It’s time for Tom Brokaw, the familiar television anchorman and author of the bestselling book The Greatest Generation, to retire once again. The up-and-coming Millennial Generation, those young people born in the 1980s and 1990s, has the potential to become the greatest generation yet. This massive generation rivals that of the Baby Boom in size, but could rival the social and political impact of the GI Generation, those known for fighting World War II, building the prosperous post-war American society, and leading the country from JFK through the next six presidents.
Today’s younger generation seem to have many of the characteristics of that older cohort that came of age in the progressive turbulence of the 1930s and later led the country through the liberal heyday of the post-war boom. They are the kind of civic-minded, team-building, high achievers who historically have been destined for greatness. That’s the argument of William Strauss, one of the country’s shrewdest analysts of generations, who has co-authored a series of generational books with Neil Howe, including Millennials Rising, The Next Great Generation.
The emergence of the Millennial Generation, whose front members are now age 25, will have profound political consequences in the years ahead – perhaps as early as the next Presidential election cycle or two. Strauss says there is a strong possibility within that timeframe that the younger generation could prove to be a wildcard that determines the outcome. “I think somebody could ride to a surprising and consequential outcome by an appeal to young people in the right way,” said Strauss in a recent interview. “It could come by lighting a fire of civic participation that we have not seen since the GI generation.”
This Millennial Generation is absolutely vital to any long-term progressive coalition and should be central to any progressive political strategy. Their sheer numbers represent 25 percent of the population, and their political allegiances are unformed and unclaimed. Yet they show many signs of leaning toward a progressive set of values and worldview. For example, the majority of those Millennials who could vote in the 2004 Presidential election voted for Democrat John Kerry – the only other generation to do so were the aging GI Generation, now in their 80s. And just as importantly, these youth should not be seen simply as passive receivers of political messages who occasionally vote, but as active political agents who hold the power to energize the progressive movement and provide solutions to today’s’ challenges. All great progressive eras in American history had young people playing a vital role. The reinvention of progressivism in the early 21st century will be no exception.
