She defined the young people (aged 24-39) as living in a world of precariousness. Their boundaries are gone. But that's not their doing. The attitudes and guardrails of American life in the XXth century are gone, crumbled, eroded. These Millenials are shaped by 9-11 and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and perhaps most clearly reshaped by the two major social and street activism moments of "Occupy Wall Street" and "Black lives matter." So says Alter. Her points are fascinating to consider.
She says that Barack Obama, who won on the strength of the young people's vote, disappointed them because he couldn't fix the systemic problems. That's why so many turned to leaderless actions in the Occupy movements and the "black lives matter" calls because there was no singular leader to those events.
The question then is who will lead them?
And will they vote for a Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren at the ballot box, and not only show up at a rally?
Are they only enamored by the event and the possibility of change from the Donald to someone who will give them free health care or daycare for their children?
The questions loom large.
I was disappointed in the interview because Zakaria had promised something about the new politicians to be the candidates of the future, and then they didn't even discuss this at all. Alter does talk about that in her new book.
I'm hopeful that there will be new blood on the horizon. Maybe Yang or Booker or Buttigieg or Ocasio-Cortez represent substantial age change. And maybe they will have their day in the sun in the years to come. And maybe these Millenials will be less personality-driven than others. But then again, the proof is in the future pudding.
@CharlotteAlter
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