Are Millennials going to become the great Libertarian generation?
Are Millennials going to become the great Libertarian generation?
A recent post at the Students for Liberty blog by James Padilioni Jr. seems to suggest so.
Millennial Libertarianism: A Manifesto
Much talk is often made within Students For Liberty about defining a second wave of libertarianism. Alexander McCobin has spoken publicly on this topic, and he has defined the yearning of Generation Y as being largely libertarian, albeit not always described so discreetly. But by crediting aspects of the 21st century’s convergence of technology, globalization, Internet culture, and growing social tolerance, the implicit impulses of this current youth generation have never before been so largely supportive of various conceptions of individual freedom. It is this common “libertarian culture” that gives Alexander and all of us here at SFL the optimism regarding the long-term success of our highest values, that being the emergence of a free academy and a free society.
However, we have only just begun truly defining what the second wave, or more accurately the “youthful wave” of libertarianism represents. All throughout the weekend of ISFLC13, the pervading message from the Bleeding Heart Libertarians panel, panels highlighting women and black libertarian history, Magatte Wade’s rousing Sunday keynote, LearnLiberty’s focus on telling your personal story, and Jeff Tucker’s renewed optimism for the future, issued a vision for what a newly-conceived youthful wave of libertarianism could possibly look and sound like. How it would craft stories and appeal to sentiment as well as quantitative data, and how it could engage culture in a deliberate way. The youthful wave of libertarianism thinks in the terms of social entrepreneurship, is aware of the importance of building a brand, and has come of age in a world where the Internet has made the human act of creation easier than it has ever been before.
Comments
To be completely honest (I’m just at the outside of the Millennial generation) I don’t see it so much as “tolerance” as “apathy.”
I view it as largely *because* everything is so hyper-connected now, any bit of privacy is a godsend, and as such there’s a lack of desire to get involved with things and causes.
From the inside I think we have a shot at it… It’s not apathy.
I’ve witnessed a lot of acquaintances come to embrace Libertarianism. Some are Republicans reduced to moral relativists because of the discord and hypersensitivity of so many in the public.
Others are Leftists that have just faced the facts that Libertarian economics is rational and the only way forward. It is compassionate because it works and breeds success.
I’ve seen Rove Republicans flabbergasted by what happens when moral dictates are legitimated in DC and then the Democrat gains power. Accordingly I’ve seen peace loving hippies that were all aboard the Obama train flabbergasted by the reality sparking their remembrance of just why they hate the federal government.
Especially, in foreign policy! Ron Paul’s mind our own business is very appealing to the Left. I’ve talked to returning soldiers that embrace that policy because they fight for the Constitution, not ambiguos arbitrary goals.
Occupy and many of the Tea Party are looking to the fed and corporatism.
Corporatism has its dirty hands everywhere. Even when it comes to the green food movement, who thinks we should subsidize corn and sugar like we do? What is less popular than taxes?
Libertarianism is seeping out of the internet and is winning arguments everywhere. Everywhere!
always
inflation inflation inflation inflation inflation
reduce security in a way that cannot be quantified. Inflation is another winner of an idea going for Libertarians.