Defining the Filipino youth

Wednesday, 13 October 2004

Defining the Filipino youth

It has become fashionable to heap scorn on the youth for being an apathetic lot. We are often derided as the crazed generation of party-goers, mall creatures and texting fanatics who have little or no sense of civic duty.

We are accused of forgetting the nation’s past in favor of MTV. The young know more about the lives of Startruck/Star Circle Quest winners than Wenceslao Vinzons, Lorena Barros or Lorenzo Tanada.

We are labeled as belonging to Gen-X, Y or Z (now Gentext) or the lost generation who wanders aimlessly in the postmodern era.

Rizal may be either regretting in his grave for placing high hopes on the youth or biting dust in anger on people who mocks the youth without reason.

I submit to the charge that we prize hedonistic activities, and yes we are addicted to TV, texting and mall-hopping. I disagree that we are apathetic or has no concept of social responsibility.

Is not the active participation of the youth in People Power II enough proof to erase any doubt on young Filipinos? In fact, students have been knocking at the gates of Malacanang even before the Chavit expose to protest tuition increases and budget cuts for the education sector.

Indeed we are text maniacs but we also use texting to gain political victories for the people like spreading Erap-Pidal-FPJ jokes, updating the public on EDSA Dos activities and recently, pressuring Speaker De Venecia and Malacanang to thumb down the proposed tax on text.

There were moves to abolish ROTC as early as the 60’s but it was our generation who achieved the goal by boycotting military training in July of 2002 as protest to the killing of cadets who wanted reforms in ROTC.

The generation before us opposed the Vietnam war and the US Bases by marching in the streets. Our generation protested the illegal invasion of Iraq by joining then Vice President Guingona in a Peace Assembly at Luneta last year. So far it remains the biggest gathering of Filipinos who opposed the war in Iraq.

Scholars are now re-interpreting the complaints by American Thomasites such as the refusal of Filipino children to attend school, making-up of stories in order to skip classes and being oblivious to the lectures given by the foreign teachers as the natives’ ingenious way of showing dissent to colonial rule.

Perhaps this partly explains the behavior of some young people who are disillusioned with the kind of society we have. By withdrawing from the community and concentrating on oneself or forming ties with like-minded, angst-driven, confused individuals, they hoped to be immune from the corrupting virus of mainstream culture. By rejecting politics, they wanted escape from uninspiring, shallow and greedy traditional politicians.

It is unfair to gauge the youth’s love of country today by comparing them with how the youth of the 60’s and 70’s demonstrated their concern for the ills of society. We also want change. We also want to eradicate poverty, corruption and injustice. All of them are obstacles to a bright future. We may not be using the streets as often as before, but the passion and idealism to be catalysts for change have not diminished.