of people to advance their cause. They are creating television spots that are not only airing nationally, but are being aired on youtube.com, such as this one here:



The idea is to release the spots virtually, generate buzz, and then convince people to donate enough money to have it air on network television. It might seem a passive route for such a passionate call to action. Is this generation phoning in it's political activism?

According to the end of the above spot, over 3 million people contributed money to the organization. Now imagine 3 million people protesting outside the White House. One is more dramatic of course, but the sentiment is there. The opposition to the establishment is present and they would probably like to not be called apathetic anymore-- it hurts their feelings.

This leaves us at an interesting cross section, perhaps one more interesting than the one of 1968. Three points to ponder:

1. The new generation of Americans are babies. Society raised them with so many safety nets they do not really know how to fend for themselves, more or less succeed in a major political movement.

2. The new generation of Americans are shocked. They are experiencing for the first times in their lives a dim view of America. They grew up with economic prosperity, a quick, decisive win in the Persian Gulf, and the general idea that America was untouchable. Today, that idea is crumbling in the minds of the younger generation.

3. The new generation of Americans are virtual. Anything that their country doesn't provide for them or their parents didn't give them, they can get online. Education, protesting, sex, banking, research, sex, friendship (social networking), gambling, jobs and sex. It's all online at the click of a button. Instant gratification.

I think it is going to take a large event to get this generation into the streets. And it is going to be interesting to see how a virtual political movement plays out. And if and how the virtual protests with meld with in person clashed with authorities. Either way, summer is here and the heat is on.

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