Flash of Unity

Flash mobs. During Vietnam they called them gatherings, mass crowds, the anti-war movement, peace protests, on and on. There was a purpose, a focus, sometimes fractional, but largely focused towards a larger idea. Now we gather and leave.

I did not live through Vietnam. My "first war" was Gulf War I in sixth grade and I remember a friend's mom being deployed. I remember the CNN coverage that I later studied in college as the CNN effect. There were yellow ribbons on the trees and discussion of the creation of desert camouflage for the U.S. Military.

As I watched the gatherings on Sunday night at the White House, Time Square, and beyond at first I was awed. Wow, this massive and spontaneous outpouring of patriotism seemed momentous. Yet, I was torn. As I listened to the debate and discussion in the days that have followed my mixed emotions have expanded.

My daily NPR fix highlighted the fact that the college students that poured into the streets and onto campus quads were in middle school on September 11. Aware of the crisis, but largely unable to comprehend the larger geopolitical impact. Hearing student interviews,  people spoke of thinking of Osama Bin Laden as Lord Voldermort or the Boogie Man. Really? Really? Your parents put you to bed telling you scary stories about how a terrorist organization is going to get you?

How can we have thousands of students stream out into the streets in the middle of the night who have exhibited no large opinion on the "hunt" to date. No group reaction to wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. No comment about whether or not this is or is not how the U.S. should be investing it's military resources.

So why the gathering? Because there is a yearning to be a part of something larger, something greater than themselves. To be a part of history. As long as it's done before the next "thing" comes up. Sustained engagement seems to be lacking. They're too busy. Class, socializing, exploring, interning, facebooking, repeat. We're all too busy. Too overwhelmed by the amount of information being shared or not shared. Able to click over to another channel rather than have the entire media consciousness be absorbed by a singular story. The fifteen minutes we allotted to this are up.

It has left me thinking hard about how do you harness that collective eagerness of a generation, a country so longing to be inspired. We inherently yearn for greatness. We want to be a part of something greater than ourselves. To leave the world better than we found it. Maybe this well intentioned outpouring can serve as spark for greater, authentic engagement. Not just something that lasts as long as your Capital Bikeshare Rental.