Are we, as a generation, somehow lacking in the area of activism? Have we failed our predecessors with minimal political engagement? A recent article on Forbes' website posted, that, "many older activists dismiss Millennials as slackavists for their preference towards digital advocacy rather than hitting (or sitting on) the pavement." Forbes contends that Generation Y focuses more on activism through a social media context, causing older generations to question our generation's ability to be truly active in the political sphere. But while our generation's style of protest differs from more conventional forms, it does not imply a lack of passion regarding the issues.

Traditional forms of protest seem as though they are from a long-forgotten era, one where people had large amounts of time to dedicate to the political process. In our fast-paced, modern era where we are perpetually plugged into technology, social media can seem like a better medium with a more instant reward. As an active member of the Brandeis Democrats, it can sometimes be frustrating trying to get large numbers of people on campus to actively play a role in the political process doing things such as canvassing and going to protests. But, in reality, these conventional forms of engagement, while effective, are just not tailored to our generation.

Instead of spending an entire day holding up a sign, we focus our attention on social media. We post articles to Facebook, engage in heated political arguments online and tweet as we listen to the presidential debates. Although we don't feel compelled to spend large amounts of time acting the way older activists do, it does not mean that we tune out of the larger political landscape.

The Forbes article quotes Joe Kessler of the Intelligence Group, who says, "Our research indicates they are significantly engaged, but are less active in [individual] actions. [Their social activism] is insinuated in every aspect of their lives." Instead of making a statement through protest, we integrate our feelings into the ways we live our lives-through being environmentally conscious with what products we buy and use and treating all people as humans, with tolerance for all. We see activism as a part of who we are as people, especially at a social justice-minded school like Brandeis. We volunteer, we discuss and we are conscious in our everyday decisions.

But being engaged in our day-to-day lives does not equal policy change. I am proud to be of a generation where people take larger issues to heart, spread awareness about issues and make changes to their daily lives.

However, I also recognize that the government cannot, for the most part, see this kind of interaction. And if we truly care about these issues, we need to make sure our government reflects that.  Our new forms of activism are great in that they constantly engage us, but they are not enough to actually create change in the world.  To do so, we need to borrow from some older forms of protest and tailor them to fit our generation.

Making our voices heard by those in power doesn't require the huge time commitment that older forms of activism, like attending protests and canvassing, require. Traditional forms of protest are incredibly effective, and, based on my experience, can also be really enjoyable. But in our modern-day world, they are not the only options. Taking a stand can be as simple and quick as signing an online petition, which just takes a click of the mouse.  This is a modern day incarnation of an old form of protest, transformed in such a way that it becomes easy for Millenials to take part.  We no longer need to be the people walking around getting others to sign a petition, we can now find ones online and stand with the masses.

Another great option would be calling a Congresssional Representative.  By leaving a message or talking to a secretary, calling, like the online petition, lets the government know that you care about this issue. And really, in a representative democracy, isn't  listening to constituents the job of the government?

I know that this can be done here at Brandeis. Two years ago, we came together to work to repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell. I know the Brandeis Democrats and Triskelion, at least, worked together and had Brandeisians call their Representatives to urge the repeal.

And it worked-the policy was repealed, at least partially because the government saw that the American public, including Brandeisians, cared about the issue. That three-minute phone call made a whole lot of difference.

Yes, one of the best ways to be seen, and heard, is through the traditional forms of protest--there's a reason why they've stuck around for so many years. But maybe it's not practical to assume that our generation will follow that path. And as long as we continue to give even a little bit of our time to expand on the social media discussions we so willingly have, we can still ensure that our government is responsive to the will of the people.  We can use transformed versions of old forms of protest in order to create a political sphere that reflects our changing world.
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