Generation Y's Magnificent Seven

The following is a list of seven people or groups of people who are the shakers and makers of my generation. Some are fictional, some are famous and some are not even members of Generation Y. However, they all represent some part of my generation — they embody our modern spirit and values. They represent not only the present, but the future as well. Keep an eye on them and their influence, because they are the trendsetters and pioneers of our culture.

Tucker Max Blogger and author

One of the founding members of the “fratire” genre, Max writes obscene, politically incorrect and frank accounts of his own drunken escapades and hook-ups. He reminds us that you actually can make a living by simply having fun — a career goal we all share. Not only does he write about the sort of light and funny topics we Gen Yers like to read about, his rise from a nobody blogger to the best-selling author of “I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell” is a modern depiction of the American dream in action.

Jon Stewart Host of Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show”

Jon Stewart shows us that politics doesn’t have to be serious all of the time. “The Daily Show” provides daily news to millions as a humorous alternative to the obsolescent nightly news. Call it satire, call it comedy, call it a talk show — whatever it is, Stewart’s program consistently encourages young people to be politically and socially aware. For stimulating the absorption of knowledge (and doing so with a smile), Stewart is an idol for my generation.

Greg Mortenson Mountaineer and humanitarian

After a failed attempt to climb K2 in the Himalayas, Mortenson was taken in by a small village in northern Pakistan. He repaid the villagers by returning with his newly established Central Asia Institute, a non-governmental organization committed to building schools — especially for girls — in order to curb militant fundamentalism in the region. His story, as told in his and David Oliver Relin’s bestseller “Three Cups of Tea,” teaches lessons in generosity, reciprocity, adventure, equality and education. He is a living symbol of the “books not bombs” mantra, (which, by the way, should be the mission statement of future U.S. foreign policy).

Mark Zuckerberg Founder and C.E.O. of Facebook

Zuckerberg’s name is synonymous with innovation and connectivity. He morphed our social lives to the Internet, completely transforming the way we socialize. Zuckerberg isn’t the only one, but he remains the face of online social networking. Not only is he responsible for Generation Y’s favorite pastime, but he is a young businessman who abandoned the traditional path of education by thinking outside the box.

Michael Phelps Olympic swimmer

The epitome of athleticism, Michael Phelps captured the world’s attention at this summer’s Olympic Games in Beijing by winning a record eight gold medals. He proved to us that anything is possible and that high goals are attainable. Physically, he is almost superhuman — certainly not representative of our generation of couch potatoes — but the 23 year old from Maryland proved the common worth of determination, insatiable ambition and unrelenting hard work.

Harry Potter Fictional boy wizard

He was with me through every stage of my adolescence. He wasn’t a fad; he was a fixture. Besides dreams of going to Hogwarts and playing Quidditch, he instilled in us the need to battle evil with the forces of good. As if he’d cast the “Wingardium Leviosa” spell on our entire generation, Harry allowed us to fly away in our own imaginations, consistently unlocking doors along the way. (That would be “Alohomora,” right?)

Men and women of the armed forces

To all those who say my generation is lazy, materialistic and spoiled: Haven’t we learned that broad generalizations are rarely appropriate? While many of us chug beers and sit on Facebook for hours, there are those my age and even younger who heroically serve our country every day. Their service and sacrifice sustain this generation’s free culture. We can’t include them in our stereotypes of the young because they do what most of us never could: They put their country before themselves, give up carefree youthhood and summon the courage necessary to get the job done. These are values that any generation should keep in mind.

Dean Lieberman is a sophomore in the School of Foreign Service. He can be reached at lieberman@thehoya.com. Raving About My Generation appears every other Tuesday.

To send a letter to the editor on a recent campus issue or Hoya story or a viewpoint on any topic, contact opinion@thehoya.com. Letters should not exceed 300 words, and viewpoints should be between 600 to 800 words.