The Faceless Generation

Just have to get this off my chest. Don’t worry there’s a video at the end as a reward for reading J.

Born between 1982 and 1997? Well , you are a part of the faceless generation.

We are criticized for a lack of culture , a lack of values (secular), and an unwarranted feeling of entitlement.

You know what though , with all the doubt we face , I feel we are the generation that will not only shatter the low expectations set for us , but create a legacy that rivals the baby boomers.

It’s normal for every generation to criticize the last, but there has been a disproportionate ragging on us high school students, college students and recently graduated. They say, we have been coddled and we have forgotten our cultural roots. One main accusation is that with a lack of urgent crisis we have grown apathetic and in turn destroyed our political capital. Furthermore, we are a breed of young women and men obsessed with material objects, video games, and as a result are morally bankrupt.

Often the mainstream media points to Grand Theft Auto, YouTube, Instant messaging, marijuana use , terrible music and The Hills to define us. However, we, the faceless generation , like a great song , we must be heard more than once for the real meaning to shine through.

My generation has some absolute differences from the past. Like never before we have been connected to one another through technology. Some have argued that this had lead to a gap between people, a technological invasion on real interaction. While having some merit the argument ignores the crucial positives of technology. We unlike any generation before us have defined our identities in a way unique specific to each person.

With our unlimited access to information, we as a collective age group have been able to pursue every single one of our desires. We may have become more materialistic collectively due to increased chances to market to us, but because of this saturation of different viewpoints and growing up under our progressive baby boom parents there is something different about us all.

We have become gender blind, race blind, and incredibly progressive. We accept new ideas and entertainment and judge on their merits not where they come from, hence, the explosion of the blog and YouTube.

The idea we lack political capital is ridiculous. It has never been more self evident than the recent political events. By this of course I mean the mainstream media’s inability to define the reason behind the popularity of popularity of Ron Paul, Barack Obama, gay marriage, and climate change. The last generation may have left the planet and chose space as their new frontier, but we will choose to repair our planet and each other , thus saving earth and maintaining humanity as our frontier.

When it comes to a lack of culture, it is true. Our generation has a very homogenized feel – globally. From North America to Russia, the younger the generation is not their leaders. We are something different. We are not defined by old boundaries and ideas. We are able to access movies and music like never before, and as a result, I would claim we have become more sophisticated critics. There will come a time when we control the main avenues of the media as middle aged adults. However, what will define our mainstream media differently is that we controlled it all along – following an opposite path from our parents. I would rather have a generation without culture, considered faceless than one defined by someone else or unnecessary divisions.

In the meantime I leave you with Handlebars.