Re: Old farts and today's youth (Re: David Harvey's anomie

["Nathan Newman" <nnewman@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

-----Original Message-----
From: MScoleman <MScoleman@xxxxxxx>
To: pen-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <pen-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>


In a message dated 98-05-01 19:57:54 EDT, you write:

<< ..
>With the lack of sympathy by folks on this list for their economic straits,
>people should not be surprised that young people may occasionally lack
sympathy
>for other folks economic problems (as Maggie found in her classes).
  >>

-I don't disagree that university students face financial difficulties and
-uncertain job futures -- but some of my students wear designer outfits which
-cost more than my entire wardrobe, and I did an informal survey which found
-that their parents' incomes were all more than $100,000 a year.

If their family incomes are that high, they are hardly representative of today's
youth, but only of the rich.  It seems rather unfair to tar students in any
generic sense with a brush without carefully qualifying that you are talking
about the richest couple of percent of them.  It is that casual, anecdotal
dismissal of my generation and younger that really irritates me.

It was the "counter culture" boomer generation that voted overwhelmingly for
Ronald Reagan and even for George Bush.  Younger voters and older voters have
both been trending much more progressive than the baby boom generation.

--Nathan Newman