Waiting For Adulthood

Millennials' Voter Cynicism

Some interesting statistics have been compiled recently concerning the aptitude of the next generation of Americans, the ubiquitous so-called millennials, and they've been found lacking. Fusion’s Massive Millennial Poll, which surveyed 1,000 people aged 18-34 about everything from politics to dating to race issues, revealed some disturbing although not surprising trends. (Fusion.net is an online media source, a joint venture of ABC News and Yahoo! News, for the edification of those of us who were not aware of it.)  This poll provides a barometer of millennials’ priorities and preferred candidates ahead of the 2016 presidential election.  As you may image, millennials are politically uninformed, socially liberal, and generally lazy, according to this poll.  When one considers that as a group, millennials are eager to go to the voting booth in 2016, but are exceedingly uninformed about things political.  For instance, 77% could not name even one senator from their own home state, 57% think government is helpful, and most indicated that were cynical about election outcomes.

Millennials - those Americans born in the 1980s and 1990s - have also been seen as the nation's worst generation.  Personally, I'm glad they took that title away from us aging Baby Boomers, who have long been accused of destroying American culture.  It's been pointed out that as a group, millennials have been vocal about politics, yet are amazingly uninformed.  Due no doubt, to their love of, and devotion to, Steven Colbert.  Further, they talk a good game, but have little concept of good money management.  As products of America's watered down educational system, they have entered adulthood high on self esteem, and low on ability.  Oh, and they're lazy.

OK, the bearded elders of our time made similar observations about my generation, as well:  that we were slackers going to college to avoid the draft, growing our hair long and playing in a rock band, and spending our off time smoking dope.  Well, yeah.  And we eventually grew up.  We didn't screw anything up any worse than the generations before us.  So I'm sure that these brats, er, this  next generation, will collectively eventually grow up as well, and when they do, they will see they have inherited a world that hasn't changed in many ways since Plato's time, with opportunities, challenges, and evil-doers ever present.  They have a target rich environment to work within, that's for sure.  But the only thing I truly fear is the unchecked advancement of invasive technology. Think Cyberdine Corporation's Skynet.  Life imitates art.

So regarding the inevitable advance of invasive, all encompassing robotic artificial intelligence, I quote the great sage Wei Li, who once said, "Just because you can do a thing, doesn't mean you should do a thing."  And that's adult advice.

Wei Li