In a society which feels so riven, politics can feel like fight club — except that everyone knows about it because we’re all at each other’s throats, especially on social media. Black versus white. Woman versus man. North versus South. Rich versus poor. Left versus Right and, of course, young versus old.
The idea of inter-generational tension feels timely when you look at the pandemic. While it’s mainly over-eighties who are dying from Covid, young people are taking an educational, professional, social and financial kicking right now. Their university experience has turned into an expensive nightmare.
Sixteen to 24-year-olds are seeing the biggest fall in employment compared with other groups. Add to that a looming mental health crisis and it’s not that much fun being a young person right now, despite having such luminous skin.
We’re frequently told by shock jocks that the young are ready to rise up and have it out with granny on Covid restrictions and other stark inequalities. That the generation war is about to kick off.
That’s certainly what I was expecting when I chaired a joint event between think tanks Radix (older centrists) and Politika (16- to 24-year-olds) on Monday. I was expecting much righteous rage from the younger participants but was surprised and rather humbled at how open-hearted they were.
Many youthful voices expressed dismay and anxiety about their situation but didn’t want a straight fight with older people. There was also a recognition that many older people were struggling, and that inequality was something which can travel with you through your life.
Some older people in poverty now were part of a young generation scarred by industrial decline and unemployment in the Eighties.
There was a desire from younger people to see issues they cared about such as climate change or Brexit be taken seriously by older politicians, but there was a savvy acknowledgement that a blatant “retail offer”, such as on tuition fees, wouldn’t be enough to buy them off at the ballot box.
There was also a call for younger people to be better able to understand and engage in politics though more education and access.In such a conflict-driven media arena, I was struck by the refreshing lack of anger from the younger participants and a weariness of being pitted against older people, particularly on the culture wars and identity politics.
Both ends of the age range said they were sick of being labelled as just one thing in order to attack each other. The next generation has much to teach older commentators. I felt schooled. In a good way.
I respect Kamala’s intellect and ambition... but I also admire her bouncy blow dry
There’s been another big women’s row this week. Not the bare-naked lady.But on whether you’re a bad feminist for swooning at Kamala Harris striding out to Beyoncé, rocking a white trouser suit and thinking, “How the hell does she look so damn good?”
Guilty as charged! A newspaper received ire for discussing her beauty secrets. It wasn’t on the front page. It was a feature.
How dare they reduce her to her make-up, screamed social media. I took a different view. As a slightly knackered woman in my mid-forties who is intensely political and has drafted landmark equality legislation, I’m one of madam vice president-elect’s greatest fans. I respect her intellect, ambition and achievements. But I also really admire her amazing lashes, bouncy blow dry and boundless energy. That’s not a crime. As the lady in When Harry Met Sally says… I’ll have what she’s having.
