Frank asked on his Facebook page the other day: with all the news about climate change and deniers, where are the twenty and thirty somethings? He noted, how most people attending meetings on the environment are over 60. That is a fact.
The argument can be made, that demands of work and commuting are so severe that the urban young can't afford to participate in our civic life.
Also, young people feel hopeless. Political leaders financed by the oil, coal and gas industries -- like Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) -- are running around the country opposing President Obama's initiatives at every step.
"Why do anything?" neatly coincides with a status quo that insists "government can't do anything". Gridlock is destiny. Why vote, Americans ask, when voting achieves so little?
On the other hand, what dread awaits today's ebullient children of young parents when they are my age? Within the lifetime of today's young, climate change will have turned national security upside down and inside out. Everything is at risk.
Climate change is not just the elephant in the room: it is the room.
Why aren't young parents rising in outrage?
The argument can be made, that demands of work and commuting are so severe that the urban young can't afford to participate in our civic life.
Also, young people feel hopeless. Political leaders financed by the oil, coal and gas industries -- like Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) -- are running around the country opposing President Obama's initiatives at every step.
"Why do anything?" neatly coincides with a status quo that insists "government can't do anything". Gridlock is destiny. Why vote, Americans ask, when voting achieves so little?
On the other hand, what dread awaits today's ebullient children of young parents when they are my age? Within the lifetime of today's young, climate change will have turned national security upside down and inside out. Everything is at risk.
Climate change is not just the elephant in the room: it is the room.
Why aren't young parents rising in outrage?
19 comments:
Too busy trying to find a real job. Meanwhile scrambling to pay bills with part time gigs with no benefits.
That's progress?
It's a good question. What kind of country have we become?
They are at WalMart. They are doing their children's homework. They are playing video games. They are watching endless sports games. They are watching the Housewives of.... They are obsessed with celebrities and fashion. The most important thing in life is to be thin and beautiful. The constant media message is something is wrong with you - take a pill.
Nature, and what it means, is so far away...
Why has the SFWMD cut their education and outreach programs almost completely out? Ten/twelve years ago they had excellent programs in schools, all the way through high schools. They used to participate in community events and fairs and have radio and TV ads in the urban community. Now there is nothing. What happened?
The climate has been changing since the earth came into existence. It's nothing to be alarmed about.
100% in agreement. Climate is in constant change and animal life has to adapt to it, or move on.
To both "anonymouses" who just turn up the air conditioning and think that the world revolves around them...a flood is coming. I hope you are insured.
We have neglected the young. I recommended that they all be required to give two years of service to the country right after high school or college, to give them some work experience, training, travel around the world, life skills, and the like. Instead we allow them to be unemployed, untrained, laying around in their parent's homes for years with no prospect of a career. If they scuffle around and get a job and a family, they struggle to make ends meet, and have no time for community work. If they were fortunate enough to go to college, they have massive student loans that they will never pay off. They can't get a house because of student debt. So, they entertain themselves with senseless things. They are all we have. These are the best years of their lives, and we are not investing in them wisely.
It is so true. Miami lacks young leaders who care about social causes and the environment. The activists are often over 60 and over 70. A young elected official like Keon Hardemon is only interested in diverting as much taxpayer money as he can to his "friends and family". Our future looks dire.
PhDs are going to milk this into fully time government grant work. Earth has always changed. Be skeptical of anybody who needs grant money to collect an income their entire career. Union lawyers and PhDs should be banished from speaking.
Dear "Actually",
They are not idiots. We are actually entering into a new ice age. Part of the millennia long cycles.
The entire Florida peninsula has been under water for the vast majority of the earth's history and it will be under water again. Climate change is perfectly natural and you couldn't stop it if you tried.
I would love to be there. Love it. But I work 9-5:30, all my friends work 9-5:30 or are working in internships (for free) or full-time looking for jobs. Others are raising kids, taking them to their games, working two jobs. It's not an easy world for this generation in the economy we were given.
Meanwhile, the old retired folks have all the time in the world to spend lobbying against climate change - since they'll be dead by the time it really settles in to bite us. Great.
One of the anonymous above feels they should just suspend the 1st Amendment for those they disagree with. "Banish them from speaking". Yeah that's some logical and intelligent thinking.
The only ones hating on the middle class are the politicians our new royal aristocratic class both donkeys and pachiderms.
All pure Bullshit c o ming out of all of them.
Climate bruhahas taxes and regulations up everyones backside wars and more wars it doesnt matter which party.
I dont know about climate change but I know the middle class is headed for extinction.
We have got to find a way to prime the pump and get these young people productive on a number of levels. Otherwise, when the older ones are gone, we are going to be weak. Germany is already strategizing to get top young talent by offering US kids free tuition to any of their universities. We need a plan.
Ummmm! I'm one of those "over 60" retired people. I wish I had all the time in the world. I am busier now than when I was working. Some part of my (and others') "golden years" that I worked to reach is spent trying to elect, educate, etc, the right people to do something. I saw the numbers in grad school 40 years ago. Anybody who saw those numbers had to know we were living on borrowed time. So, both generations you are impugning have Many who want to, or are trying, to help. But they are fighting both Life and City Hall. Bothe are fixed games. The young are , perhaps, a little angry that they won't have the chances we had. They may be turned off that the "meaning of life" that those before them chose equaled a "FIN DE SIÈCLE" for them and their progeny. Many of the old are fat and happy. Many are just tired. And "all the time in the world" may not be much. Maybe another 10 for me, maybe another 30 for civilization as we know it (if the fabric of society lasts that long). Flagship of Florida= RMS Titanic.
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Change Leadership
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