Where is The Age of Aquarius?

Young people are so freakin clever. I was reminded of that today as I impatiently entered answer after answer on "The Alignment Test" on OKCupid. The test, based on the five facets to a person's alignment in the game Dungeons and Dragons (Good, Evil, Law, Chaos, and Neutrality), is supposed to reveal which of your character traits are strongest. Isn't that cute and clever that some kid spent their spare time creating a test? It sounds like work to me.

There are so many really bright people out there. It's too bad they aren't in charge of the world. The people in charge spend their time figuring out how to keep the rabble in line so their destructive and selfish agenda can continue while the really smart people are repressed. Like scientists ignored by the Bush government. Like hackers. Like everyday whiz kids on the internet who think they have no power.

The uncontrolled environment of the Internet has gotta be really scary for control-freaks like the Bush administration, who need to filter information, propogandize and spin to feed the status quo. I keep my ears peeled for news about government policing the Internet. I think the free distribution of information on the Internet is our only hope. It is "the new grass roots". And if we try to keep "evil" out (a stupid argument which always seems to get the moral high ground), we are also going to keep out the good. When people with authority talk about bloggers not being "real reporters" I take it as a sign that real reporting is getting done by bloggers. And is it getting done anywhere else?

Anyhow, I am heartened by all of the smart young people out there, writing books and inventing clever games and making movies and writing witticisms on their blogs. I wonder how we can translate that into young people who are changing the world? My character in the D&D game turned out to be Neutral-Good, like Mother Theresa, like Ghandi, like Sidhartha Gautama, like Gandalf, like The Dali Lama...... and yet I am just selfishly holding on. I am trying to pay the house payment and get to work on time and survive without suffering. How can I expect young people to do any differently?

But I do. I expect young people to change the world, to blow the selfish and cruel habits of our government out of the water. To demand kindness and peace and a healthy environment. To recognize when they are being distracted into complacency by the media. To be true role models. To rise up. To save the world. Man. I have high expectations, don't I?