To march or not to march, that is the question. Are millennials like the children of the 60s who were ready to stand up for what they believed in? Are they happy to take a backseat and watch the world go by with apathetic eyes? 

I recently asked my peers what they were passionate about and how far they would go to uphold their beliefs. The causes ranged from preventing ocean pollution to sexual assault, bullying, discrimination of sexual orientation, the promotion of women’s rights and autism advocacy. A third of them felt a compelling desire to stand up for what they believe in, while the rest would rather keep their opinions to themselves. Some of those who would abstain from marching said that, if pushed, they would act on their beliefs but otherwise would prefer to quietly support what they believed in in a non-demonstrative manner. 

I believe this small sampling accurately reflects society. Albeit vocal, most protesters are still the minority. While it often takes just a few profound voices, most people, both then and now, would not make waves in the ocean of society. However, those that are engaged in the promotion of their cause feel a responsibility to try to effect change. They’ll tread water; they’ll march; they’ll do whatever they need to do. 

Because of the human spirit and inherent idealism of youth, the times and causes may have changed, but there may be less of a generational gap than you might think. 

Isabella Dussias is a 17-year-old singer-songwriter/composer from New Jersey. She enjoys writing about issues that are important to today’s youth, and she believes music is an important outlet to connect people and share messages through the creativity of lyric and melody. For more information, please visit IsabellaDussias.com.