As an expatriate Tuftonian stationed in Washington, D.C. on the eve of an election, I have had ample time to reflect on the relationship between politics and my generation. Washington is abuzz with such a case of election fever that even young people, with their traditionally low voter turnout, are not exempt from the symptoms. It is customary to discuss politics at a rally, in the workplace, at a dinner party, in a convenience store, out at a crowded bar, with your cab driver, in whispers at the movie theater or while you are being mugged. Politics is the subject of greetings, pick-up lines, coffee breaks and pillow talk.
During my time thus far in Washington, I have happened upon an interesting voting demographic. After careful observation, I have come to several conclusions about the life and habits of these members of the "echo boomer" or "millennial" generation. A bizarre combination of hipster common men and yuppie elitists has morphed many "Generation Y-ers" into Generation Yupsters. The first element of the Generation Yupster dichotomy is a desire to distance oneself from a privileged upbringing and be considered a common man (or, shall I say, "person"). But the Yupster also strives to be an elitist and exclusivist with regard to technology, environmental ethos, politics, etc. It is this conflict of values, the everyman versus the elitist, which causes a clash of identity and aptly characterizes Generation Yupster.
Housing location is crucial to a Yupster. After finishing their expensive private-college education, Yupsters tend to promptly move into lower-income areas. This is not only because the Yupsters' parents have stopped funding them, but also because they derive great pleasure in referring to themselves as "gentrification pioneers." While visiting a friend's apartment in a higher-income area, Yupsters may refer to the apartment as "bourgie" (for bourgeois) or swanky, always with the slightest hint of derisiveness. When asked if they ever attend town hall meetings or community events in their neighborhoods, however, Yupsters will most likely look away and mumble something resembling, "Totally would … real down-to-earth people, you know … not like from [insert wealthy part of town here] … but you know … Heroes is always on at that time … "
It is obligatory for all Yupsters to not only care about the environment and lead eco-friendly lives, but also to condemn others for being "part of the problem and not the solution." Yupsters tote canvas bags for groceries, eco-friendly water bottles and organic clothing, often purchased at substantially higher prices than the environmentally unfriendly alternatives. If you ask Yupsters why they are sitting in near-darkness in their houses, they will probably look all the way down their nose to tell you that energy-saving light bulbs may take a while to actually light a room, but they are certainly the way of the future.
Yupsters enjoy the feeling of moral superiority they get from making eco-friendly purchases. In the frozen yogurt shop where I work nights and weekends, we receive lavish praise for our eco-friendly policies. We proudly advertise our use of corn-based biodegradable spoons and cups. We do not, however, mention that they are available only upon request because they cost eleven times as much as regular, planet-killing cups and spoons. This does not seem to bother our Yupster clientele, as Yupsters rarely remember to ask for them anyway.
Yupsters also thrive off knowing things before you do. For Yupsters, products of the Information Age, knowing is being, and knowing first is being the best. Be it a new phone, bar, Web site or musician, Yupsters love the sounds of their own incredulous voices as they tell you all about something they cannot believe you have lived this long without. Be it Pandora, Zipcar or Netflix, there are certain services of which all Yupsters must be aware. Ignorance of the latest "it" thing is a severe faux pas.
So how do Yupsters, with their strong yet oft-antithetical value system, view the upcoming election? They see Obama as a striking, Kennedyesque figure and welcome his platform with open arms. They shiver with disgust when McCain supporters chant, "Drill, baby, drill," and they are utterly horrified at the notion that McCain does not understand how to use a computer. The fact that they are going to vote overwhelmingly Democratic is a surprise to no one.
The real shock for Yupsters will be when the results are in and the election is over. As almost every reputable poll states, Obama is predicted to win in November. His victory will automatically cause great divides in Generation Yupster. Yupsters are a generation whose political consciousness matured almost entirely under one president. Yupsters have gotten so accustomed to decrying their leadership that they cannot imagine the presidency as anything less than despicable. They do not flinch at the depiction of Bush with a Hitler mustache on T-shirts, and they never fail to laugh at a joke about his intelligence (or lack thereof).
Now, they have spent the last 20 months rooting for the dark-horse candidate. Obama is seen as a demigod among Yupsters, who proudly wear Che Guevara-style silhouettes of his face splashed across their chests. Where will their allegiances fall if Obama becomes the next commander in chief? Do they love Obama more than they hate the presidency? Can one man reverse the eight years that Yupsters have spent hating the presidency, scoffing at signs of patriotism and cementing their negative image of America?
Hold on a sec, I'll have to look that one up on my iPhone.
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Cory Siskind is a junior majoring in international relations and minoring in history. She is currently taking the semester off to intern in Washington, D.C.
