please, someone tell me there are more than a handful of teens and young adults

[Ava]

that actually give a damn. :banghead:

sometimes i get so disgusted with my age group. don't get me wrong, i know there are a lot of politically active young people out there, but there seem to be none around here.

ugh, i just don't fit in with other teens other than my handful of friends my age. i can't even date around here because when i try i can't get through a conversation without realizing the guy is either a: a complete idiot b: a complete idiot who proceeds to stare at my tits during an attempt at conversation :puke: or c: not a complete idiot but doesn't give a shit about anything i find remotely interesting. thank god i go to college next year is all i can say.

and speaking of college, i was told today by a girl my age that she was going to college but that it didn't really matter what she majored in because she is going to get married and she'll marry a guy who will take care of her. :banghead:

fine, her personal choice.. but please can i be somewhere that young people exist that i can relate to. it isn't just politics.. it's EVERYTHING. i don't like the things most teens(at least the ones around here) seem to like. i don't like the music on the radio, most of the movies in our theater(that caters to the young viewers around here), i don't like most of the tv shows they like, i'm not interested in petty teen drama as in "who is dating who" and "did you hear what she did last night!". :eyes:

i understand that i'm a freak of nature when it comes to my political activism and interests at my age.. but i know there are other freaks of nature out there. why can't they be here, or i be where they are?


well that is enough of my bitching for one night, lol.
:rant:

[Fire Walk With Me]

1. Hello, fellow freak of nature

:hug:

College does change things, especially if you're in a different place. There are always the same old types, but a greater percentage of folks who will have the same general focus as yourself. You will make friends for life. I hope that this is your experience (or even better)!

[Ava]

10. yup, i fly my freak flag proudly

believe me, i'm far from depressed or anything like that. i love being unique out and i love being politically active. however i'd like to be able to connect with people my own age, and it is rare around here that i'm able to do that.

i find myself getting annoyed, and then i get to feeling guilty for looking down on my own age group. i don't think i'm better than many people in my age group.. i just think i'm different... if that makes sense ;)

:hi:

[Fire Walk With Me]

28. As flvegan said, you are much more mature than your peer group.

I myself receive much noise for "being too serious" about the extremely serious problems we face...prepare yourself for good things, because you appear capable enough and well-rounded enough to accomplish them.

[Rhythm]

2. Fortunately, a lot of the folks in your age group at my uni...

are more concerned with current events, politics, etc... than with the BS drama of the weekend.
Not all of them... but many.
I know this because it's amazing the pieces of conversation that i hear while heading to class.

Yes, you are set apart from your peers because you have higher concerns than what to wear tomorrow or who's dating whom.

No, you are far from alone out there, even in your own age group.

[Ava]

9. i think some of it may have to do with being in the south

even adults around here don't seem to care too much.. young people are just especially bad about it.

[dubeskin]

3. I'm one of those freaks of nature

Yeah. It's weird being one of those teens who actually likes politics. But one thing I've found which I quite like is that I'm able to educate those people who don't know anything about politics, and also I've created a unique identity for myself at my school.

What you should try to do though is find people like you and I. I found friends who took similar classes as me Freshman year, and ironically enough, I quickly discovered they were hardcore Republicans. In fact, our constant fighting is one of the fun things we always look forward to; a chance to shoot a fun jab at the other party.

Since my area is pretty conservative (Placer County, California) it's tough finding someone who shares the same beliefs, but really it's high school dating. That chances that it's going to evolve into anything more are fairly low. And after high school, college opens tons of doors for us to really get out there.

I hate what's on the radio. The only reason I go to dances is to hang out. Music is anything before Rap/Hip-Hop and this trash which is called Pop. While several recent movies have been only moderate, there are always those gems which actually turn out being incredible, and the movies are a great chance to hang out with friends, even if the movie is one you necessarily want to see. Most people I know DON'T like those teen dramas. Honestly, I can't think of one person I've interacted with that likes them, with the exception of my teenage sister, who is in Middle School.

