If you are an eco activist over 35 and you find yourself saying ‘where are the youth? They’re not here! They don’t care!’
I want to ask you:
Why are you asking this question?
Why are you making this assumption?
What are you basing this on?
I have come across this ‘youth grumble grumble’ sentiment more times than I can count.
And I am asking you to consider redirecting this energy elsewhere.
Here are a few places you can redirect the energy.
First, let’s look at your assumptions.
Just because you don’t see the youth being active doesn’t mean the youth aren’t active.
Do you really know what they are doing? Maybe they are doing things you can’t see because you are not young. You are not young in the year 2024.
Maybe their activism doesn’t look like what you think it should. This is not the 60s or the 70s or the 80s or the 90s or the early 2000s or even five years ago.
This is a completely different time and activism might not look like what it used to look like and, let's be honest, the fact that the older demographics can’t see it is probably to its advantage.
Not all activism fits all people all the time.
This brings me to the next assumption. The idea that there is a right way to do things.
I know there is a vision in place in certain circles that the only way to do activism is to do it a certain way: such as host events, preferably ones with really high attendance, have ongoing straightforward communication to the public at large, rally and march, sign petitions, canvass and knock on doors, try to build up your volunteer and fundraising base, plead to your political representatives, urge people to vote, write an op ed or a letter, maybe occasionally do some community art, and basically that’s about it.
Let’s now ask some questions about this oft assumed ‘correct’ process.
Is this the only way to do things?
Why must this be the default model?
Is it working effectively all the time?
If you do something different, is it wrong? If you think it is wrong, why do you think that? ‘Wrong’ according to whom?
What is missing from this model?
I can name five things off the top of my head that are missing from this model.
Number One: ongoing organisational self reflection on how biases (like ableism, misogyny, white supremacy) and barriers (societal structures, such as transportation, time, wealth, status) may impede others participation in the above. (Are these being addressed in the design of your brand of activism?)
Number Two: a stronger focus on cultivating relationships as a primary goal, meaning, not seeing people, youth included, as a means to an end, as ‘audience’ or ‘attendees’ or ‘volunteers’ or ‘funders’ who can do something for your group/cause, but instead seeing people as co-creators in a mutually meaningful endeavour.
Number Three: Addressing the needs of people more directly by building alternative networks and systems within one’s local community that help circumvent the structural barriers. For example, if you demand a decrease in one’s climate footprint and yet there is no alternative provided by the government to driving a car, what might you, as an organization, collectively create or put in place to help local people circumvent that barrier? (Start addressing straightforward inefficiencies with intentional practicalities and there is a LOT that might change about activism).
Number Four: an intentional recognition of emotion, knowing that sometimes activism requires, indeed, demands, stopping the activity to connect authentically as human beings on an emotional level. Or, in Other words, noticing and being with emotion is the activity.
Number Five: a willingness to toss the ‘correct’ methods aside and start fresh with new ideas and fresh perspectives.
So here are five things that do not fit the ‘correct’ model but I believe are worthy of consideration as workable alternatives for current mainstream groups here in Simcoe right now.
Imagine how many more alternatives might be happening right now within other demographics that we (meaning older white eco activists like myself) can’t (and don’t need to) see…
I also find myself wondering why this particular complaint keeps arising as it does within older activists. Why does this sense of blame keep being placed on the younger generation for their supposed ‘inattentiveness’?
What exactly are you expecting ‘the youth’ to attend to?
If they suddenly showed up where you are, what do you think would happen or change?
Why is there the sense that ‘the youth’ MUST be involved in what you are doing?
Why are you so frustrated with them right now?
Who are you really talking about? I mean, who are ‘the youths’ exactly?
Is it ‘the youths’ that are a problem? What are you hoping for?
Sometimes I think one of the motivations behind this is a desire for more multigenerational connection. In which case maybe this ain’t about the youths, but rather…a desire for eldership?
At the heart of this complaint there are emotions (see Number Four) and perhaps we should pause with intent as Number Four suggests in order to consider this emotional request which also seems to call us into a deeper mode of being, a breaking of isolation (see Number Two: relationships).
Instead of asking why the youths aren’t here maybe instead ask how might our organization become more multigenerational? (Which is a different focus with an entirely different energy.)
Or how might we offer our assistance to other generations?
Or how might we strengthen the bonds within our own generation?
Or how might we be less isolated from one another?
In which case, we are again outside the bounds of the ‘correct’ model because the focus of activism has most definitely shifted to self reflection (number one), relationships (number two), restructuring community to address practical needs (number three), recognizing emotion (number four) and embracing new modes and priorities (number five).
The complaint/question about the so-called ‘inattentive and uncaring youths’ that I started this piece with is actually a deeply generative location.
It leads to an inquiry that is worth sticking with in order to uncover what it reveals about those who keep saying this.
I think it keeps being said because the feelings behind it keep wanting to be addressed.
Something within seeks something more.
The ‘correct’ model is no longer sufficient or satisfying.
Additional models of activism beckon.
Weekly News Digest - “The Blowhole”
Making climate data more accessible and up to date Climate Pulse is a website created by the Copernicus Climate Change Service which is part of the European Union’s Space Agency. Data is updated in “near real time” meaning within a few days.
Given that the “carbon tax” is such a hot topic, here’s a refresher on what it is and how it works from The Narwhal: https://thenarwhal.ca/topics/carbon-tax-canada/
And here is some great information from the Rescue Lake Simcoe Coalition on the health of Lake Simcoe in 2024. Of particular interest is this part: “We expect these to be the last robust recommendations made by the Lake Simcoe Science Committee as it is now headed by development lawyer Marvin Geist, not a scientist. The scientists whose tenures began before the Ford administration’s appointments expire in March of this year.”
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