On students and apathy

I do not think that the current generation is apathetic. Their minds and eyes are just simply overshadowed by what the media has chosen to put forward. Although it is hard to determine if the interest of the current generation has modified the media or if it is in fact the media who has shaped the thinking of the current generation. But one thing is for sure, the media and the Y generation cannot survive without the presence of each other. I wouldn’t exactly call students nowadays apathetic, they are just passive in terms of the method they obtain information and also their attitude towards politics and current issues. As the media now focuses more on entertainment and sports news, this information is subtly but surely infiltrating the minds of young people even if they are not consciously paying attention to it. Basically the popular trends are set by what the media displays. For instant, when the Friends sitcom became a hit, girls began to follow the way ‘Rachel’ styled her hair. When hip hop/rap music started to top the Billboard chart, suddenly everyone walks, talks and dresses like 50 cents. The most covered stories currently are probably the presidential election and the majority of the youngsters are well aware if not enthusiastic regarding the matter. During the war between America and Iraq, many of them are concerned and heartfelt on the issue as well and the coverage of the war was massive. What I am trying to point out here is the relationship between the media and its young audiences. Because they have so much more to worry about now, like their studies, like dealing with the terrible boss where they work to earn the increasing tuition as well as their social life, they are so occupied now they have only so much time to absorb whatever that is given to them by the media.

            During each presidential campaigns, candidates for the post promise to change and improve the condition of the country giving the people hope for a better place to live in. And over and over again, they are disappointed by the promises that never came true. No wonder the nationalism and passion for their homeland slowly wear off to the extent that they become so jaded with the whole situation. The youngsters are not entirely to be blamed for their lukewarm response towards political issues.