But a great thing about being a freak of nature and liking politics now is that we'll be ready to actually get into politics when we're old enough. We're actually "wasting our time" on something that's going to matter. What someone did with someone else over the weekend isn't going to matter ten years from now, unless of course it results in a few children and a marriage from pressure, but politics will always matter. The economy is much more important now than all of that.

Just sit back and relax and let us enjoy what we're doing now. I take a lot of pressure for liking politics now, but I've found some really cool people and things through it, and I think I'm a much better person for caring about it than not.

[Ava]

6. i've tried finding them around here

i live in a small alabama town, and people are too wrapped up with the gossip the a small southern town runs on to form any political opinions. all i can get young people around here to do is repeat what their parents say, and beyond that is seems to be a lost cause.. believe me when i say i've tried.

to certain extent, california and alabama are two totally different worlds... especially small town alabama.

my best friend in town is a fundie and a republican. i love her to death, but she really doesn't at all care for politics. i've yet to meet a teen or young adult in my area who does.. all the ones i've met have been from out of town or else are older(which is why many of my good friends are older).

don't get me wrong.. i absolutely love being politically active. i just wish i had someone my own age to share it with, and in my area i can't seem to find that.

[dubeskin]

11. I can understand your situtation now

I live in a town of close to 60,000, with close to 1500 at my high school, with nearly 2,000 at the other one in the town. While there is the gossip, for the most part there are enough people and things going to actually focus on other things.

But there's not really a huge problem with having older friends. Sure, it may seem a little odd now, but one thing that I think it's tough to get over is that adults and those with experience are easier to have a logical, intelligent discussion with. Unfortunately, though, there seems to still be a disconnect. One thing I've actually discovered is that my parents have been some of the greatest "friends" to talk with and discuss similar values.

[Ava]

12. i live in a town of about 14,000

however, most of those people are retirees who live on the lake. the highschool here has about 800 students.

i don't have a problem with having older friends, i love my older friends. however i'd like to be able to connect with some people my own age too, and it seems rare that i'm able to do that here.

i'm extremely close with my parents too. i love my mom and stepdad to death and can talk to them about anything, and i truly consider my mom my best friend. that definitely helps.

i'm far from hopeless or depressed, i'm just annoyed tonight and felt the urge to bitch about it. ;)
that being said, i'm looking forward to getting the hell out of here next year. ;)

[flvegan]

4. Seems maturity comes into play here, Ava.

Along with a certain "enlightenment" and open-mindedness as to surroundings and reality.

Be grateful. Be damn grateful you're one of that handful. Hell, you're one of DU's youngest, yet one of DU's best. Hell of an achievement.

[Ava]

7. well thank you

one of DU's youngest.. yes, but i certainly don't think of myself as one of DU's best ;) :hug:

[flvegan]

13. I would welcome the challenge from anyone to refute my claim

that you, Ava, are one of DU's best.

And the internet lords know I do like a good fight.

That you don't think of yourself that way is probably good. Keeps the ego in check. Doesn't change reality, though. I think your accomplishments thus far proves up my claim.

[Ava]

17. lol, well thank you

:blush: :pals:

[LeftyMom]

5. Don't get your hopes up too much about college.

Most of your classmates are still going to be way beneath your level. Hopefully you'll find a few people you relate to socially, but going off to college isn't going to change the fact that you're a person who values intelligence and action living in a society that celebrates stupidity and apathy.

[Ava]

8. oh i absolutely understand that

however i'm better that in a higher populated area and in a academic atmosphere there will be some people i can actually connect with.

[Duppers]

22. but...but...

doesn't that depend on what school she attends?

not trying to be elitist...err...or perhaps I am. ;) :silly: <---me

[LeftyMom]

27. To some degree.

But for the most part people are still going to act their age, just some will be smarter and harder working than others.

[Akoto]

14. I'm 23 and give a damn ...

Chronic health problems keep me in bed most of the day, so I'm admittedly not the world's greatest activist, but I love politics. My dad and I discuss the subject frequently!

