Optimism in the Face of Catastrophe
Emma Gonzalez
Here’s a paradox for you: as abhorrent as the Trump presidency is to people who care about the quality of life for 99.99+% of humankind, there are many reasons to be grateful for it. At a minimum, it’s mobilized a huge swath of the American population that formerly hadn’t made the connection between a functioning democracy and their own involvement in it.
This is especially true of young people, many of whom were uninvolved in the entire political process just a few years ago. Sure, one could say that they have more to lose from the destruction of the environment, the demise of the middle class, and so on, but young people just a few years ago were largely asleep. No more.
In this video, the presenter lists six reasons for maintaining one’s optimism, the last of which is essentially the point that author and humanitarian Arthur C. Clarke made shortly before his death: optimism is an organizing principle that inspires action against evil and danger, in the absence of which, things fall apart very quickly.
Enjoy.
Craig,
I agree with you, it’s certainly great to see young people taking an interest in politics and civic life.
However, the fact they are young also indicates a certain level of immaturity and lack of perspective. Societies are complex organizations, often change isn’t easy due to the complexity and many layers of society to be considered.
Young people have a great deal of idealism, passion and idealism. Unfortunately, these admirable qualities are very single minded and will become frustrated,embittered and intolerant if not tempered by experience, sophistication and perspective.
Emma Gonzalez is certainly a passionate young woman, energized not only be being a participant in a traumatic event, but also by her personality and need to stand out as an individual.
Whether Emma will think the same in 20 years, only time will tell.
America is changing, Donald Trump is the President who has been elected to both represent and effect those changes. The changes will be traumatic for the USA and the world, and will meet with great resistance. The changes are inevitable.
It’s not the end of America, just the end of “an” America. The reader’s digest sort of America, a “Pleasentville fantasy” where ‘American Values” were universally admired as desirable. An America of unchangeable power and economic superiority.
This is an era in which the youth of America and the world must learn to adapt and prosper.
I suppose it’s possible that Emma will be a gun rights zealot in 20 years, but it’s extremely unlikely.
Craig,
I agree, it’s far more likely she will become a life long leftist political activist, or religious zealot. (However, there’s just a chance she may become a moderate).
Most of the radical, outspoken student ‘revolutionaries’ of the 60’s, eventually became middle class moderates with children and mortgages.
Responsibility breeds a certain amount of conformity, compromise and perspective.
It’s not about conformity. 89% of Americans want common sense gun control. 9 out of 10 of us don’t consider this zealotry; we’re tired of having our children slaughtered. If that offends your sensibilities, perhaps it’s good you don’t live here.