Sam Graham-Felsen

TechPresident asked a bunch of journalists, activists, and thinkers to weigh in on whether they are optimistic or pessimistic about 2012. I am cautiously optimistic:

In 2011, I saw people of my generation rising up, across the world, in unprecedented numbers. And while I doubt the scale of networked, bottom-up rebellion will be replicated this year, I expect that young people in Egypt, Spain, Israel, the US, and elsewhere will continue press for change — and that we’ll see new movements cropping up in other countries as well. Of course, I also expect that after a year like 2011, governments, corporations, and other bodies of concentrated power will redouble their efforts to counteract mass movements. But ultimately, I’m optimistic. In 2011, the sleeping giant of the Millennial generation woke up — realizing its own power — and I don’t think it will be sleeping in 2012, or any time soon.