Vent via Blog

I'm not one to be super vocal. I mean I stand up for what I believe in, but I rather take a back seat in order to avoid confrontation. I didn't use to be that way. In fact, I used to be a brat sometimes, sharing my opinion even when unwanted. I grew out of it and thought it was maturity taking place, but really it was me conforming to become a non-pot stirrer. I think it's a sad thing, but not that uncommon. Somewhere in my education I was taught to keep my opinions to myself and then I'd likable. After four years of teaching, I'm learning that being likable isn't the only thing that matters. Giving a damn does.
Each day I walk into a class full of students who couldn't care less. They'd rather be texting or facebooking, or blogging . . . or gaming, or watching some form of media (most of those verbs didn't even exist when I was a teenager and I'm young). They don't care about government or education or human rights. Granted, they're teenagers, but I remember knowing things in high school. Maybe I was above average, but I don't think so. I remember watching the news and knowing that CNN is a news channel and not an abbreviation for Cartoon Network. I knew why my parents chose to be affiliated with the political parties they chose. I remember having discussions with my brother Bret about a million things in preparation for my own debates. I remember seeing the world through a critical eye.
I was at a speech meet this weekend and one of my extemporaneous speakers asked me what a Democrat is. I can't tell you how shocked I looked, but I could tell you that she was shocked I was shocked. In what arena of life would she have ever been expected to know what a Democrat stands for or believes in? Who expects her to care or know? The only eye my teenage students are looking at the world through is a lowercase i. If they can get it through an app on their iPhone or iTouch, they know it. But what kind of filter is that?
An entitled one. My facebook status today is "why does this generation of teens (or is it everyone?) feel so entitled to everything? 'What's in it for me?' 'If it exists it should be mine.' 'Do this for me because then it will be correct and the way you want it.' Shut up and work for something! Then maybe life will have meaning . . . That I can't do for you." Harsh, maybe. But lately, all I feel is drained when I get home from school. I used to teach and work in a place with imagination and creativity. Now sometimes I feel like the only one with an imagination left (hyperbole, not actuality). Where did we lose it? I feel like blaming teachers, parents, Hollywood, the media, and whoever else could be culpable of taking away the life force of the growing generation. But really, that's the problem isn't it? I want to blame everyone but the kids. At some point this is their fault. If they don't care about doing homework, guess what? That isn't my fault as a teacher. If they are under some illusion that the world will give them everything they ever want just because they feel it's their right, then good luck. Learn that lesson the hard way. (though I know some of them won't. We are making it easier to get something for nothing.) And maybe it isn't just teenagers. Maybe we are all social loafers looking for the easy way. If that is the case then I say to you world: Shut up and work for something. Then maybe life will have meaning. And more importantly, maybe our kids will learn to give a damn if we do.