we are here to do great things.

I am in a perpetual state of optimism despite being acutely aware of the crippling issues our society faces every day. Perhaps I have some innate ability to look at the bright side of things, or perhaps I am constantly inspired by my generation that I have no choice but to believe that things will get better.

I hate when older generations, particularly the Baby Boomers and such, comment on the downfall of society and how things are so much worse today than back in “the good ol’ days” when they were young. Yes, perhaps the divorce rates have increased, more illegal drugs are on the market, and children are being exposed to the sexual media influence at an earlier age. But we have also invented the Internet, made medical breakthroughs, and advanced technology beyond the realm of imagination. While globalization has exploited third world workers, it has also given those workers the ability to transfer money from the city to their families in the countryside, all by mobile phone. Even though global warming is melting the ice caps and causing increasingly violent storms, we have landed on Mars and the potential for space exploration and occupation is ever-approaching possibility.

And, dear Baby Boomers, many of these domestic issues we face today were caused by your ignorance and wastefulness, and my generation is left to clean up your messes. The epidemic of homelessness may have been avoided had Reagan not elimitated HUD funding for public housing. Families wouldn’t have to choose between groceries or a doctor’s visit if universal health care had been implemented years ago. Global warming and pollution could have been mediated if major corporations hadn’t been so reckless with their production techniques and waste disposal habits.

Being at a world-class educational institution keeps me surrounded by peers who are determined to right the wrongs of past generations and to constantly improve the state of our social welfare. Living in this bubble, how can I not be optimistic? Just today I stumbled across an article on a teacher who, 6 years ago, set a goal with her 5th grade students to break the Guinness World Record for “Largest Book”. Their book would be on peace, and would include thoughts on peace from world leaders. The Dalai Lama, Nelson Mandela, and Jimmy Carter have contributed letters to this book, and it is well on its way to being published. As these former 5th graders get ready to graduate from high school this year, they have grown up imagining peace and are set to take on the world. My favorite quote came from a (surprisingly) insightful 13-year old student.

We in America fight for luxury, but many people in other parts of the world fight for life - like, to have a life.

I anxiously await the day when our generation takes command of this country, because my eternal optimism tells me that we - a generation with divorced parents, access to illegal drugs, and exposure to sexual media - will be more than capable of cleaning up messes.