“Where are the young people? We need to reach out to the young people.”
In meetings of a local group working to close down Pilgrim, the mostly gray and graying membership talk ardently (the only way we know how to talk) about the crying need to recruit more young people to our ranks.
How backwards that feels, the old having to talk the young into caring about the future of which they have so much more than we. It’s just as hard to picture youth of recent decades as politically involved—outraged, engaged, making demands on powers-that-be–as it is to picture youth of the 1960s and 70s any other way.
Activism became such a big part of our identity it’s as if we invented it. We didn’t, of course. But after the great divide of WW2 and its aftermath of 50s’ era “conformism” it seemed we did. Once we discovered the logic (intellectual and emotional) of political activism we made it ours. (Pardon my loose use of “we” here.)
Thirty years later we’re still at it. The problem is that we haven’t succeeded in passing the torch.
My 26 year-old son’s initial reaction on being invited to an anti- Pilgrim meeting: “Why would I want to go to a meeting of old people doing old people stuff?” Thus is political activism reduced to a lifestyle thing. Getting all worked up is just not cool.
“ So, caring about the world, standing up for your rights and beliefs, playing a role in shaping your future—that’s just not your thing? Seriously?” So sputters his father.
What’s changed? Did our activism—crucial gains in civil rights and the rights of women, eliminating the military draft– make the world so much more comfortable that there’s no more need for activism? What about imminent climate change, the bleak economic future for young people, including college grads, if the present trajectory of the economy continues? The lack of affordable year-round rentals on this very peninsula? The insanity of continuing to live with the risk of a Pilgrim disaster? Are these not sufficient motivators?
A famous slogan of the ’60s was “don’t trust anyone over 30”. Insofar as it had meaning beyond a tease, it was probably that the older you get, even with solid progressive politics, the more likely you have gotten too invested in the status quo, too comfortable, suspect.
Applying that slogan to ourselves: as much as the old fire seems to burn, we’re too old and comfortable to be entrusted with the job. We don’t need help; we need the “under 30”–take that as a metaphor–to take over the job.
I fantasize about putting a full page in the paper with 100s of signatures: OPEN LETTER TO YOUNG PEOPLE: WE GIVE UP . Yeah, yeah, we know, you’re busy with school, work, parenting, etc. But if the world is going to change, you’ll have to do it. It’s your future; we’re washing our hands, passing the baton.
Old person fantasy, of course; young people don’t read newspapers.
Anyway, even that satisfying fantasy is way off. Not only would our feisty corps of aged not think about giving up the good fight; I don’t think it works that way. When the logic (emotional and intellectual) of activism strikes, the young will take it on themselves. Maybe we will be granted an advisory role; probably not.
At the last meeting, lo and behold! there appeared in our midst that rarest phenomenon, a young activist family: a 42 year -old mom, her 13 year- old daughter, and a 6 or 7 year-old who danced and rolled on the floor as her contribution to the proceedings. Before we knew it, “downcapedownwinders” could be “followed” on twitter, a “shutPilgrim” petition was going viral on moveon.org, and a youtube on the Pilgrim threat was in the works. Young energy and perspective.
The 13 year -old assures me there is progressive political activity in the Nauset Middle School, citing the “kony2012” international movement to put an end to the activities of a notorious African. Let us hope they see fit to apply their energy to needs closer to home.
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