[Nfb-editors] Reaching the younger generation

Mon May 2 19:30:50 UTC 2011

I agree with Mike.  I don't think the younger generations are lost, at
least not yet, but I do think the world in general needs to prepare to
grow and change in order to fit into new clothes.

With the Federation and other groups, there is too much apathy.  Like
Mike said, some of us may have to be shocked out of our complacency.  I
think a lot of it is the lower expectations that are growing more and
more prevalent.  We have "dumbed" our society down so much that we think
this is just how it has to be.  Our social, professional and academic
mediums are responding to this dumbing-down, and I think it is a part of
the apathetic nature developing in younger people.

It once was students and younger people who led revolution.
Universities were the headquarters for demonstrations, rallies and
information sources during the Civil Rights era.  Even 10, 15 years ago,
students had the loudest voice during the bombing in eastern Europe
during the 90s and the war in Iraq in the beginning.  Culture-- art,
music, literature, etc.-- were reflecting their position, but this
passion has been lost.  You just don't see anyone facing problems this
way in western culture anymore.

To bring this back to the immediate discussion, I think technology
should and can assist groups like the Federation in reaching the world
with our goals and ideas, but it is a balance, and we need to learn how
to use this new, growing medium. Communication no longer exist with the
same formats and methods.  We need to adjust and change our thinking in
terms of communication.

Perhaps this is something  the Federation needs to ponder.  Maybe a
group needs to be created that will specifically research the trends in
social media and how to effectively use it so that we can meet the
younger generations using this technology without changing the core of
the Federation.

I also think we might have to be willing to accept slow growth in our
membership in order to continue the goals of the Federation.  Membership
is difficult all around, but perhaps we will have to learn, for a time,
to exist on meager membership, but build the strength of our message so
that when membership trickles in, we still are expressing the
foundations of the NFB.

Who knows what the world will bring in the future.  Exciting things are
happening, we just need to adjust with the changes.

Bridgit

Message: 3
Date: Sun, 1 May 2011 14:58:14 -0700
From: "Tina Hansen" <th404 at comcast.net>
To: "Correspondence Committee Mailing List" <nfb-editors at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [Nfb-editors] Reaching this generation through social
	networks
Message-ID: <68A8E3A1956540D2BE28A5F77F441529 at tinad85eb5cc31>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
	reply-type=original

Your remarks remind me of the position many churches were in some years
ago; 
they didn't want to repackage their message because they were afraid
that 
accuracy would have to be sacrificed.

It is true that many organizations are confronting the same problem, and

that there are no easy answers.

If your assertions are true, though, what solutions do you propose? Do
you 
believe anything can be done, or have we lost this generation forever?

One idea would be to think back to the popularity of the Harry Potter
books. 
If we could use symbols of popular culture, that might be a start. I
know 
that veterans might have trouble with it, but I think it's worth
thinking 
about. We could use that and find ways of tying it into our philosophy.

This discussion may be good for the Student list, so I may carry it on 
there, but I thought I'd get the ball rolling. Thanks. 

------------------------------

Message: 4
Date: Sun, 1 May 2011 16:14:15 -0700
From: "Mike Freeman" <k7uij at panix.com>
To: "'Correspondence Committee Mailing List'" <nfb-editors at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [Nfb-editors] Reaching this generation through social
	networks
Message-ID: <005201cc0855$7e10bbd0$7a323370$@panix.com>
Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="us-ascii"

Tina:

I don't think that the current or future generations are lost.  What I
*am*
saying, though, is that some media don't lend themselves to our message,
especially when it's a subtle one as why we favor some modifications to
the
world as it is and not others.  And I truly think it is salutary to
realize
that we are not the only organization in this pickle.  I don't think we
should beat ourselves up because younger people aren't flocking to our
cause
in droves.

As I've said before, paradoxical as this may seem, I think either a
defeat
or a struggle that young people can understand would do wonders to shock
them out of their complacency and their incessant wish to be
entertained.  I
think our championing of accessible technology has drawn some into our
movement.

I think we need to keep plugging away; we'll get members one at a time
as
we've always done.

And I'm not saying we shouldn't try social media if we can come up with
folks with the time, skills and energy to do so.  But, as I said at the
beginning, I think it wise for us to realize the limitations of such
media
and not be hypnotized with their supposed allure.  What we want is
votes,
not just "friends". (grin)

Mike

-----Original Message-----
From: nfb-editors-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:nfb-editors-bounces at nfbnet.org]
On Behalf Of Tina Hansen
Sent: Sunday, May 01, 2011 2:58 PM
To: Correspondence Committee Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Nfb-editors] Reaching this generation through social
networks

Your remarks remind me of the position many churches were in some years
ago;

they didn't want to repackage their message because they were afraid
that 
accuracy would have to be sacrificed.

It is true that many organizations are confronting the same problem, and

that there are no easy answers.

If your assertions are true, though, what solutions do you propose? Do
you 
believe anything can be done, or have we lost this generation forever?

One idea would be to think back to the popularity of the Harry Potter
books.

If we could use symbols of popular culture, that might be a start. I
know 
that veterans might have trouble with it, but I think it's worth
thinking 
about. We could use that and find ways of tying it into our philosophy.

This discussion may be good for the Student list, so I may carry it on 
there, but I thought I'd get the ball rolling. Thanks. 

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