The Price of Civilization_ Reawakening American Virtue and Prosperity - Jeffrey D. Sachs [109]
The Millennials are politically progressive, believing in a larger role for the government. Sixty-seven percent support a “bigger government providing more services,” compared with only 31 percent of those over sixty-five. This is the result not only of their ethnic profile but of their age, optimism, and generational outlook. White non-Hispanic Millennials, as well as Hispanic and African American Millennials, are more progressive than their older counterparts. They will also resist the deficit-increasing implications of further tax cuts on the rich. It is today’s generation, after all, that will be paying the bills left behind by the boomers.
The Millennials, of course, have a longer time horizon than other adults in the society, so it is not surprising that they are activists regarding long-term investments such as clean energy and infrastructure. Far more than older adults, they recognize the science of climate change, and far more than the older cohorts, they support action. They will be the main beneficiaries of a modernized infrastructure or the main victims of continued decay. Of course, in a truly mindful economy, the parents of Millennials (like me) will care deeply about the world we are bequeathing to our children and their children.
The greatest challenge in American society has always been the reality of diversity. It divided the country from the start, led to a bloody civil war, created an apartheid society for a hundred years afterward, and unleashed the most dramatic social change from below of the twentieth century during the civil rights era. The shock waves of the civil rights era have reverberated ever since. It is therefore of historic importance that Millennials show every sign of greater tolerance than their predecessors. This seems to be true regarding every hot-button issue of religion, sex, and race. The Millennials are less religious and less often affiliated with a specific denomination; they are less evangelical in outlook; and they are less likely to attend weekly services. They overwhelmingly accept homosexuality (63 percent say that homosexuality “should be accepted by society,” as opposed to 35 percent of those over sixty-five). They believe by a narrow majority that abortion should be legal in all or most cases (52 percent compared with 37 percent of those over sixty-five). Their favorable attitudes toward interracial relations and intermarriage befit a generation that was born and raised well after the achievements of the civil rights era.
The Millennials, as a result, are less likely to be divided or even torn asunder by the culture wars of the boomer generation. They will live naturally with diversity. They will accept a more activist government. They will be more attuned to environmental needs. All this points in the direction of the mindful economy, if the healing strengths of the Millennial generation’s tolerance and optimism are mobilized for collective political action.
What, then, are the real barriers to political change? Of course, the current vested interests will continue to fight fiercely for power and privilege. Wealth can certainly defend itself aggressively, through media power, financial largesse through lobbying and campaign financing, and more nefarious means. We had a taste of that power in 2008, when the banks not only won their bailouts but also got the White House and Congress to turn a blind eye to the continuation of outlandish bonuses even in the midst of the storm.
Alternatively, the anger of the Tea Party could presage a much more explosive environment of street unrest, but it is hard to envision the middle-aged and elderly Tea Partiers at the barricades!