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Collimator

(2,158 posts)

111. "When the student is ready, the teacher will come."

Wed Jan 22, 2020, 08:04 PM

Jan 2020

I have personally known a few millennials who were entitled little shits. I have watched far more millennials on television blow me away with their commitment, their passion, and their insight.

Whether they do act now or not, the insane mix of greed and short-sightedness that is decaying our natural world and civil society will become their problem. They may have their share of failings, but the critical concerns that are threatening their future are not their fault.

They will be paying for our failures and perhaps some of their own if they do not engage in time. Even if they do act in large numbers, they will still be paying for our failures. Castigating them is not the answer.

It is my hope and prayer that they will seize the advantages of our new, media connected world and turn it into a weapon against the wave of hatred, greed and divisiveness that is the greatest threat to our human species. If they do not, however, that hardly makes them any worse than the generations before them.

Blame and fault-finding have never prepared a mind to gather wisdom.

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WTF is wrong with our young people?? [View all] NoMoreRepugs Jan 2020 OP

Nobody is going to draft their ass... Thunderbeast Jan 2020 #1

Right shanti Jan 2020 #62

Activism to many of them is posting or texting a snarky, "Ok,Boomer" and... brush Jan 2020 #98

It's precisely that sort of facile disregard Codeine Jan 2020 #123

See post 113. brush Jan 2020 #135

Nailed it. budkin Jan 2020 #172

This is a huge part. I remember how the boys in high school Hortensis Jan 2020 #203

I didn't vote for Trump JonLP24 Jan 2020 #2

Good for the ones who voted. treestar Jan 2020 #7

If it was up to young people Hillary Clinton would be President JonLP24 Jan 2020 #14

If young people voted in any numbers approaching the older voter Hillary would be in randr Jan 2020 #25

The point is they don't vote treestar Jan 2020 #32

They are systematically excluded from voting jberryhill Jan 2020 #131

Thats not an excuse. If you really wanted to vote you will find a way. demosincebirth Jan 2020 #158

You need to understand basic math jberryhill Jan 2020 #163

Bootstraps!! Codeine Jan 2020 #169

What about the 18-25 year olds that live at home and never moved? Polybius Jan 2020 #175

Whoosh jberryhill Jan 2020 #183

So no excuse at all Polybius Jan 2020 #192

Neither do the older people who don't vote jberryhill Jan 2020 #193

I get it, but the barrier has always been greater Polybius Jan 2020 #194

Yes, so did i jberryhill Jan 2020 #195

I agree Polybius Jan 2020 #196

"Where there is a will there is a way" nt. demosincebirth Jan 2020 #185

I agree Meowmee Jan 2020 #187

We forget that Hillary won the popular vote by 3+ million demosincebirth Jan 2020 #155

Even so, the majority of older voters cast their ballots for Trump. nt. Mariana Jan 2020 #167

I was one of probably a small number of people over 50 who didn't vote for Trump. Different Drummer Jan 2020 #56

Well, 26.5% of all eligible voters, voted for DT. Were they all over 50? Doubtful. 58Sunliner Jan 2020 #80

Really? No liberal over 50 voted for Trump lunatica Jan 2020 #85

Most voters over 50 cast their ballots for Trump, of course. Mariana Jan 2020 #99

I think there are many more of us than you think radical noodle Jan 2020 #140

They Don't Know History Me. Jan 2020 #3

What about all the older people that put Trump in office? JonLP24 Jan 2020 #4

Well Then, What About The Youngers Who Didn't Vote Me. Jan 2020 #11

I know an older person that didn't vote JonLP24 Jan 2020 #16

Then He Helped Put Trump In Me. Jan 2020 #24

Not as much as if he had voted for Trump, like most older voters did. nt. Mariana Jan 2020 #168

What's The Difference? Me. Jan 2020 #170

They don't know history. Maybe weren't taught history or even basic civics. CousinIT Jan 2020 #44

Quite True Me. Jan 2020 #49

And whose fault is that? jberryhill Jan 2020 #133

Right?! If they aren't being taught civics in school it's because the older generations eliminated Luciferous Jan 2020 #179

Their asses aren't directly on the line SCantiGOP Jan 2020 #5

Not praising what we did, just wondering aloud where are they? NoMoreRepugs Jan 2020 #13

