Fountain of Youth
“The youth of a nation are the trustees of posterity.” – Benjamin Disraeli
After stumbling upon an interview of Anya Kamenetz, I ventured to her web site to learn more about her writings. Kamenetz is one of the youngest-ever columnists for the Village Voice and the author of Generation Debt: The New Economics of Being Young.
Glancing at all her adorable promotional photos makes this 38-year-old woman wonder why the young and the beautiful have any reason to complain. But hear me out. She makes some valid points about her generation of twentysomethings.
“Contrary to popular stereotypes, the reason kids are moving back in with their parents, can’t land career-path jobs, and take longer to graduate from college and settle down isn’t just a widespread generational laziness or some other pervasive psychological flaw. The reason, Kamenetz argues, is overwhelmingly economic.”
I intend to buy the book. She reveals in the MoneyPants interview that her now not-so-secret indulgence is “ego-surfing online, checking her Amazon rankings, etc.” And while admitting to the world that “this is really a filthy dirty guilt pleasure” you have to love her honesty – most of us would be doing the same if we actually got published.
I’m sure my friend at My Open Wallet will beat me to the punch by actually reading it and posting a review in a New York minute. But remember, I’m the master-skimmer and there is enough posted on the Internet to get the gist without ever reading it. However, I will make the purchase because there’s a part of me that appreciates her drive for Amazon sales.
So back to the book… the mainstream media often paints a picture of Kamenetz’ generation as having a sense of entitlement. The root cause of their predicament is consumerism and being forever subsidized by their boomer-parents. But that’s like saying all the Gen X-ers in my generation are slackers. In fact, Kamenetz convincingly argues that the strike against her peers is merely the result of a broader economic force.
Generation Debt grew out of a series of columns that she wrote for the Village Voice. Kamenetz says, “Her group got a raw economic deal and proposes the AARP as a model for her generation to get political clout and take on their issues.”
She believes, “Young Americans fight for every cause but their own.” So she asks the question, “Why don’t young people yet realize they constitute a class at a systemic disadvantage?”
She continues in the Village Voice with, “Young progressives tend to be compelled toward global causes, away from what they might see as narrow self-interest. Each year, for example, Mother Jones magazine honors the top 10 activist campuses in the nation. From 2001 to 2003, the list featured campaigns involving free speech, the war in Iraq, AIDS, the drug war, and a living wage. Completely absent were issues like loan rates, debt burden, health insurance, and the dearth of entry-level jobs. No one’s getting 30,000 people to march down Broadway to restore cuts in Pell grants, or to force the creation of affordable urban housing for young families.”
Hmmm… the world will be hearing more from Anya Kamenetz. I think she’s captured the voice of a generation and her ego-surfing moments are well deserved!
After stumbling upon an interview of Anya Kamenetz, I ventured to her web site to learn more about her writings. Kamenetz is one of the youngest-ever columnists for the Village Voice and the author of Generation Debt: The New Economics of Being Young.
Glancing at all her adorable promotional photos makes this 38-year-old woman wonder why the young and the beautiful have any reason to complain. But hear me out. She makes some valid points about her generation of twentysomethings.
“Contrary to popular stereotypes, the reason kids are moving back in with their parents, can’t land career-path jobs, and take longer to graduate from college and settle down isn’t just a widespread generational laziness or some other pervasive psychological flaw. The reason, Kamenetz argues, is overwhelmingly economic.”
I intend to buy the book. She reveals in the MoneyPants interview that her now not-so-secret indulgence is “ego-surfing online, checking her Amazon rankings, etc.” And while admitting to the world that “this is really a filthy dirty guilt pleasure” you have to love her honesty – most of us would be doing the same if we actually got published.
I’m sure my friend at My Open Wallet will beat me to the punch by actually reading it and posting a review in a New York minute. But remember, I’m the master-skimmer and there is enough posted on the Internet to get the gist without ever reading it. However, I will make the purchase because there’s a part of me that appreciates her drive for Amazon sales.
So back to the book… the mainstream media often paints a picture of Kamenetz’ generation as having a sense of entitlement. The root cause of their predicament is consumerism and being forever subsidized by their boomer-parents. But that’s like saying all the Gen X-ers in my generation are slackers. In fact, Kamenetz convincingly argues that the strike against her peers is merely the result of a broader economic force.
Generation Debt grew out of a series of columns that she wrote for the Village Voice. Kamenetz says, “Her group got a raw economic deal and proposes the AARP as a model for her generation to get political clout and take on their issues.”
She believes, “Young Americans fight for every cause but their own.” So she asks the question, “Why don’t young people yet realize they constitute a class at a systemic disadvantage?”
She continues in the Village Voice with, “Young progressives tend to be compelled toward global causes, away from what they might see as narrow self-interest. Each year, for example, Mother Jones magazine honors the top 10 activist campuses in the nation. From 2001 to 2003, the list featured campaigns involving free speech, the war in Iraq, AIDS, the drug war, and a living wage. Completely absent were issues like loan rates, debt burden, health insurance, and the dearth of entry-level jobs. No one’s getting 30,000 people to march down Broadway to restore cuts in Pell grants, or to force the creation of affordable urban housing for young families.”
Hmmm… the world will be hearing more from Anya Kamenetz. I think she’s captured the voice of a generation and her ego-surfing moments are well deserved!
posted by Nina Smith at 6:31 AM
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