This is the first time I've written to the Alligator in my four years at UF. I've thought about it many times, but Columnist Joe Dellosa's article about patience yesterday was the first time I actually felt inspired to. Though I haven't read any of David Foster Wallace's work, I think the message of the article was clear: We are a nation of impatient people. And the Internet isn't the only place where that is evident. We spend a week talking about pressing issues like health care and then forget about it all together when it becomes boring. We can't even listen to a full album of our favorite bands anymore because it takes too much of our precious time.
We've become a nation of style with no substance. All of the crucial issues that America (and the world at large) now faces can't be solved over night. They can't be solved in 140 characters or less. Impatience is bigger than a lack of attention. I know our generation likes to throw around terms like ADHD and use Adderall to study for long periods of time, but ultimately we'll be remembered for what we changed. And we can only change the world one issue at a time.