I'm not disagreeing with you SCantiGOP Jan 2020 #21

I don't think that's entirely fair. LisaM Jan 2020 #55

I totally agree with you. nt Blue_true Jan 2020 #92

Posters have pointed it out over and over. Blue_true Jan 2020 #91

See post 113. Boomers are split between Dems, repugs and independents, just... brush Jan 2020 #115

Charlottesville? Mariana Jan 2020 #171

Yeah, sure. Meanwhile, all the nazis and white supremacists associated with trump... brush Jan 2020 #174

If you look at polling/voting breakdowns for the last 15 years or so, cemaphonic Jan 2020 #248

They weren't given much of a reason to wnylib Jan 2020 #61

Whites made a minute fraction of Freedom Riders. Blue_true Jan 2020 #94

True that the majority of people who were wnylib Jan 2020 #114

Look at historic pictures. Blue_true Jan 2020 #116

I was 15 in 1965. I remember a lot about wnylib Jan 2020 #149

Lack of civics instruction treestar Jan 2020 #6

Not to mention history textbooks that are replacing Thurgood CaptYossarian Jan 2020 #19

Absolutely this. intheflow Jan 2020 #182

What are you doing to organize them? WhiskeyGrinder Jan 2020 #8

+1. Trashing thread. Don't need the pointless aggravation. (nt) klook Jan 2020 #152

They need older folks to organize them? Tipperary Jan 2020 #224

When it comes to collective action, most people need someone to activate and organize them. WhiskeyGrinder Jan 2020 #227

Just wondering why the young people cannot do it themselves. Tipperary Jan 2020 #230

But they have -- anti-gun marches, climate change marches, anti-trafficking marches, etc. WhiskeyGrinder Jan 2020 #231

You'd think some of these people commenting never read DU. Mariana Jan 2020 #234

Couple of younger guys at work like Twitler Roland99 Jan 2020 #9

And back in the OP's timeframe there were guys their age who'd repeat the line... JHB Jan 2020 #18

Let's not forget the student activists of Margory Stoneman Douglas YOHABLO Jan 2020 #10

Thank you mahina Jan 2020 #26

Just stop. Lash out at the people who deserve it. JHB Jan 2020 #12

I still have hope for the young people. We just had a brief brush with CaptYossarian Jan 2020 #15

Those Kids Are Fantastic And I Wish There Were/Are of them Me. Jan 2020 #51

I wish I could have been able to name each of the speakers during that gun control rally. CaptYossarian Jan 2020 #81

66 to 71 -- I was in college TruckFump Jan 2020 #17

Not quite so much skin in the game now as there was then. The Velveteen Ocelot Jan 2020 #20

Who is serving in all these never ending wars? JonLP24 Jan 2020 #22

Being drafted is a little different from volunteering. The Velveteen Ocelot Jan 2020 #30

Now, Skidmore Jan 2020 #52

Their Kids And Their Grandkids Lives Are On The Line....nt global1 Jan 2020 #27

The old people. nt greyl Jan 2020 #23

This is what they mean by... genxlib Jan 2020 #28

+1 progressoid Jan 2020 #53

Exactly. nt Codeine Jan 2020 #76

Yes it really is Bettie Jan 2020 #254

They are trying to get by? SlogginThroughIt Jan 2020 #29

We *are* begging them to help, but the unfortunate truth is The Velveteen Ocelot Jan 2020 #31

That is so tremendously ignorant of the barriers jberryhill Jan 2020 #159

30, one, two, and yes. The Velveteen Ocelot Jan 2020 #160

You have been unusual jberryhill Jan 2020 #164

I moved several times *after* I turned 24. The Velveteen Ocelot Jan 2020 #166

You know what else is a burden? brooklynite Jan 2020 #225

Then the solutions would treestar Jan 2020 #37

You're right. Eyeball_Kid Jan 2020 #41

Word!!!!! nt Blue_true Jan 2020 #95

when I was their age pstokely Jan 2020 #103

Younger people need to get it in their heads that all boomers are not trumpers. brush Jan 2020 #113

The younger generation will have their own conservative assholes to deal with BigDemVoter Jan 2020 #204

Yep,I keep saying we're not all trumpers, and the white supremacists, nazis,... brush Jan 2020 #210

