NYT writes in-depth article on the phenomenon of young people protesting

[BeyondGeography]

everywhere (apparently) but here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/28/world/as-scorn-for-vote-grows-protests-surge-around-globe.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1

MADRID — Hundreds of thousands of disillusioned Indians cheer a rural activist on a hunger strike. Israel reels before the largest street demonstrations in its history. Enraged young people in Spain and Greece take over public squares across their countries...

Oh, yes, there's a throwaway line about the Wall St. protest, but the outside world, that's what's really messed up.

Plus, it's not really messed up that much. what's really interesting is all the cute new technology and the creative ways of thinking:

The critical mass of wiki and mapping tools, video and social networking sites, the communal news wire of Twitter and the ease of donations afforded by sites like PayPal makes coalitions of like-minded individuals instantly viable.

“You’re looking at a generation of 20- and 30-year-olds who are used to self-organizing,” said Yochai Benkler, a director of the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University. “They believe life can be more participatory, more decentralized, less dependent on the traditional models of organization, either in the state or the big company. Those were the dominant ways of doing things in the industrial economy, and they aren’t anymore.”

Meantime, you could never find people here who say things like this young Israeli, who kind of gets to the heart of the matter right after the nod to the distraction of tactics:

“The political system has abandoned its citizens,” Mr. Levi said. “We have lost a sense of responsibility for one another.”

Boy, once you leave our shores, things are so screwy.

[Javaman]

1. One thing in common about all protests is an age demographic and how it's reflected

in it's per captia ratio.

When a nation has more people between the ages of 15- 30 years old (the US in the 1960's) you have a greater chance of protests.

If you look at the age ratio of the various middle eastern nations that are currently protesting you will see the same demographic: roughly 20-30 year olds.

Over the last several years, on DU and on a few other boards I frequent, there are people always lamenting over why no one is protesting here in the US anymore.

Simple, the age demographic in the US is now 50-65. Essentially, the same baby boomers who protested in the '60's and 70's.

The question now that needs to be asked is: why are these older people who once protested in the '60's and '70's now not protesting en masse as they once did?

Economics.

When you are a student, aside from your studies, you have more free time and less economic worries.

As people age, kids, family, bills, mortgages, comfort, the banality of life, cynicism and apathy set in from a life time of worry, fear and the realization of being a pawn kicks in.

Granted, there are many people within this age bracket that still protest, but for the majority of them, they don't.

However, the reality of a horrible economy, limited jobs, no opportunity are finally waking people up.

I'm certainly hoping that this wall street takeover protests reignites that passion. It seems to be, but it's still early. And winter hasn't set in yet.

Protesting is nice in the good weather, but NYC is now entering into the cold rainy miserable season.

I hope they hang tough.