I keep asking my kids why people under 35 aren’t out protesting in the streets? I can basically sum up their responses this way. They feel that most young people are so STRESSED just trying to SURVIVE that they don’t have the energy or organizational skills to March on their own. They need LEADERS.
Maine has one now in the form of @grahamformaine.bsky.social who is running against Susan Collins. He is, per our paper Bangor Daily News, averaging 300 new volunteers a day. My 22yo granddaughter is excitedly in his camp. I can see him drawing young people in a great way!
That's great news. Tx
They’ve never dealt with hardship or conflict.
Been asking myself the same.
Reporting for duty.
“There’s this dude, name of Karl Marx, who is so on fleek.”
well they aren't alone feeling that way.
They're from a generation that never had to fight their own government for democracy. They're scared. Understandably so.
Truth is they are entertained. They have so much to occupy their minds right there in their screens. They can argue and fight the good fight right here on social media...all while they watch tik tok. They spend hrs a day on screens...they could march if they wanted.
And "stressed"? Tell that to the Vietnam era where the boys were literally being lotteried to war and we had stagflation.
The younger generation has zero cope. They melt down at the smallest of obstacles. They just want snacks, phones, and Fortnite. Anything that interrupts that is met with tears and a chorus of "Brooooooo!"
ALSO, those of us who are close to retirement age have an added stake in this, and we WARNED people what would happen if they touched our SSI and Medicaid.... And no, we haven't EVEN started getting geared up. We are still in the warm-up phase.
Maybe ask what we oldsters can do to support them. Like a strike fund, only it would be a protest fund.
But we still need them.
Well, the MLK generation were the last ones in this country that had a protest movement that actually worked. Besides, I don't think it's fair to ask young people to fix what they didn't break in the first place.
None of the young people who protested the war in Vietnam or civil rights issues created them. But they protested and were effective in bringing about change. Stand up, be loud, push back for your own sake.
I'm GenX. We were told we were all too worthless to fix anything. So whatever, not our problem either. 🤷♂️
That’s some bullshit, dude. I’m GenX. That’s the age group that voted the most for Trump, so we did help create this. You’d rather live in a dictatorship?
Relax man, just giving the Boomer a hard time. All age groups had people that voted for trump, FFS. The main issue was too many people didn't vote, or threw away their vote on a bullshit candidate. That isn't as generational thing, it's a dumbass thing. We are fucked either way by dumbasses.
Yah… no
We are all just trying to survive. We are all stressed. This is life.
Sounds like the kids who say they prefer podcasts to reading for themselves. What they really want is someone to do all the work for them.
They need to *become* leaders. It's not like the rest of us aren't also stressed. It's time for young people to stop making excuses.
If they would listen to anyone older than them, it might not be so critical that they become leaders. They pretty much will not listen to anyone who is 35 or older. Therefore, they must become leaders because we can't be them for them, The majority don't accept us, or our experiences as being valid.
I'm not trying to hate on anyone. I did not trust almost anyone over 30, pretty much until I was over 30. Young people can be stupid, it's a lack of life experience. You live and hopefully you learn, and hopefully you live long enough to learn some more. 🐢
Millennials and zoomers have no grasp of the world of hurt coming at them. If they think they’re stressed now, just wait.
Ngl, this sounds very "pull themselves up by their bootstraps" kinda vibe. One person's excuses is another person's perfectly fucking valid reason.
Then they get what they get. They can enjoy a future full of criminalized miscarriages and hurricanes.
What a lovely reply. Have you conaidered that some of them might also think they'll get that anyways even if they march and protest? I mean, really, with how our politics works and how kiss as the GOP is, will marching and protesting actually do anything in the near run? (Answer is no)
Then they get what they get.
Well, what the hell is Greta Thunberg? Didn't go too well.
I don't know what Thunberg is.
Are you just emerging from a multi-year coma or something?
I know WHO she is. I don't know if she's a "leader" or just some fame-hungry grifter. And I don't really care.
😆
And there we have it - a young person trying to lead others in the fight for the planet, and that's all you took from her.
It doesn’t matter what I took from her. I am not her audience. If you find her inspirational, great. There’s your leader. Get to work.
I'm not her audience either, but you said young people need leaders in this kind of thing. I pointed one out.
It's easier to control people when your own government is destroying your daily lives.
This is on point. I have 6 people in my home across three generations, because money. Also so exhausted with every email/SMS being about sending money to the DNC. If the DNC had done anything with the money I sent in over the last decade, I might have some today.