Except no one on DU has ever said Boomers are all Trumpers. nt. Mariana Jan 2020 #214

You're right. It's usually, Boomers put trump in office. brush Jan 2020 #216

Do you think that isn't true? nt. Mariana Jan 2020 #217

No thanks. i'm not taking the bait. Stop the generation bashing and get out the vote... brush Jan 2020 #218

You edited your headline after I posted my reply. Mariana Jan 2020 #220

I agree with your list at the bottom of your post. I don't agree that there haven't... brush Jan 2020 #221

Statistics I found Meowmee Jan 2020 #265

"...with fascism and insanity taking over the government." brush Jan 2020 #268

WTF is wrong with our older people??? Eyeball_Kid Jan 2020 #33

yes we are all complicit. WhiteTara Jan 2020 #39

T H I S Cosmocat Jan 2020 #68

+1 (old white people) demmiblue Jan 2020 #78

WHO, overwhelmingly were protesting in the sixties and early seventies. Blue_true Jan 2020 #97

You left out the hippies who came after the beatniks and were generally leftists. brush Jan 2020 #110

Having tried and failed DBoon Jan 2020 #83

Our generation did fail. Blue_true Jan 2020 #100

Bingo jberryhill Jan 2020 #150

You speak only for yourself DBoon Jan 2020 #173

Actually, I am proud of the societal accomplishments that I have done. Blue_true Jan 2020 #181

People are in debt and can get fired on a whim now. Sophia_Of_PlanetX Jan 2020 #34

People have always been subject to firing at will. The Velveteen Ocelot Jan 2020 #40

Today they seem to be busy WhiteTara Jan 2020 #35

Exactly, and I don't understand that. Different Drummer Jan 2020 #57

Democrats listen and WhiteTara Jan 2020 #72

We like to listen bdamomma Jan 2020 #86

Add republicans mace their asses too. People often treat their best siblings the worst. nt Blue_true Jan 2020 #101

Yeah, I was doing that, too. MineralMan Jan 2020 #36

I was twenty years old when I rzemanfl Jan 2020 #45

My first presidential election was in 1968. MineralMan Jan 2020 #47

1968 was the first election I could vote in. rzemanfl Jan 2020 #50

Yep, same deal. Thanks for saying it. Many seem to think all boomers are trumpers. brush Jan 2020 #108

I'm a young pup President Sauron Jan 2020 #38

They have been swept up by materialism. It's all about the ''bling'' YOHABLO Jan 2020 #250

It's "learned helplessness" D_Master81 Jan 2020 #42

Well that is just plain ignorance on their part. They're not paying attention. YOHABLO Jan 2020 #251

I got tear gassed multiple times. rzemanfl Jan 2020 #43

Chained myself to more flagpoles than I could count... RealityChik Jan 2020 #90

The Madison, WI cops tear gassed rzemanfl Jan 2020 #102

they've been taught to disdain boomer activism DBoon Jan 2020 #46

Ain't no young people in the senate. mathematic Jan 2020 #48

Are you under the impression that young people aren't working to change things? Cuthbert Allgood Jan 2020 #54

Both. progressoid Jan 2020 #213

I think our youth are no more incapable of seeing how their lives will change LanternWaste Jan 2020 #58

If you don't think young people are doing something, you're not paying attention. WhiskeyGrinder Jan 2020 #59

No draft. Alliepoo Jan 2020 #60

in 1972, 18-29 year olds voted 52% Nixon, 46% McGovern muriel_volestrangler Jan 2020 #63

The numbers for the youth vote in 1972 might be atypical The Velveteen Ocelot Jan 2020 #69

In 1968 the Democrats won 47% of the under 30 vote, in 72 it was 46%. braddy Jan 2020 #161

18-21-year-olds couldn't vote in 1968. The Velveteen Ocelot Jan 2020 #207

I know that, it was the 'under 30' vote and judging by the 1972 vote it wouldn't have made a great braddy Jan 2020 #208

Good to see some data, thanks. n/t TubbersUK Jan 2020 #87

A lot of young people today are anti-government, they really don't give a shit Blue_true Jan 2020 #107

perhaps they need leadership? 0rganism Jan 2020 #64

Is this an "OK BOOMER" scenario? RealityChik Jan 2020 #65

They are young people. Don't worry they will get older soon enough. comradebillyboy Jan 2020 #66

