Follow-up

Since I wrote that last bit about the younger generations (that conditions are livable so the youth are apathetic), I have also realized through my homestay and their extended family that they (the youth) are not solely responsible for their apathy; their parents and grandparents went through a great deal of strife in their lives and they want a better, meaning less violent and negative, life for their descendants so they seem to avoid instilling a strong political or social sense in them. Yesterday my host deda (grandfather) dismissed the football game played in Belgrade the day before when Mima was at the table and when she left he brought it up again. He only speaks Serbian but he indicated that it wasn't a topic to discuss around Mima because "ne mora da zna ti stvari", she doesn't need to know those things. She is just 10 years old, but this isn't the first time I've seen parents spoil and protect their children to give them a more ideal life than they had growing up.

And with this in the mix, I think a way to reverse this inactive trend is for the parents and adults to begin putting more emphasis on addressing these issues but something even more radical would have to take place before the youth would stand up for their rights in the manner they did 15 years ago. And perhaps the most effective and efficient way would be through warfare, political turmoil, or a serious challenge by a competing nation threatening their well-being. But the other problem is that that isn't likely because other countries don't really have the reasons to put up a fight like they did 15 years ago, and even if they did, countries like the US wouldn't because we have entangled ourselves in too many foreign affairs as it is (just as George Washington advised not to do!) and especially with the issue of Kosovo ever-present. And something like political turmoil couldn't happen now because it wouldn't be allowed to. Even though the government is partially corrupt and not doing anything very substantial to benefit Serbia, I can't imagine how they would get away with launching a dictatorship or drastic political agenda which could inspire some rebellion in the youth. The best thing that has come out of the government in the last ten years is fair elections which is a good step towards democracy just not enough to render the entire system democratic.

I don't think anyone really looks into the future much as people live day by day or moment by moment so the the youth would be no exception meaning I don't think the youth realize the long term suffering that their apathy entails. My host family and their younger friends (late 20s, 30s) have a negative view on basically all social, political and economic problems facing Serbia and how the government is facing them so they are aware of the issues, they just don't really bother with proposing an alternative which is certainly not unique to people in Serbia.

Please note that all of this is conjecture formed from a multitude of inferences/experiences. It is an ongoing investigation!