With the democratic party still refusing to officially endorse Zohran Mamdani Maybe they see protest as pointless because the alternative party is just selling mediocrity
That’s some bullshit when the choice is this.
You don't have to like it but if you continue to disregard it, shit is likely to stay the same. I don't see fear as a motivator for a generation facing climate collapse.
I’m not disregarding anything. People like you don’t seem to understand that no candidate is going to pursue all your policies exactly as you want them. Democrats were addressing climate change while Trump’s policies will hasten collapse. That’s cutting off your nose to spite your face.
People like me just don't understand. How's that line working out for you? My policies as I want them. The majority of the country wants healthcare, education, housing, and strong social safety nets. Democrats were pandering on climate collapse. Carter was the last to do anything meaningful.
Apparently, their theme song is John Meyer's, "Waiting on the World to Change". B>S> Quit bitching, get off your asses, and become the leaders you want to follow!
im 24 and stepped up, it was really hard because I didn't know what I was doing. At the start of the year, I didn't leave my house save for work and grocery shopping, couldn't make phone calls because of nerves. I emailed a local group to get involved because the news had me on a wire's edge.
The group had 6 people at the time, now has 20 active members and 200 newsletter readers. I reached out to do graphics because I was an art kid in HS and could make posters or something, but since then I have helped build those numbers. Everyone I meet there is 30+, and I want people my age too!
I now go out 2 or more times a week to meet these people for various things - I even signed up to speak at a county meeting for public comments over ICE. I never thought I would be doing this, but meeting these people and finding a community has really shaped me. I feel good when I push back.
If you're my age reading this just take the leap: go online and look for a local group. You might think there isn't one near you but I bet there is! They aren't advertised but they are searchable. Just reach out and do a little bit of whatever you can: a huge obstacle is the lack of hands for tasks.
~clap~clap~clap~
Thank you for sharing. I hope your story inspires others to step out and step up. Keep going!
Wow! Thank you!
Everyone is stressed and just trying to survive. And the future doesn't look much better either even if they were to march and protest. That and in general, alot of people, even people under 35, just don't pay attention. So many of them might not know all that is happening.
Big time
🎯
I was out there with my 36 year old one against Stefanik winning a Young Republicans courage award. What happened for her to get it? Trump yanked the rug out from under her nomination for UN Ambassador and she said, ok. Does that count?
We are all stressed. Everybody needs to get their ass in the streets.
The stress and exhaustion are part of the plan. #Resist by Persisting. #Persist
Doing nothing to change things will be even more stressful in their near future. The loss of autonomy under the regime is a slow drip of what is becoming internalized helplessness. If not now, when ?
There are organizations in all 50 states organizing protests. All they have to do is show up.
THIS IS THE ANSWER. OR GET THE ICEBLOCK APP AND BE ABOUT THAT SHIT. There’s so much happening g not getting reported on. They just need to ask. The same 11 volunteers I see for every campaign here isn’t going to cut it. They’re mostly seniors, anyway.
Do the people know about these organizations? That's an important question.
www.nokings.org/rise
www.teslatakedown.com
www.fiftyfifty.one/events
linktr.ee/revolution2025
See, I know about some of these. My statement was how much lots of other folks know about them. And I guarantee you that alot of folks don't know or haven't heard about these.
Oh PULEEZE!!!
My 40+ aged sons are too busy raising their kids, sending them to college, or my 20+ year old grandkids are struggling to survive at all. Babies on the way and it's going to get worse. I spend every day vacillating between anger and sorrow. Little hope. Very little faith we can stop them. VOTE BLUE
Those are bullshit excuses. My parents were politically active when we were kids. Both of them worked. They’d rather live in a country that’s a dictatorship with an economy like Argentina?
I honestly don’t think that’s it. I’m an older millennial (84) and the culture of resistance I grew up around seems to have vanished entirely. We didn’t have many leaders and when we did their approval was only based on representing will. Young people think online bullshit is activism now…
“Starter packs” are the way to go here on Blue. People are more interested in followers than they are about democracy.
Yeah I don’t really give a shit about followers. I find arguments that interest me and if they’re bad faith, I troll, and if they’re ignorant, I try to educate. I pick up a follower or two at a time
Priorities! Values! Their future is on the line, stop gaming, start protesting!
Please see the history of the Vietnam war protests, led by young people who changed US policy.
With rents that a single roomie could pay while they were out protesting.
These kids need to have a reality check. This is their future being taken away. Their rights being taken away.
