Word: civics
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...Catalan living in London and, of course, a great Barcelona club supporter. Usually Catalans are portrayed as selfish people focused upon their narrow-minded identity, but your article offers an evenhanded take on what my nation is - a small but vibrant, civic and open community. Ivan Serrano-Balaguer London
Looking back on my time here, I find it hard not to ask why so many bright, passionate, and interested students are so disinterested and distanced from civic life, particularly compared to previous generations. We may spend hours reading blogs and The New York Times to procrastinate. We may even have an occasional dining hall conversation about current events. But how many of us have ever participated in a protest or even know the names of our elected officials...
More and more it seems that the problem our generation will face is not merely apathy but total disengagement from civic life. Many philosophers and social critics have tried to isolate this problem. It’s not a new one. Marx called it alienation, Durkhiem said it was Anomie, and de Tocqueville called it individualism. Whatever you call it, this old problem seems to be a greater challenge now more than ever...
Previous generations became invested and engaged in American civic discourse precisely because of the sacrifices they were asked to make. Our grandparents endured the Great Depression and World War II. They were asked to ration, to cut back on luxury and spending for a greater purpose. They also were the generation that implemented Social Security, the ultimate example of making a current sacrifice for a future benefit...
...parent’s generation had the Vietnam War. They were not as uniformly committed to the cause in the way their parents were to World War II. However, the threat of a draft pulled them into civic discourse. Many ran for office, protested, and became radicals. They managed to get a constitutional amendment passed that lowered the voting age to 18, elected a new crop of congressmen, and eventually ended the war. Both those who supported and opposed the war saw an opportunity to allow their voices to be heard and wanted to participate in American democracy. The sacrifice...