Walking to class today I saw a group students crossing the street at probably the worst possible moment. Cars from both lanes had to hit their brakes and began honking their horns loudly. This barely seemed to register with the group, all of whom were wearing headphones. A few managed a brief glance up before returning to their slow trudge to class. While they were nearly struck by multiple moving vehicles, I was struck by an epiphany; that was the perfect representation of today's UW student. Allow me to explain.
Some time ago Madison was described as "30 square miles surrounded by reality" and that rings true even today, though not quite as it was intended at the time. At the time it was meant to be an insult directed at the out of touch and liberal nature of the student body as well as certain members of Madison's general population. I, however, use this phrase to describe a new way in which our student body has become out of touch with reality, a way that is arguably much worse. Rather than being too involved with politics and other worldly affairs my colleagues have become completely self-obsessed and seem to have rejected the very notion of student activism. Facebook, beer pong and iPods have taken precedence over just about any form of reality on campus. Aside from simply bruising our university's storied history of activism we are running the risk of hurting ourselves in the long run. I know those are two words few students like to hear together, but it's the truth.
Consider last semester, our one great recent moment of effort, the student body was out in full force for one brief, shining moment to rally against the civil union ban and then after a setback, nothing. Not only was there little to no outrage or response, but the issue seems to have completely disappeared; no discussions, nothing. The Iraqi invasion is another prime example of fleeting interest before we as a whole submit to the wishes of the government, as well as the media, and actively forget the whole thing ever existed. It is a very disheartening thing to see and it only serves to allow the rest of the country to walk all over our rights and the rights of those without a voice nearly as powerful as ours.
To be clear, I am not claiming to have any answers, nor am I saying that you as an individual should. Rather, I truly believe that we students can figure it out together. We have some of the best minds in the world gathered all in one place but we aren't using them on anything but ourselves. If we can't figure it out, I bet we can at least yell loud enough to make our politicians work for our money and figure it out for us. Do not be fooled by those that tell you there aren't any serious issues or that there isn't anything out there that matters to you today like in the 60s or any other period. Homosexual rights are our civil rights, global warming is our ozone hole and Iraq is our Vietnam. All of the problems are there, waitisng to be fixed. Will you help or will your headphones drown them out?
Chris White
UW Sophomore
