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Do you fear for the political engagedness (is that a word) of our youth

buenosdiaz

By buenosdiaz
in The Tailgate

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buenosdiaz

buenosdiaz

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and their overall intelligence

Maybe every generation goes through this. But I mean you can make a case for the idleness that our newer forms of technology encourage.

I am reading this book that talks about how the internet, our public school systems, etc. are not teaching our kids to make inquiries but instead just digest information at its face value. Tests are just regurgitations of facts, news is self selected (when young people actually do read news), and neighborhoods, schools, internet usage encourages people to find social settings with likeminded individuals.

It is quite the paradox that we are in an age of information availability that we have never seen before, yet, overall awareness is fading. I think the main concern with the future of our country is the apathy of our youth and the wide not only misinformation but lack of information and understanding that seems to exist.

anyways lets talk about it

also, here is an example of youth being engaged in politics

i really just needed an excuse to post this epic video

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Burgold

Burgold

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I will say that I was really delighted by the way everyone, especially youth seemed to motivated during the last election cycle. So many wanted to be a part of the conversation and debate and take a part. It was really cool.

I do worry that we've re-entered a period of sensationalism and yellow journalism where truth takes a back seat to sex and gore, but the fact that so many rose to engage, debate, pound the streets, and actually do something is a great positive in my view.

Hopefully, it continues and we can eventually get more and more sophisticated in how we communicate and what we digest.

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SnyderShrugged

SnyderShrugged

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While that is a hige concern, I have seen great strides made in the past 2 years in the youth "liberty" movement.

Check out this organization...awesome stuff!

http://blog.yaliberty.org/

Young Americans for Liberty (YAL) is the continuation of Students for Ron Paul (SFP). In less than 8 months, SFP established over 500 college and high school chapters in all 50 states and over 26,000 students joined the Ron Paul 2008 campaign.

With this network, YAL seeks to recruit, train, educate, and mobilize students on the ideals of liberty and the Constitution. This is not a new beginning but a continuation of a youth movement already brewing in this country. Our objective is to facilitate its success.

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buenosdiaz

buenosdiaz

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I do worry that we've re-entered a period of sensationalism and yellow journalism where truth takes a back seat to sex and gore, but the fact that so many rose to engage, debate, pound the streets, and actually do something is a great positive in my view.

yeah the book "the deathy of why: the decline of questioning and the future of democracy" gives actual statistics about how studies show that youth and yougn adults JUST read headlines, which are often the very sensational and of little substance.

Re: the election, I do agree with you that youth became very involved, however, involvedness does not neccessarily mean an overall awareness of public policy. the NAEP tests results she talks about are ridiculous and I think while today young adults and most of america is very "aware" of current events I wouldn't say most people actually understand them

edit: and seriously everyone watch that video haha

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Burgold

Burgold

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Okay, I'll watch the video, but before I do and join in on belittling the poor fool (I'm assuming this is going to be funny) let me say that my feelings towards our youth is about baby steps and missteps. The first step is caring and trying. Missteps are great. Being wrong is part of the process of learning and improving. We are all allowed to flounder and act goofy. Hopefully, as we go through the process, we become more informed, do better and don't lose that desire to be involved and act.

But that sentiment to be involved and do something ought not to be squashed. It's a great thing... usually.

Edit: WTF lol... that was truly bizarre

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buenosdiaz

buenosdiaz

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OMG to the video. That is in the LA legislature? WTF??? LOL

my friend sent it to me with something like "hurrican chris at LA state legislator"

so i'm thinking oh god what ignorant ass comment did he make

boy did i overestimate him haha...I love the state rep hugging him at the end haha

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SnyderShrugged

SnyderShrugged

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my friend sent it to me with something like "hurrican chris at LA state legislator"

so i'm thinking oh god what ignorant ass comment did he make

boy did i overestimate him haha...I love the state rep hugging him at the end haha

Even though the whole rap thing is silly, I'm appalled at the horrible racist comments in the comment section.

uncalled for, even it the whole act was stupid to the extreme.

oh...Halle Barry is HAWT!:hysterical:

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deejaydana

deejaydana

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Apathy certainly is a huge threat, but I think many Americans across the entire age spectrum fall victim to it. This past Presidential election was the exception rather than the rule regards voter turn-out and hopefully we can build on the involvement of this past cycle. I feel we will see more involvement as our standard of living continues to erode, which it will as we address living beyond our means, and as the rest of the world catches up to los Estados Unidos. It shouldn't take a crisis to get people involved but sometimes that's simply what it takes.

Regards technology, I think it can do nothing but improve young people's involvement with what's going on. Look at what Howard Dean accomplished 4+ years back by using a grass roots type, internet based campaign and then Ron Paul recently by embracing technology. Obama has only built upon that approach. Television to me is simply the new 'opiate for the masses' as it is a completely passive activity. TV is not to be avoided but it certainly is first and foremost a vehicle for steering consumer habits.

