A generation of artists

Every morning when I wake up, I blast M.I.A. as I get ready to head to campus. My outfit usually consists of some absurd combination of eclectic clothing that the non-mainstream, highly mobilized portion of my generation finds, for unknown reasons, stylish. And yes, although I am in support of it, I am disappointed in the TV writers’ strike because some of my favorite shows, such as “South Park,” “The Office” and “The Daily Show”/“The Colbert Report” duo, are now reduced to reruns.\nBe that as it may, I am still proud of the highly sophisticated, vulgar realism that dominates in comedy right now. I am proud to live in an era where freakish is in, and I am proud to be a part of a generation that would rather listen to an independent rapper with a Sri Lankan refugee background than Mariah Carey. I have previously criticized my generation for being so numb its surroundings, but to those of you who actively participate in your youth culture, I commend you for being part of what I consider the coolest artistic generation in decades.\nDJ parties are at an all-time high, and those crazy spinners are all over campus, exhausting themselves at parties in a creative effort to keep us hopping up and down on the house floor. We have also embraced the wickedness of comedy. With the rising popularity of comedians such as Sarah Silverman, we now are able to laugh at anything and everything. What was once taboo is now realistic and hilarious. Subject matter such as abortion, immigration and sexual identity are now openly discussed and laughed at through television shows, both live-action and cartoon. We are the generation of Bonnaroo and other music events that celebrate the eclectic nature of our musical style. Artists like Regina Spektor share stages with The Police, and fans of rap, rock and oldies can come together to watch Amy Winehouse drunkenly belt out music that is soulfully eclectic.\nAt the root of our generation is the understanding of one another. We are distinctly our own rootless people, growing into the world in our own unique way, together. We are highly mobilized, highly united and highly creative. We are artists on the frontier of the adult world. I ask you now to flex your creative muscle and contribute to the rising artistic front, whether it is as an innovator or merely an appreciator. All you have to do is tap in to your unique generation and actively take part, and we’re on our way to commanding our own future.