The young people I know are, for the most part, motivated and politically active. democrank Jan 2020 #67

They are busy making YouTube videos. Tipperary Jan 2020 #70

Oh good lord. Codeine Jan 2020 #79

Perfect. trotsky Jan 2020 #198

Yes, yes it is Bettie Jan 2020 #257

Some of our generation were protesting the war in Viet Nam DavidDvorkin Jan 2020 #71

They're too busy with social media. triron Jan 2020 #73

The irony of a group of fifty-somethings Codeine Jan 2020 #89

And many of the 60, 70 - somethings DID do something in their youth. cwydro Jan 2020 #119

Millennials have created a culture Codeine Jan 2020 #122

I'm a gay woman. cwydro Jan 2020 #125

Yeah, the "something" we did was to smoke dope, go to rock festivals, protest sciences we knew... NNadir Jan 2020 #141

Oh god, Boomers and their antinuclear bullshit. Codeine Jan 2020 #143

Let's not forget their anti-GMO horseshit either. NNadir Jan 2020 #148

Self hatred must be tiring. cwydro Jan 2020 #145

Well, our President is Kruger-Dunning material, and in my opinion so are those who hold... NNadir Jan 2020 #147

Wow, such alliteration! cwydro Jan 2020 #223

I actually don't "hang out" with a lot of people my age. NNadir Jan 2020 #266

What are you talking about? Lordquinton Jan 2020 #74

Then they became Trump's generation. Codeine Jan 2020 #75

I am a boomer, abeit too young to march. I fully agree with you. Blue_true Jan 2020 #109

No, a tiny fraction of students were protesting from 1968-1972. guillaumeb Jan 2020 #77

The things that I hate about Boomer recollections is the rampant revisionism. Blue_true Jan 2020 #112

I did protest, and was told on numerous occasions that if I did not like it here, guillaumeb Jan 2020 #146

+1 jberryhill Jan 2020 #151

We were a warrior generation that produced 10 million veterans, not to mention massive protests and braddy Jan 2020 #162

+1000! JoeOtterbein Jan 2020 #177

No draft, no civics classes, little true social interaction.... BlueTsunami2018 Jan 2020 #82

You just don't know enough kids. Codeine Jan 2020 #88

I have two teenage sons Bettie Jan 2020 #258

They vote as much as you lot did, Codeine Jan 2020 #84

YEP Cosmocat Jan 2020 #93

No, they don't. cwydro Jan 2020 #105

I mean at that age. Codeine Jan 2020 #118

I voted from the moment I could. cwydro Jan 2020 #120

So did I, Codeine Jan 2020 #121

Old and young have screwed up. ecstatic Jan 2020 #96

Let's not rewrite history. former9thward Jan 2020 #104

They've convinced themselves Codeine Jan 2020 #124

WTF is wrong with the old people that did all that protesting? Afromania Jan 2020 #106

" Did they get theirs and say fuck you to everybody else???" Codeine Jan 2020 #127

Yep jberryhill Jan 2020 #153

"When the student is ready, the teacher will come." Collimator Jan 2020 #111

nothing is wrong with them Skittles Jan 2020 #117

Strip them of power Codeine Jan 2020 #129

it seems like EVERYTHING is stacked against them Skittles Jan 2020 #130

WTF is wrong with our old people? Seniors support 45 more than any other age group by far. LonePirate Jan 2020 #126

Exactly. nt pnwmom Jan 2020 #132

old people Kurt V. Jan 2020 #128

There is nothing wrong with them. They are pretty much exhausted... NNadir Jan 2020 #134

+1000 ancianita Jan 2020 #137

Well said berni_mccoy Jan 2020 #178

Well said and I might add there was an all out war on liberal professors rainy Jan 2020 #191

Every weekend, I go out and find the bars and restaurants packed with young people... brooklynite Jan 2020 #226

Well, if you go to bars, you will face what we scientists call "selection pressure." NNadir Jan 2020 #232

I don't go out to bars either...I walk by them and look inside. brooklynite Jan 2020 #233