One thing I find curious, though not exactly surprising, is the level of liberal slant taught at colleges in this country. Ah, but that's material for another thread at another time.

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Cskin

Cskin

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As long as the public education system, created and handled by the DOE, continues to teach our youth that it's ok to search for the nearest line to stand in with their mouths open and hands out... I'd be very afraid.

When our youth are taught the basics of learning, and not the stupid feel good everyone's a winner liberal agenda, and schools are held accountable and responsible for graduating kids that can't find Europe on a map... that's when I'll feel more hopeful for our youth.

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buenosdiaz

buenosdiaz

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As long as the public education system, created and handled by the DOE, continues to teach our youth that it's ok to search for the nearest line to stand in with their mouths open and hands out... I'd be very afraid.

When our youth are taught the basics of learning, and not the stupid feel good everyone's a winner liberal agenda, and schools are held accountable and responsible for graduating kids that can't find Europe on a map... that's when I'll feel more hopeful for our youth.

what schools are teaching the bolded part?

and how are schools teaching liberal agendas?

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TD_washingtonredskins

TD_washingtonredskins

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I fear more the people who act like sheep and let their political party decide what their beliefs are. It shocks me how few people have any opinions different then their political party's.

That's my biggest concern. I have a younger brother-in-law (21) and I fear that many people in his generation got very swept up in the "coolness" factor of voting liberal this election. He and some of his friends couldn't even talk to what Obama represented, they just "voted for change" and to me, that herd mentality is scary!

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Burgold

Burgold

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Honestly, I fear for the paranoia of today's people. You hear this in practically every thread about society or politics. If someone doesn't believe what you believe their brainwashed. It's liberal education, it's the liberal media, it's this vacuuous emptiness that swirls around. Frankly, the paranoia is dreary and depressing. We just got through an eight year cycle where conservatism was the thing to be and if you weren't conservative you were anti-American. They'd practically put a flame thrower to you if you dared deviate in any single position from the former President, Rush, Delay, or any of those guys.

The fact that we have youth who aren't endlessly repeating the mantras that we were constantly bombarded with for eight years is a sign that people do think for themselves. Just because they come around to different conclusions than you have doesn't mean that there is some mysterious cult programming them.

In fact... okay, in theory, it is likely you who have been brainwashed and programmed because you hear this complaint non stop, every day, using exactly the same language, rhetoric and dance beat. Don't you ever wonder why every conservative uses the same language, same quotes, same facts, and even pauses to take a breath at the same point in their speaking!

Goodness gracious people! GAAAAAAAAAAAH!

This concerns your paranoia patrol prose, if you have found yourself anxious when reading any of this please watch two hours of FOX followed by six Washington Times Articles... and don't forget keeping your AM radio on while you sleep is good for you.

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deejaydana

deejaydana

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and how are schools teaching liberal agendas?

My earlier post was about colleges specifically where the liberal slant is well neigh oppressive and, many times, never even contested. It's not quite so blatant at the K-12 level though it is there still (imagine and employer coming to you and telling or strongly suggesting how you should vote in an upcoming election?). I could make posts ad naseum, ad infinitum to back this assertion but who cares, really? I'm not expecting someone who works for NPR to be able or willing to call out his own tribe. My larger point is the liberal bias is largely never even questioned upon colleges campuses (where in my mind throwing around ideas and questioning basically everything should be standard, daily procedure). Part of this is nothing more then career safeguarding by teachers seeking tenured positions and part of it is simple idealism or perhaps even some ivory tower thinking. Part of them may actually believe some of what they're preaching. I guess to a certain degree we expect our young college minds to be liberal or left leaning, right? I'm just a bit perplexed and saddened that literally 99% of the professors advance the liberal agenda.

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buenosdiaz

buenosdiaz

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ok so regarding the fear of some huge conspiracy for both the public education system as well as fear of the collegiate academic environment fostering some kind of liberal revolution I don't agree with that.

With that said, I think we can all agree that it is best for people to digest information and not opinions so that they can form an opinion of their own. Higher education is as it is because it seems that k-12 and culturally we are not teaching children (broadly defined) to make inquiries.

I think we all would agree that decisions and judgements are best made when introduced to both sides of the argument. That is where the discussion of how we are using technology these days and how that may promote even more polarity in viewpoints in the future (it happens to be liberal right now). It seems kids are being taught just to look for answers instead of ask questions, which is seemingly what school should function for and in the even bigger scheme of things what drives a functioning society. When you teach kids to retrieve information without questioning the source, validity, bias, etc it does a huge detriment to society and is evidenced in the "dumbing" down of kids. These viewpoints are now easier to isolate from any attack with how "customizable" we can make everything. News is brought to us by our personal preferences these days.

So thats it in a nutshell

In terms of our schools are so anti-american, etc. etc. I don't know I think the most specific definition of what America is is how broadly definable the term is.

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