The promise of the future

When you do Modern History at school and learn about the great peace movements of the 1960's (and Gandhi of course) - you get all excited about the future. There is an immense let-down once you realise that things are never as simple as they seem.

Much of the generation that all happened to either got jaded, let it slide or were never interested in the first place. We tend to think everyone subscribed to the the 60's peace-nic way. Sure, they liked the Beatles, and they were alternative types.... but the Beatles were art students; not all of their fans were.

Some changed, some didn't, but the impetus died. It's only in places where things are insufferable that people rise up and make change. Things are too comfortable in the West and even though we can see rough patches in store because of the way society is headed, very few people are willing to speak up. Complacency and responsibility took over many of the 60's 'radicals' (what's radical about wanting everyone to have rights, live in peace, make their own choices and be nice to each other anyway?) lives - it is left to the fresh new young radicals to effect change...

.... and where are the current crop? Going to user-pays universities with optional union membership.... or not going at all because they can't afford to pay; so they work for a company that discourages union membership and doesn't keep any employee long enough to have dissent anyway. Keep 'em poor and on their toes paying for the necessities of life; they'll never learn what they are missing.