Ok boomer
I thought it was funny 🥴
And unproductive. An easy out.
Lighten up
It’s not funny. It’s old.
Omg you can’t do better than that? 😒
Okie dokie boomer?
It’s not the insult you think it is.
Well, I'm a boomer...so there's that. AND for the record, it was a joke not an insult. I mean if I were out to insult I would done something like
You don’t consider someone saying to someone with my type of handle “ok boomer” an insult? I mean I’m not insulted with the term personally but the way you used it it certainly feels that way. Maybe a boomer should not use that term with a boomer.
Look Grandma, you opened with "These kids need to have a reality check. " Now, you tell me, is that boomer talk or no? Indeed it is. Settle down and take a shot of Geritol or something.
You don’t consider someone saying to someone with my type of handle “ok boomer” an insult? I mean I’m not insulted with the term personally but the way you used it it certainly feels that way. Maybe a boomer should use that term with a boomer.
Some of them might not think they have much of a future anyways and are thus focused purely on the present.
They need to understand that the super wealthy in this country would love to take what little they do have away from them and turn them into little worker bees. Take away the American dream.
I mean many already are just worker bees. And on that other front, depends how one defines the American Dream. Some might already see it as gone or unattainable (or have decided to change their definition of it)
When I was 18, I protested the Vietnam War. Then for women's rights. We didn't have any role models. We learned through trial and error. Im 72. I thought i was done with this crap. But im right back out there doing it again because Gen z might whine. In the protests you see a hell of lot boomers
Agree. But I'm tired of fighting, then having generations of idiots become self absorbed (reality tv, Kardashians, etc) & let those things slide. They are the ones who will have to live with trump & project 2025.
I agree with you.
I've seen young people at protests. A lot of them don't show up in bigger ways because they're also queer, trans, POC, young parents, work 4 jobs, or neurospicy and the stakes are higher for them, it's not that they don't care. I do see young people caring
I’m sure many do care. I think it’s too difficult for many of them to go.
the sixty's were no @#$% holiday that excuse doesn't wash
Well damn! We were stressed back in my day too during our protests. Vietnam draft, fear of the draft, dads/sons leaving families for war, financial stress, shot for beliefs (Kent State). Survival was real - but we did it anyway. And don’t get me started on the stresses during the women’s rights era.
'Young people' are also working full time/multiple jobs because the economic situation is significantly worse than back in your day, and many protests take place during standard work hours. I can't tell you how many protests I've missed bc they run 4-6 and I can't get there til 5:45. Be kinder.
First - pls do your research. The economy during those years was horrible, thanks to Nixon. Unemployment 5-6%, major recession. Yet - we still made sacrifices to do what was right - some with their life. We had night events. We always found a way because we had to. So pls be kind
🎯 it’s about time someone said this. And thank God George Washington wasn’t stressed out. If people can’t come to the streets to save democracy, I may not be able make it to the polls.
I hear ya. It seems this generation and the one before rely more on emails, etc - which don’t do one bit of good. I know it doesn’t w Coryn who gives flippant and stupid responses. I want to see the turn out like Israel just had whose people are sick of it and willing to make the sacrifices
Unfortunately, there will never be another 60's, 70's generation. We were the perfect storm for protests. ✌️♥️
We revolutionized and changed our society. We were the best generation. Im actually Gen Jones but you know what i mean
I do, and we were.
I see many young people at the protests I have attended.
Not they, we all need leaders.
New word-PROTESTANATION. People have the power! Need to organize protest in the millions and shut the USA down completely.Enforce justice like they've never seen. It can be done! Or else... Time to take ownership of our Country!!! Trump must go!! Young organizers needed, where are you.Share/repost
We are living the results of an evil, sick, twisted, narcissistic, racist that lied and fooled a third of American population and another third refused to vote. Now we live and learn cause he owns every branch of government for now.
Results of 30 years of gaming and social media. Missed the real world and how it works.
The ones that I have asked have all said that they just don’t have time.
Stressed?? They will be known as the generation that gave democracy away.
BS, I call BS!! I'm turning 81 next week and I show up every Saturday to protest in #KeeneNH I don't protest for myself, but for the future of this country. Young people are the ones who will suffer if things don't turn around. NOTHING IS MORE IMPORTANT right now. Get out there September 1st! 💙
Cool, I have an inhaler that is $780 without the insurance my job provides. Saturdays are mandatory.
