This reminds me of an article I saw in
Adbusters Magazine, issue 26. Or, more specifically, a
part of that article (
The New Activism by
Kelle Lasn, which I believe is in turn an
excerpt from his (her?) book
Culture Jam: The Uncooling of America(tm)):
The generation born between 1965 and 1980 -- the so-called "
Malaise Generation" -- seems to have pretty much given up hope that anything good will come of this place called
earth.
. . .
The Malaise Generation understands that they -- we -- are all
dupes of the
consumer culture.
They understand. They just aren't willing to
do anything about it. And that's where I
lose patience with them; that's when an irrepressible anger wells up.
"Life sucks." Okay, so fix a small corner of it. When so much is at stake, how can you be so complacent?(emphasis mine)
Of course, I cut large chunks out so that hopefully what remains will fall under fair use laws; but I think what remains sums it up fairly well. Reading that passage was
a much-needed kick in the pants for me at that time in my life, and it's something I've tried to live by ever since. I don't often succeed, but
at least I can say I tried.