[Ava]

18. well glad to hear there are more out there

:hi:

[insanity]

15. I know many of my peers who also give a damn

I might be the most freakish out of the lot, but that doesn't mean they don't care. At my university I find that more people seem to be watching the news and having intelligent conversation than there are people who tune-out reality. That being said, life is all about balance.

I like to get drunk, follow the drama, root for the Oregon State Beavers, go for walks with my girlfriend. Politics will tear away your soul if you don't take time to enjoy the other things life has to offer.

[yurbud]

16. how old are you and where do you live? You could find some sharp people even at your local

community college.

I have some bright high school students who take my classes, and we get into pretty meaty issues.

Also, it could be that the brighter, thoughtful guys are a bit shy.

[Ava]

19. i live in a small alabama town

i turn 18 next month. i will only be here for another year or so before i head off to university.

[yurbud]

20. I think you'll like college. I never felt at home until I got there. So I never left.

[Duppers]

24. my son said the same thing

He HATED high school, but says he feels "at HOME" (his words) at his top notch university. He's an dean's list student and LOVES it. He's headed to grad school next yr., so his head is staying in the books...for now.

[PVnRT]

21. Well, they've been told over and over

that they're lazy, worthless, apathetic, they've been force-fed all of this generational warfare horseshit...after a while, it becomes like brainwashing. That girl you mention? Society has told her that she is to do nothing more than be a wife and pinch out a few younguns before she turns 34 and ugly.

As soon as they realize that they are going to spend the rest of their lives cleaning up the enormous pile of shit that previous generations have left them, they will get active quickly.

[DarkTirade]

23. I could tell you that, but I'd be stretching the truth a bit.

But fear not, DU is where many of those who are or were in your position congregate. :)

College won't be that much better, BUT you'll have A) a larger pool of people to draw from, so the odds of finding someone worth talking to will be higher, and B) since they all took the time and effort to get into college, it's fairly safe to assume that a higher perecentage of them will be your type of people.

On the flipside, you'll have to deal with your points A and B a lot more. College guys like looking at boobs just as much as high school guys.


*edit* Hmm... since I'm back in college, do I fall under the 'college guy' category, or am I just an adult who went back to college?

Either way, I at least have the self-control not to stare at a girl's boobs when I talk to her.

... most of the time. :yoiks:

[Duppers]

25. ...

I'm telling ya again and here's a reassuring...:hug:

Just hold on the best you can.

(And sorry, Dark T is right. Ya gonna have to put up with that or have 'em removed! :rofl: I keed.)

[Jamastiene]

26. You kids stay off my lawn.

Actually, I'm only joking with that subject line.

Your rant could sooooo easily have been my very same rant "when I was your age." that is, if I had been well adjusted mentally, but I wasn't/am not. Instead I read Catcher In the Rye a lot and laughed at the "cool kids." I figured they were going to kick my ass anyway. I might as well get my licks in while I could. That's how I saw it.

I felt very much the same as you do back then. I can't say I feel any different now, except I am not limited to talking to people my own age only now. That makes a WORLD of difference, believe it or not.

Your interest in politics at a young age can help you in life if you use it cunningly. You can use what you learn about the world of politics to corral the other students into doing what you want them to do. You may even achieve world domination one day if you practice politics shrewdly.

You might not be interested in world domination though. I was when I was younger, but I didn't have the internet to broaden my abilities. So, I merely got kicked around for being a Democrat in red state America.

You'll meet up with some cool people when you least expect it. Don't expect much from the majority of any age. The majority of people of any age are imbeciles hellbent on mediocrity. Don't let them drag you down into their foolishness.

Stick to your education. Don't forget to try to meet up with people who like to read, do art and music, and care for the environment and civil rights issues when you go to college. That is where you will find intelligent life on this planet. It is very difficult to find intelligent life on this planet, ya know. People are damn dumb, on average.

God knows it took me years to finally find out where all the smart people were holed up. They were hiding from the big dumb majority. People suck, except every once in a while when you actually get to meet a cool one.