You got schooled by #232. BlueWI Jan 2020 #237

Oh I see. NNadir Jan 2020 #243

Perhaps in your anger you forget the point of this thread was "why don't young people vote"... brooklynite Jan 2020 #244

Well thanks for the glib assumption about my productivity. NNadir Jan 2020 #245

Where did I say "drunk" millenials? brooklynite Jan 2020 #246

The OP here is a cranky old man complaining... NNadir Jan 2020 #247

Well said. BlueWI Jan 2020 #249

Professor or not, you got schooled again. BlueWI Jan 2020 #253

I not defending anything that boomers did or didn't do. I'm criticizing millenials for not voting. brooklynite Jan 2020 #255

Voting for Republicans has consequences too. BlueWI Jan 2020 #267

THIS. BlueWI Jan 2020 #236

Nothing is wrong with them. liberalmuse Jan 2020 #136

" Boomers expect everyone to clean up their shit, but they took all the shovels and bags." Codeine Jan 2020 #144

not only that.... Locrian Jan 2020 #211

We are just very apathetic and cynical of politics dustyscamp Jan 2020 #138

Elected Nixon TWICE and Reagan TWICE jberryhill Jan 2020 #139

the older people are, the more they support drumpf..... Takket Jan 2020 #142

Nothing. mahina Jan 2020 #154

Maybe, we are victims of our own success DFW Jan 2020 #156

In 1972 the draft was on, the Vietnam war was on, drugs, hippies, and 52% of under 30s voted GOP. braddy Jan 2020 #157

Yup jberryhill Jan 2020 #165

About the same percentage of Boomers who voted for Trump in 2016. nt. Mariana Jan 2020 #186

Too many Tide Pods? Fla_Democrat Jan 2020 #176

WTF is wrong with angry old people?! Have you heard about March for Our Lives? Or the climate Luciferous Jan 2020 #180

Pokemon + Netflix? NCLefty Jan 2020 #184

Oh, jeez. DangerousRhythm Jan 2020 #188

When I showed up to visit new gran baby today marlakay Jan 2020 #189

They are great. They favor Dems two to one. They will kill the Republican Party. Cicada Jan 2020 #190

What street are you typing this from? Renew Deal Jan 2020 #197

I am flabbergasted that there have been 200 comments NoMoreRepugs Jan 2020 #199

Did you know that the under 30s were the strongest supporters of the Vietnam war? braddy Jan 2020 #200

Oh the irony... Thomas Hurt Jan 2020 #201

There is no draft threat... Huge difference zaj Jan 2020 #202

trump* needs to make draft noises..that will perk them up samnsara Jan 2020 #205

This country treats and disrespects the elderly worse than most counties. LakeArenal Jan 2020 #206

"You folks do it gleefully trying to drive some imaginary wedge between groups." Mariana Jan 2020 #209

Ok, Boomer. whttevrr Jan 2020 #212

There is someone on this thread actually laughing. Mariana Jan 2020 #215

I'm glad I did not see it. whttevrr Jan 2020 #219

+1 Bettie Jan 2020 #262

There's no draft to worry about Calculating Jan 2020 #222

Bang-up job you guys did stopping that war Recursion Jan 2020 #228

Details get lost in a haze of self-congratulation. nt Codeine Jan 2020 #229

We were long gone at the time of the embassy photos, that was a US embassy, not a military base. braddy Jan 2020 #263

Are we really reduced to trumpeting activism from 50 years ago? BlueWI Jan 2020 #235

OMG, Affordable housing? whttevrr Jan 2020 #238

I hear you. BlueWI Jan 2020 #239

GggRrr... I. Just. Can't... whttevrr Jan 2020 #240

+zillions jberryhill Jan 2020 #252

WTF is wrong with our Boomers?? whttevrr Jan 2020 #241

I haven't read the replies to this OP but I can't resist an obvious answer... Kali Jan 2020 #242

Nothing ismnotwasm Jan 2020 #256

This is what they want MoonlitKnight Jan 2020 #259

There is no ONE issue uniting everybody like Vietnam anymore NewJeffCT Jan 2020 #260

Nothing is wrong with them, their motivation may be different, that doesn't make them wrong Fiendish Thingy Jan 2020 #261

Damn, 261 posts - stirring the pot can illicit some NoMoreRepugs Jan 2020 #264