What are you doing?

The transition from high school to college is something of a novelty to me. Obviously not in the sense that college itself is new, but in the sense that this kind of transition is new. Going from total dependence to complete independence is a huge step. I am paying for my own college experience. I am of the mindset that my money is only worth the education I leave this place with. I am abhorred by certain students who come to college with the expectation of finishing with mediocre grades and essentially a mediocre experience--leading to a mediocre life.
Hundreds of thousands of students apply to law school every year. I am considering becoming one of those students. Without any guarantee of a well paying job, the only guarantee is that the cream will rise to the top. A 300 level course for a freshman is no where near unheard of. But what about a 400 level course? Why not push myself to perform at the most rigorous level? The purpose of this blog is to keep myself dedicated, to voice the concerns I have with modern America, and most importantly, to vent my epic frustration with the idea that so many American youth intend to reap all the benefits without working for them. I have no intention of being the generation that finalizes the departure of America from the top ranks of national societies.

Cornel West, author of Democracy Matters, discusses an obvious issue in our current society--in the public sphere of government and the private lives of the American citizenry--that issue being the decline of civic virtue and democratic ideals as a result of governmental change. Change that he categorizes into 3 dogmas: free market fundamentalism, a steep increase in authoritarian policies, and aggressive militarianism. West attributes this change to a problem with leadership in the political spectrum (notably the Bush administration). But as a republican society (little "r"), and not a completely inactive one, we do have the power to change American government. The problem I see is not necessarily one of leadership, but a massive, popular support of the kind of ideals that West describes as travesty. As a staunch progressive, these potentially devastating new government policies can be classified into what George Lakoff describes as the strict father morality system.
Both American government and the American populace have become polarized. Radio barons like Michael Savage and Glenn Beck have instilled in millions of Americans the idea that radical conservatism is the only "true" American value system. The private side of American government is tied to the public side through the vote. It is a linking mechanism that engages citizens and makes our style of government, based in consent, possible.

I'm going to go watch some workaholics now, I'll finish this thought later...