MOST AMERICANS are familiar with the homily, "when God closes a door heopens a window." At the moment, many young people who have seen the door to good jobs closed by the economic mayhem stemming from the subprime mortgage crisis probably feel like jumping out of that window.
Although prospects may appear dim to many young people whose job hunts have been frustrated by a sputtering economy, in this time of great need, young people have a unique opportunity to disprove the cynics who decry our generation as selfish and materialistic. With many opportunities in the private sector temporarily closed, masses of young people are uniting to address the nation's great needs through service and social engagement.
The depths of the national mood reflect the declining fortunes of the economy and America's increasingly uncertain future on the world stage. With new home sales declining by a record setting 26.4 percent, and the vast majority of economists projecting the nation to fall into recession, economic angst is at a level not seen since Sept. 11.
At the same time, pessimism about the country's international engagements -- shown in a recent NBC News/Wall Street Journal Poll which indicated that 59 percent of Americans believed "that removing Saddam Hussein from power was not worth the number of U.S. military casualties and the financial cost of the war," has undermined certainty about the country's proper role in the world. These trends were reflected in a New York Times/CBS News poll which showed that three-quarters of Americans believed the country is on the wrong track.
Despite the United States' soured mood, countless young people have stood up and given back to the country. The most traditional means of national service -- the armed forces -- continues to be a sign of young Americans' willingness to sacrifice for the nation. Although recent news stories emphasize difficulties recruiters for the armed services face, thousands of Americans continue to join active duty each year. Even as extended armed deployment in Iraq strains military resources, 170,000 Americans enlisted in 2007 alone.
While military service continues to be one of the most popular avenues for national service, thousands of other Americans have contributed through other means. Through programs such as Americorps and Teach for America, volunteers dedicate themselves to building communities and to promoting equality of opportunity. The growth of Teach for America from a program with 500 individuals in 1990 to an organization of 17,000 today reflects this altruistic spirit.
Finally, unprecedented political involvement in the election of 2008 reflects young Americans' social engagement. Already, early primary states have reported record-breaking youth turnout. In just one example, youth turnout in the New Hampshire primary was more than double what it was in 2004. Although commentators have been quick to downplay the significance of the youth vote in the past, healthy engagement in this cycle is proof that young Americans are responding to the nation's growing problems by contributing to the conversation about how best to reform this nation's policies.
While a cynic might say that young Americans are increasingly involved and active in public life precisely because declining opportunities in the private sector provide less distraction than a roaring economy with bountiful opportunities, youth engagement is nonetheless a hopeful signal. While young Americans largely withdrew from public engagement in the years of the Watergate scandal and the Vietnam War, reflected in a steady decline in youth voter participation from the 1970s to the 1990s according to the Christian Science Monitor, this generation has responded to adversity by redoubling its efforts to make the country a better place.
Even as the economy falters and international threats loom over the horizon, young people have resisted impulses toward cynicism and defeatism. Although the obstacles are large, young Americans' unprecedented social engagement is a sign that our generation is ready to meet these challenges.
Adam Keith's column appears Tuesdays in The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at akeith@cavalierdaily.com.
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