Theme Three: Helping can be a habit; engaging has never been easier
For members of Generation Peace, the intimacy and sense of caring they cultivate online carries beyond their circle of friends to causes. Thanks to the rise of click-to-donate campaigns, virtual foundations and the like, Generation Peace is reshaping philanthropy. Giving becomes a powerful way of taking action, responsibility, ownership.
Alan Rambam calls it “armchair activism,” made all the more effective and meaningful by Generation Peace’s ability to customize a campaign. A social cause promoted on Facebook can draw as many as 2 ½ million responses.
“It’s the ease of being able to go onto a computer and do something good in a fast way,” says Grey.
In a similar vein, members of Generation Peace have already internalized the idea of community service. Service learning has often been a part of their academic experience. It means they are already well-schooled in the habit of community service and the rewards it offers, and they are well-primed to continue those habits and reap those rewards throughout their lives.
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