lucky guess

This was filmed by one of my favorite documentary makers, Andrew Jenks. It puts me back in the 8th grade, sitting on top of black science lab tables with all my friends, watching the news of 9/11 unfold. I just remember we all started eating our home packed lunches at 10:00 AM because we weren’t sure what else to do. Anything to fill the silence. Comfort us.

As millennials, we grew up in an age with dual lives: one similar to that of our parents, and one that exists completely in cyberspace. We are not necessarily a generation of “me” (that’s a quick and easy assumption to make), but we are a generation whose lives are being archived for us, in real time, and for all to see, like and comment. This is unique to our generation.

9/11 gave us a larger purpose. It was a brutal reality check that, as Americans, we are not untouchable. We suffered such incredible loss yet at the same moment we learned the true meaning of courage, bravery and hope. Now, 10 years later, we understand the tremendous value in giving back. This larger arc penetrated so deeply into our generations’ mind-set that we not only saw the value in helping others, we actually saw endless opportunities. Our country had hit rock bottom, only to see its spirit remain intact. In a backwards way, it gave us unshakable confidence.

We praise pop-culture icons like Lady Gaga because she simply does her. No exceptions, no excuses. As a generation that demands transparency, we desperately seek those who are who they are.

But a problem still persists: The leaders of our country still cannot unite. They are not giving us any signs of hope. They are not being who they really are. So as a result, we don’t really care. In a world of ever-growing transparency, a government that is not will never keep up. This isn’t just about governing, but our future. We’re losing the sentiment that 9/11 gave us about purpose, as individuals and as a whole.

My hope is that this short film results in time for personal reflection, then re-sparks an energy within my generation. Young people turned out in droves to elect President Obama for a reason. And in that spirit, it’s up to the millennials again to push their agenda forward, to unleash that bottled energy and showcase what we have archived in the last 10 years. -Andrew Jenks

(Source: mtv.com)