In an effort to curtail public perception of an apathetic generation of Americans, about 150 members of "Generation X" met last night to discuss ethics, leadership and their contribution to society.
The town hall-style event was inspired by a recent 32-page report titled "The Content of Our Character." Audience members used this opportunity to reflect upon the collected opinions of the 50 members of Generation X interviewed for the publication.
Some members of the audience questioned the validity of the booklet, noting the lack of diversity amongst its contributors.
"Was it a consideration to include regular high school students?" asked Trinity freshman Lauren Moore, arguing that many of the contributors already had a long list of academic and social achievements.
Calling the document "a mix of pragmatism and idealism," Greg Behr, one of the project's many authors, defended his work by arguing that the people he surveyed crossed many socioeconomic backgrounds.
But several audience members questioned whether a realistic approach was best for this type of study.
"In some ways, we are advancing on a 1,000-mile front... maybe [the document] is supposed to be idealized and romanticized," said Moe Nathan, an audience member.
The discussion of the study, however, was somewhat limited.
Instead, the audience members debated the ethical and moral responsibility of their generation. The discussion frequently focused on the role that personal judgment plays in the decision-making process of elected officials.
Jeff Newman, a former student leader at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, asked, "Is it your job to be a mouthpiece for your constituents or make your own value judgments?"
Some audience members said a balance between personal judgment and responsibility was the solution.
"Leaders have to look at the past-the bad, the good-and be open minded," said Robin Thorpe, a law student at North Carolina Central University.
Some audience members said today's leaders need an improved sense of moral leadership and personal responsibility.
Mandy Greene, a UNC junior said, "The way we've setup our political and educational system, there is no moral guidance in American society."
But many audience members maintained that leaders alone should not be expected to shape society's values.
With these issues in mind, audience members said they were concerned about their generation's legacy.
"History is going to look back on us very unkindly," Nathan said. "Every generation leaves something undone, but the ones we look back on with nostalgia and respect choose something and go after it."
But some said Generation Xers have had no opportunity to achieve any such goals.
"The most excellent thing about 1998 was a great baseball season," one audience member suggested. He added he expected the best thing this year would be the new Star Wars movie.
Some, however, argued that an underlying legacy was not yet clear because the total list of their accomplishments is not yet written.
"We can do anything we want. Expectations are so low that anything we do will be taken with surprise," Nathan said.
Audience members concluded last night's discussion by thinking about their contribution to their families and communities.
William Polk, a law student at NCCU, said, "We should reach out to the people in our communities who have not been given the advantages that have been given to us."
Many agreed and said they hoped this forum will only be the beginning of change.
"The important thing is to bring those values together and use them for the benefit of society," said project contributor Chuck Stone, Walter Spearman Professor of Journalism and Mass Communications at UNC-CH.
Last night's forum was the second in a series of lectures now being held nationwide.
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