Apathy is the most dangerous drug of my generation; it has gripped us by the heels and held us captive to its creed of self-absorbance. We have begun to forget the commitment that is needed to the world around us.

As students, we sometimes forget our place in history. We forget our power to bring change or at least expose the issues affecting our world. In the 1960s, it was students who organized protests at universities nationwide in response to Vietnam, limits on free speech, discrimination and women’s rights. The fervor the students displayed ignited the anti-Vietnam fire that gripped this country. In 1989, it was students who initiated the Tiananmen Square protests over the turbulent political atmosphere in China.

And just last month, right before we left for break, Iranian students set off a new wave of protests aimed at the most recent allegedly illegitimate presidential election in Iran.

In 1996, 800 students at this University participated in a sit-in in the Couper Administration Building to object to the seemingly discriminatory actions taken by the Student Association. When racial intolerance dominated the proceedings of the Student Association last year, we stood by appalled but did nothing more than read about it. In the last issue before winter break, this publication issued the “student body” a grade of C in terms of their ability to organize for social and political issues. What happened?

Technology is largely to blame for the downturn in student activity; it’s both a boon and a burden for our generation. Twitter and Facebook may help keep us up to date on when our friends are eating, but they leave little time to consider what problems may lay beyond that.

On top of that, we have evolved into a rights-based culture and moved away from a responsibility-based civilization. We have become so rights-obsessed that we have given up thought on our responsibilities to each other, our environment, our country and future generations. Politicians have stopped talking about responsibilities — now it is only about what is owed. It is easy to forget that even our rights came from people fighting for the rights of others.

It has been said that the students do not hold the legislative or executive power to truly produce change in the world, which is true. All of the world-wide student movements previously mentioned did not produce immediate change, and almost all resulted in bloodshed and violence.

Those who make this claim, however, forget the purpose of student activism. Young student organizers do not necessarily believe their actions will instantly produce the changes they seek; their actions simply give a voice to the issues which previously had no speaker. If they are lucky, their efforts will light a flame that persists until it is addressed by those who do possess the power to make change.

It is interesting to note that after the 1960s, the United States no longer has a draft.

School is not just about earning the grades that will propel us as far as possible. It is also the process of molding ourselves into the adults we will become. Let’s have it be a mold we can be proud of.