Well, If Saturdays are work days for you, don't jeopardize your job to protest. There's a national protest coming up on Monday, Labor Day. Hopefully, you won't have to work on that holiday, but I know many people will. People need to wake up and show up. 💙
It's my 2nd biggest sale holiday.
What does that mean? You'd rather shop for a bargain than resist fascism?
No, I'm labor, and required to work that day.
Meanwhile, Russians hit Ukraine with ballistic missles, drones, and shelling all day every night, and Ukie young people protested for 4 days till the government changed an unpopular non democratic resolution passed into law. Excuses these U.S. people will pay for with decades of despair.
That's just what trump hoped for....a world of people to down trodden to fight back.
Well, I see many older people out there, and they are tired and stressed out also
Unfortunately, it's going to get a whole lot worse in Trump's Fascist term. We need their help now, not later. Parents need to explain what is at stake for all of us, if greedy T becomes our ignorant Dictator! He's already going to increase our Nat'l debt up $5 trillion just for his rich, alone!
Is this where we feel the effects of a generation raised by helicopter parents who over scheduled their kids’ time to the point they never learned how to navigate free time?
And yet all those pro Palestine protests a year ago 🤔
Key here is ENERGY + ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS. 35 and under do not use critical thinking skills due to Social Media such as Tiktok, Insta, Meta as it has always been about them and selfies. They dont learn in school civics and how important a democracy is. Thus they have NEVER BEEN ENGAGED.
You're on social media right now, and I think you have critical thinking skills still, so I wouldn't say that's a reason. I think it is moreso the degradation of education like you mentioned and lack of parental guidance/intervention of appropriate free time.
I wouldn’t say all. I think it’s partly an economic issue for many people. Some young people can’t afford to take time off work or they just don’t have the $ to travel to a protest. They may not have childcare.
Yes however many protests nationally also happen on weekends again lets say majority and that is tens of millions that are checked out
a lot of young people work weekends and have unstable schedules that change often because work is hard to get. People are checked out but most of these people don't know there are groups resisting out here. Mainstream news doesn't even cover some of the national protests, if they do it's minimal.
myself and a lot of my friends have to work weekends. besides, a lot of these "national protests" are more or less staged demostrations as opposed to genuine protest. genuine protest to me would be something like LA 1992. but even if we DID try that, it'd get labeled a "riot," same as in 1992.
i think a big reason why a lot of young people don't take to the streets is because we know that most "law and order" liberals won't support mass disruption, mostly due to ~250 years of manufactured consent in favor of the united states government.
As a 61 year old, the complacency of the upper middle class makes enraged.
class absolutely plays into this as well and i'm thankful that you brought it up, as that's why you saw a lot of people (republican and democrat) talking about bullshit like "property damage" in the wake of the black lives matter protests. it reframed justified violence as "barbarous."
I live in very wealthy city and many of these people are my peers (I’m a designer and artist so not in the same income category). They just look at me like I’m weird when I say things like capitalism shouldn’t exist or when I connect the dots for cause and effect. They just want the homeless gone.
There you go, don't do anything. But you will be hugely upset later. Just now watching a Netflix movie about Norway, Number 24. It is inspiring.
They need commitment. If they sit on their precious little hands waiting for a “white knight” to appear they will soon discover their “stress” and trying to “survive” will be happy memories under the dictatorship.
Your kids have a pretty good grasp of it. Late stage capitalism gives us just enough to hold on to so we won't fight back too hard. We have to work all day, every day that we can or else we lose everything. It makes large scale, sustained protests almost impossible. It's pretty diabolical.
Where are you that the majority of protesters are over 35??
Local folks also lead protests! against Trump & his lying Cabal.
Let's lead them to the streets. Nationwide peaceful protest this Labor Day, Sept 1st. Workers over billionaires. #resist Find an event here: Mobilize.us
The conclusion is right but the reason given is an excuse. In every third world country where there have been mass protests, surviving was much harder and stressful. A more likely real answer is that if the media and opposition politicians are not in crisis mode, then the threat doesn’t feel real.
To sum up: Why aren’t people protesting? Because no one is calling on them to do so. Because established leaders are shirking their responsibility to do so. New leaders mostly don’t spontaneously emerge, and stories that claim so are usually apocryphal or misleading.
David Hogg!
I’m blown away at how many of them (really all ages) have no idea what the fuck is happening in this country. I almost wish I could be that naïve or ignorant or whatever it is that is causing half of this country to be asleep at the wheel.
Yup. Almost as if it were by design.
What kind? There are a few good ones out there fighting for us but maybe they're too old for kids to follow? 😩