"May you live in interesting times" is said to be be a Chinese curse although this attribution is at best dubious, never the less it is true of the times we live in now.
What has this to do with the price of fish ?
My point is that I see very little evidence of togs really connecting with the changes within our country and society, I say this as a member of the "Baby Boomers" generation who must take at least some responsibility for the environmental economic and social problems that exist now, the surprise to me is that i see little evidence of the problems that young people face now being tackled as a photographic subject. I see many togs trying to recreate the classic images of the past but rarely view images with the honesty to reflect life in the UK during the 21st century.
When I meet young photographers on the street they are not slow in telling me that "this place is shit" but will not be persuaded that "the shit" as they see it might be a viable photographic subject preferring to recreate the reality of the lives of those they have not met rather than capturing the one subject they know better than anyone, the life they live now, warts and all !
The levels of apathy displayed by many young folk is worrying, on a personal level I am concerned that I will rely on this generation to make the world a better place as I look on in my dotage. Successive Governments have failed the interests of the young but they seem to take the theft of rights enjoyed by my generation on the chin. The right to be working class has become aspirational in the 21st century and further educational opportunities are being denied to kids from poorer families due to cost.
I would ask young people to engage with the issues they feel trapped by now on a practical and/or photographic level, don't allow yourself to be anaesthetised by the latest i-phone, Nike trainers, X camera or designer coffee served in a paper cup !
You might not feel as if you can change things but you can at least draw attention to the problems of your generation through YOUR photography.
Street Art seems to engage with the issues in a very direct way .