tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1766480662363186608.post5293699369386941324..comments2023-10-15T08:33:17.704-04:00Comments on What People Know: Millennials Predict an Obama Loss in 2012Hollanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07388479139384630638noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1766480662363186608.post-32887996149546741692011-12-29T14:24:00.578-05:002011-12-29T14:24:00.578-05:00This is an interesting article, and I'd agree ...This is an interesting article, and I'd agree that millennials tend to be pessimistic. I don't, however, follow the connection between pessimism and not caring; to say that there's a cause & effect relationship is jumping to a pretty tenuous conclusion. One could say just as easily conclude if a person doesn't care, he or she is going to assume things will turn out alright, instead of worrying so hard that they won't. Many millennials <i>are</i> disappointed and cynical about the future, but saying that you're disappointed about the way things are going and unenthusiastic about your current options doesn’t mean you don't care. And comparatively speaking, the first Obama election was pretty exceptional in terms of enthusiasm on any scale, and would be hard to match. <br /><br />As for cynicism, millennials grew up post-Vietnam and are living in an increasingly cynical age. At least one or two corrupt and hypocritical politicians are outed per year, the loud, petulant, and selfish Tea Party movement is getting a disproportionate amount of media coverage, and the current political climate is one of discord, pandering, and disrespect. You'd have to be made of some pretty strong stuff to remain an idealist while coming of age today as a caring person, especially in a culture as selfish as ours has become.Hollyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02037424453138865930noreply@blogger.com