Effective Immediately: Zero Tolerance for Generation Bashing

One of the big questions facing ICPJ is how to deal with generation change between 60s and 70s-era activists and younger activists (more on that later).

That’s  why, effective immediately, I’m observing a zero-tolerance policy for generation bashing in activist circles.

No longer will I silently sit by as people dismiss younger generations for not living up to some mythic standard of 60s anti-draft organizing or bemoan the “quiescence” of today’s students.

Nor will I tolerate people upbraiding older generations for being out of touch or selling out (though I hear much less of this).

If I hear such generation bashing, my plan is to call the person on it. If they don’t stop, I’ll give them a simple choice: stop the bashing to continue the meeting without me (hmm, a similar policy could work well for sexist, racist, homophobic, or classist comments; though I rarely get these is activist settings).

Why the hard line?

1. I’m sick of the bashing (and I’m sick right not too, so probably especially grumpy);
2. the bashing ignores generational differences such as the placating effect of increased affluence, post-Watergate  cynicism, the lack of a draft, and technology change;
3. the bashing ignores other forms of involvement, such as through-the-roof levels of volunteerism among younger generations; and
4. it’s just plain bad organizing. You don’t recruit new followers by demeaning them.

Now back to our previously-scheduled organizing.