The Consequences of De-Politization

As generations go by, our predecessors assume we are skipping out on important aspects of life just to get a few extra minutes on our devices. In Catherine Rampell’s “A Generation of Slackers? Not So Much”, it is said the older generations believe Generation Y is “coddled, disrespectful, narcissistic, and impatient” (Rampell 388). In all reality our generation is just doing what it has to in order to thrive in the world we live in, where technology is one of the largest parts of our everyday lives. If the older generations that criticize Generation Y had grown up in Generation Y they would realize the world we live in requires the use of technology. The advancement of society with technology has shaped Generation Y to be the people that they are, relying on technology; however, older generations believe Generation Y is lazy.

Baby Boomers (people over the age of 30) have begun to grow out of their “baby” status as many of them begin to grow older and some even begin to retire. As these Baby Boomers begin to step down from their positions, they leave a hole that Generation Y (people under the age of 30) is next in line to fill. As the years continue to pass, Generation Y will continue to assume more and more responsibilities until the day comes in which Generation Y is called upon to lead the world. However, many Baby Boomers are concerned that Generation Y just may be the dumbest generation ever. Should the fate of the world really be entrusted to this youthful, tech-savvy generation? Despite Baby Boomer fears, Generation Y just may be the smartest generation to date and it’s all thanks to technology.

In terms of political ramifications, alienation leads to a withdrawal from public life originating in feelings of powerlessness wherein the government elected comes to be seen as “they” rather than “we”. (Macionis: Chapter 4) Subsequently, citizens do not perceive themselves as citizens in the true sense of the word. They do not have a sense of belonging or shared identity and as such will not value political activity.

The message emerging from a recent research series on youth civic and political participation is clear: today's youth are not disjoined from associational and small political life, but they are increasingly disenchanted with formal political institutions and practices. Children and youth under 18 have made sententious strides in recent years toward fuller involvement in democratic processes. These strides,

Politics is not as the common person may define it. It is not dependent of any other doctrine or ideology; it is its

Have you ever thought about why you have the political beliefs and values you do? Where did they come from? Are they simply your own ideas and experiences or have you been influenced by others in your thinking? This process by which individuals acquire their political beliefs and attitudes is called political socialization. In another words, Political socialization is a concept where the study of the developmental processes by which children and adolescents acquire political cognition, attitudes and behaviors. What people think and how they come to think it is of critical importance to the stability of the government. The beliefs and values of the people are the basis for a society's political culture and that culture defines the

Writer, Adam Clark Estes, in his article, “More Signs That American Youth Are a Lost Generation,” describes how America’s youth are the lost generation. Estes purpose is to point out that America’s youth are the lost generation. He adopts an opinionated tone in order to help describe how America’s youth are the lost generation in his readers.

A common sentiment among the older generations is that the youth of today have stopped caring. The youth of today are almost always disengaged with politics and world issues (K.), and it seems that apathy has taken hold of the new generation. However, youth apathy should not be blamed on the youth themselves, as this apathy comes from a culmination of pressures and circumstances beyond their control. This is due to popular shows promoting the message of apathy, the biology of young adults and teenagers, and the oversaturation of world issues in the media. Instead of pushing blame on youth for their apathetic leanings, it is time to examine the core of why youth begin to feel this way.

Millennials do not care for the todays political issues. The lack of not caring and use of the internet are making people less educated about their own country. “Most young Americans possess little of the knowledge that makes for an informed citizen, and too few of them master the skills needed to negotiate an information-heavy, communication-based society and economy.” (Bauerlein) This shows how the internet is ruining Millennials. This problem is only going to get worst if there is no change.

It is no surprise that today 's youth faces a wave of disillusionment when it comes to politics. Surrounded by a world engulfed in Google and Facebook, we demand instant responsiveness in every aspect of our lives, including our government. As a result, the need for transparency and immediate interaction has ebbed Millennials ' faith in their government. Their numbers are stagnant in the polls and yet their willingness to emphasize "political correctness" seems to magnify when a politically related hashtag erupts on Twitter. The political ignorance of America 's youth arises from one rudimentary cause– a widespread disdain of the current political structure– that is further exacerbated by various factors that discourage Millennials to vote and participate in an active civil society.

