…when good people do nothing — On Slackistan and “Sanity”

I learned a few things from my coverage of the 2009 Tax Day Tea Party rally. Along with providing a preview of the white, middle-class anxiety that was molded by GOP charaltans and corporate funders into a reactionary movement, I also experienced the mood a young observer who ironically derided the motivated-yet-misguided crowd in front of him by saying three words.

"Shit's Fucked Up"

These words displayed a nonchalance and neutrality that characterizes my petty-bourgeois peers that is usually labeled "hipster". Back then, I used that word to describe the man who made that statement. While I try not to use that specific word too often, the mental landscape of this generation is clear to anyone who spends time with this generation. Most of these people that fall under the label don't like to display loyalty to any cause or artistic expressions, even those they support and attend.

We also saw this sort of nonchalance and neutrality in the Rally to Restore Sanity a few weeks ago. When writing about the rally, Mark Ames profiled the mental landscape of this generation really well.

They made themselves vulnerable to looking stupid by believing in [Obama]–and he jilted them. That’s how they see it–not that politics is a long ugly process that has nothing to do with self-esteem and everything to do with money and brawling–it was more like an “indie” consumer choice: They bought into the Obama brand, wore it, and suddenly discovered that the label wasn’t as cool as it seemed at the time, especially after the sentimental high of electing a half-black president wore off to the hard slog of what came after… so they threw the Obama jeans away and went to work trying to salvage their coolness creds for having made that fashion mistake.

Another example from my desi experience is the recently-premiered film Slackistan. The trailer tells me all I need to know about the film. Like the "Shit's Fucked Up" guy, the protagonists just curse away all the problems Pakistan faces, and refuse to stand up against the Taliban, the kleptocrats, the military, persecution of religious minorities, abuse of women, etc. They may have worn the Bhutto/Zardari brand the same way American youth wore the Obama brand, and were disappointed when the insular authorities did not change things for the better.

I don't think this shows that the this generation is lazy. In fact, I think this generation is afraid.

They are afraid to look stupid or zealous by claiming loyalty to, or affection for, something. Afraid to get involved in a cause that may fall apart or betray them, afraid of a music group that may change artistic direction and/or be discovered by other people.

This generation is afraid of heartbreak. Much of the youth that mobilized to support the election of Barack Obama felt this heartbreak and decided to show no loyalty or concern anywhere else.

I wanted to write this in order to say something to myself and others; Don't be afraid of being dissipointed or looking stupid. If you go to see a band you like, mosh and dance all you want while sober. Wear that trashy faded t-shirt of a game or band you have loved for a decade or more.

A credo I follow is a quote by Henry Rollins: If you love someone, love them with all your soul. If you hate someone, hate them until it hurts." The funny thing is that Rollins basically repeated the mood behind the quote in a recent on-video rant against coffee-house youth, who refused to display loyalty to something unless it was expressed ironically — as he perceived it.

Remember, evil triumphs when good people do nothing.


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