Much has been made about Bernie or Bust. As a Millennial, I feel, that the concepts presented here aren’t entirely accurate. I spent a lot of time lurking here. Thankfully, there’s always some thought provoking conversations, but in regard to BOB, the conversation devolves into something more primal.
For example, You don’t take advice from a stock broker who lost your house. What does that mean? I Think it’s that our distrust isn’t specifically aimed at Hillary(I’m voting for her, please calm down). As a black man, I know all too well about being blamed for epic fuck ups by others. Unfortunately, Hillary is victim to this same concept. To a millennial, who btw, is the most educated generation in US history, the thought that we should put our trust in politicians who have played the game that allowed for a complete corporate takeover of politics, allowed for the false dissemination of information about a war, that saw most of our friends come home with various injuries and diseases(my best friend was disabled after a roadside bomb).
She is, in a lot of millennial minds, not only a participant, but a face of all the horrific decision making by our predecessors. To boot, Millennials get a pretty horrible wrap. You get articles, like that of the NYPost, disregarding the Wapo article that suggests Millennials overwhelmingly give up time and money to causes. Another example is this Infographic showing that if your brand doesn’t coincide with their beiliefs, they will turn. Banks are seeing this, and it’s evident with the recent stance of the NBA on Gay rights, that millennial outreach is core neccessity for growing brands.
This isn’t a bashing of older generations. But, for one second, put yourself in this position: You are told that college is the only way to get out of poverty(I grew up in the projects), however the cost of school has essentially placed a debt on your shoulders that’s the equivalent of a house your can’t live in. Now, Imagine that you see this Princeton Study, that shows we have almost ZERO effect on policy, but big money interest controls all policy changes. Now, with that in mind, imagine the person you’re being told to vote for has recieved large amounts from those money’d interests.
We all know how Fossil fuel, Koch Bros, and Big Corp owns the right wing. And while Democrats are much better on policy, it’s objectively unfair, to ask us to disregard that on our side. I truly believe, in the minds of many millennials, and BOBs, that the idea that an older generation, whether true or not, that, in our minds, turned over our country to corporations, has earned the trust of the younger populace. Again, I’m trying to give space to this method of thinking.
I watched Bill Maher the other night. Barney frank was on with Cornell West(no surpirse they were on together), Barney did well explaining the delicate nature of passing bills, but also (much to my disagreement) dismissed activism as unimportant.
I’ve worked in city council for about a year now. The one thing I’ve learned, is that perception and public policy is EVERYTHING. The most destructive and regressive bills pass in secret, and it isn’t until public outcry and the mobilization of activists that we see our politicians get on the good foot. But again, this is one of the reason many millennials have a beef with the establishment, and our older generation. Barney frank, who was vehemently against Bernie, now sings his praises, in a hollow attempt to make nice. Just keep it real brother, you don’t have to like or even respect the man, but at least don’t insult my intellegence.
I know this diary is long, so I apologize. And if you don’t get anything from this, I hope you at least put some thought into the idea that generationaly trust has erroded. We saw it in the primary, The age split has shown a turning point in this country, and that’s in part, to the decisions of (and disaffection to) our predecessors.
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