Nearly 3.7 million American babies born in 1982 were the first members of the new Generation Y, or more affectionately known as millenials (Thompson, par. 1). Many things play into whether a generation is considered to be faring ‘better’ than another one; job opportunities, the state of the environment, whether the U.S. is at peace or at war, income vs. living expenses, the general happiness of the people, and the list goes on. Millenials are part of a special generation because

Perhaps a few of us can relate: as we get older, we become more steadfast in our ways, making change happen a more daunting task. If, as America gets older and consequently repels change, how can she have hope in her future? The answer lies in today’s youth, the next generation of game-changers. Each new generation brings renewed energy, insight, and voices, but unless our older, more experienced generations educate us younger people on today’s beliefs and values, they will not be giving us the opportunity to distinguish ourselves as tomorrow’s leaders. If we as a nation do not make it a priority to teach the younger generations the

Ben Shapiro argues that “[millennials are] less likely to help the environment, less likely to ‘say they wanted a job that was helpful or worthwhile to society’” (“7 Reasons Millennials are the Worst Generation” online). However, it is clear to see that is not the case. Millennials are willing to do more than what is necessary to help their surroundings; they will go far above than what is expected by their seniors to protect their peers and create a community that is safe for everyone. Some may insist that this is for the best and it is creating a better future, but that is not the case. Parents pampered these university students as children. Now adults, they see the world as a place that needs sharp improvement, yet the way they want to help it is ill-conceived. Clarence Page writes in the Chicago Tribune, “There are no ‘safe spaces’ against offensive ideas, especially in places that are intended to expose us to the world, not to hide from it” (“Salman Rushdie” online). University campuses are meant to challenge students but kids appear to be reluctant to face said challenges. As mentioned, this is thanks to their parents. Children are now growing up on the idea that everyone gets a trophy; there are no bad ideas and everyone’s self-esteem is protected (“For Thin-Skinned Students” online). This is a dangerous concept that, as shown in the present, can

The authors extend the comparisons using descriptions and adjectives. The past generation of youths was made up of go-getters eager to “hit the road and find freedom”; they were even the inspiration for Bruce Springsteen’s vivacious album, “Born to Run.” The authors claim that today’s youths are far from that, holding nothing back as they describe the young people of this generation. “Risk-averse and sedentary,” they don’t bother to get their driver’s licenses, are satisfied to be at home browsing Facebook, and put too much faith in luck than effort. In other words, “Generation Y has become Generation Why Bother.” The authors appeal to the audience’s sense of patriotism, stating that American is “a nation of movers and shakers” and enumerating the accounts of bravery shown by the youths of previous generations, images that are admittedly different from the image they have crafted of the modern young person. The praises and favorable descriptions that the authors lavish upon previous generations of youths contrast sharply with the lackluster and borderline-insulting descriptions of today’s young adults. The juxtapositions accentuate how far Generation Y has fallen from its predecessors and prove, once again, that its constituents are leading stagnant lives.

The relationship between a society and its political system can be inferred on the basis of either the political-support received by the society, or the reverse of it, political-alienation by the society (Borre, 2000). The concept of ‘Political Alienation’ goes back to 1960. The range of activities chosen by the alienator could range from social or political violence to conscious or subconscious withdrawal or even being indifferent in context to politics (Nachmias, 1974). An alienator can express their view in various forms, usually by getting involved in a participation or withdrawal (ibid). Mahnic (2014) argues that political alienation has been recognised as a common characteristic of the modern multi-cultural and cosmopolitan society. It is mostly seen in the younger population and hence, in order to cure ‘Political Alienation’, an approach has to be followed that appeals to them. A number of studies indicate that the youth participation in context to voting is steadily declining (Dermody et al., 2010). Mahnic (2014) emphasises that there is a significant correlation between one’s behaviour with respect to ‘gaming’ and in ‘actual’ life. In addition to that, economist Jeremy Rifkin also believes that ‘play’ is becoming as important for the cultural-economy as work it is for industry-economy. ‘Play’ has become an integral part of people’s life. “The more we learn to enjoy serving epic causes in game