Actions Speak

The Generation Q is the quiet generation, a term which columnist Thomas Friedman
assigned to todays college students and recent graduates. He purposed the term quiet to
describe their attitude, complacent compared with the previous generation of protestors,
strikers, and civil rights activists. In Fishmans The Generation of Generation Q, he addresses
this claim, and argues that the reason for Generation Qs comparative silence is a direct result of
its reliance on technology. Fishman stands correct in that evidence of this generation propagating
for change is focused behind the scenes, in an electronic format. He also argues that the entire
generation has become content with the surplus information available to them. While these
statements are accurate, technology is not the solitary cause for silence amongst this generation.
A shift in the problems of society has affected the approach people take to solve them.
The majority of conflicts which confronted the previous generation impacted the
immediate needs and wants of civilians. These included issues such as racial equality, workers
rights, and a host of social cases involving the Supreme Court. After the previous generation
voiced their desire for change, policies and precedents were established the Supreme Court
established many legal policies which protect many of these hard-won rights, and procedures
which are used to address any violation of these rights. A worker who feels they have had their
rights violated could take legal action to secure their rights quietly in court. Many conflicts
which resurface issues fought by the previous generation are dealt with similarly quietly in
court. With many of these pressing conflicts addressed, this generation is faced with new types of
issues, which cannot be solved by being louder. These problems are those which will not
immediately impact any one person, or those which have no clear solution, or those which will
have little effect on the way the masses live their lives.

The quiet generation is faced with more specific issues than the previous generation.
These include cancer, global warming, clean energy, and the global economy. While cancer has
touched the lives of many, it is an issue that could only be solved by research and scientific
development. The generic loud approach would be useless, as scolding scientists to dedicate
more resources to cancer research is like telling your neighbor to run a lemonade stand in the
winter. In todays economically driven society, there is almost no profit to be made in cancer if a
solution is found, which makes research privately funded and slow going. The quiet response
of making people aware of cancer and asking them to donate some money to help fund research
is a response that will actually yield some results. Breast cancer has been particularly successful.
With advertisements delivered with the use of technology, awareness is spreading very quickly
about fundraisers and the well-established Breast Cancer Walk. These Walk-a-thons may be
the closest resemblance to the loud activities of the previous generation, but they are effective
in raising awareness and raising funds to make a difference.
Clean energy has been at the forefront of modern news, and has been established as one
of todays most important issues. Loud protests have had some effect the research directions
that companies have made investments in. However, more quiet forms have contributed even
more to these decisions. By boycotting certain products, and signing online petitions,
companies have seen the potential to get ahead of their competition by becoming more
environmentally friendly, and are taking action.
Some problems that have no clear solution are those such as the economic gap between
the wealthy and the poor. Traditionally, these issues have been fueled into political debates and
are addressed through voting. However, with other issues no longer at the forefront, voters are
signing petitions (online, where they are convenient for politicians to view and sort through)

asking their representatives to focus on making efforts to decrease the gap. This has proven
effective in the past several years. Unusual volume of this generation was exhibited in Occupied
Wall Street two years ago, which brought awareness to the gap between the top 1% and the
other 99%. Though this movement has so far brought forth no solutions, it did bring it to the
forefront of the news, which is spread with the aid of technology. More information about the
problem has surfaced to be at the fingertips of all citizens, and has influenced them to consider a
politicians stance on this issue when placing their vote in the electronic ballot booth.
While technology has indeed made the Generation Q quieter about spreading
information and bringing certain issues to the forefront of discussion, it has not been the sole
cause for turning down the volume. This generation has discovered that the same, if not more,
could be accomplished with the aid of technology and the silence that accompanies it. Modern
activists could continue to be contributing members in their personal, professional careers, while
being impactful because of the flexibility technology provides. Technology is a platform, a stage
which allows more people to get involved in influencing change for the future. And with regards
to Fishmans criticism of instant replays in televised sports making this generations fans
quieter why should one argue about the indisputable, rather than criticize the coaches, argue
about the players performance, or contemplate a teams strategies? There is still room for
discussions when I watch televised sports which are more stimulating and rewarding than
disputing the facts.