R_P_A_S
30th May 2011, 21:16
I went to college but it was a small private trade institution. It cater to technology based jobs, so there were no social sciences or anything the least political about the curriculum.
I've always admire all the heroic and great things student movements have accomplished and done thorough history. Many of these young people have sacrificed a lot for their ideals and for justice. Even today we see examples as early as the High School level with the walk outs and at the higher education level with protest, occupying universities offices and wide spread activism with various groups and coalitions.
These last 6 months' I've had the chance to witness first hand the huge amount of students around the University of California system that are politically active and socially conscious. It has given me hope and it fills me with emotion... It moves me! I'm 8, 10, even 12 years older than these guys but It's inspiring to see the broad spectrum of causes that are represented in every campus in California.
So why do I think their efforts and deeds are reactionary? Because the more time I spend observing and living in their bubble that is their college campus, groups and political circles after I return from living in the real world; unemployment, homelessness, abuse of power and austerity... I feel that as soon as they graduate they will change. Shit! They have changed... because where the fuck is "the class of 2002/2006" now? Sure we have lots of grassroots organizations putting in work on the daily and many other factions... but I feel that out of 200 college kids who are politically active, maybe 3 or 5 will continue this after they graduate.
Perhaps "reactionary" is the incorrect word to describe them and their activism. But one can't deny the two different worlds. Life in College and Life in the real world. I recently started to think that the majority of these kids are more idealist than materialist... are more naive than skeptic. A recipe for "selling out" as soon as you are pulled from your environment if your ideals aren't set... If you are just caught up in the fervor of the times, budget cuts and all.. But once you are out of school how many of them will give a fuck or continue the fight?
I mean let's look at well known radicals or even some hippie liberal types who have turn into the very same or worst thing they were once fighting.
I mean no insult to current students who are struggling and or were student activist and continue this. It's an observation and I would like to get opinions.
I've always admire all the heroic and great things student movements have accomplished and done thorough history. Many of these young people have sacrificed a lot for their ideals and for justice. Even today we see examples as early as the High School level with the walk outs and at the higher education level with protest, occupying universities offices and wide spread activism with various groups and coalitions.
These last 6 months' I've had the chance to witness first hand the huge amount of students around the University of California system that are politically active and socially conscious. It has given me hope and it fills me with emotion... It moves me! I'm 8, 10, even 12 years older than these guys but It's inspiring to see the broad spectrum of causes that are represented in every campus in California.
So why do I think their efforts and deeds are reactionary? Because the more time I spend observing and living in their bubble that is their college campus, groups and political circles after I return from living in the real world; unemployment, homelessness, abuse of power and austerity... I feel that as soon as they graduate they will change. Shit! They have changed... because where the fuck is "the class of 2002/2006" now? Sure we have lots of grassroots organizations putting in work on the daily and many other factions... but I feel that out of 200 college kids who are politically active, maybe 3 or 5 will continue this after they graduate.
Perhaps "reactionary" is the incorrect word to describe them and their activism. But one can't deny the two different worlds. Life in College and Life in the real world. I recently started to think that the majority of these kids are more idealist than materialist... are more naive than skeptic. A recipe for "selling out" as soon as you are pulled from your environment if your ideals aren't set... If you are just caught up in the fervor of the times, budget cuts and all.. But once you are out of school how many of them will give a fuck or continue the fight?
I mean let's look at well known radicals or even some hippie liberal types who have turn into the very same or worst thing they were once fighting.
I mean no insult to current students who are struggling and or were student activist and continue this. It's an observation and I would like to get opinions.