Generation has had its leash tugged. In a surprise move to the editorial staff of the publication, Sub-Board I, Inc. (SBI) has suspended Generation's charter, effectively preventing the student-run magazine from electing their own leadership for the upcoming school year.
Generation Editor in Chief Andrew Blake has voiced shock at the suspension, claiming that it was discussed and implemented without his input or notification. For its part, SBI claims that it gave Blake and the rest of Generation ample time to make the demanded changes and improvements, only to be met with refusal.
The changes that SBI demands, such as less objectionable material and greater representation of a greater swath of the student body, seem somewhat laughable; after all, this is Generation we're talking about. Part of the magazine's appeal was its offensive humor and seemingly narrow target audience.
But despite the clever "...since 1984" header that graces every cover, Generation is nowhere near as counter-culture as it claims to be. They are owned, part and parcel, by SBI, and the bottom line is that when SBI says jump, they are required to say "how high."
There's a prevalent attitude at UB that Generation has been stuck in a rut for the past few years, which probably contributed to SBI's decision. It's a shame, really, because there's every chance that SBI will turn the once-proud Generation into the bastard stepchild of Visions.
The thing about a magazine like Generation is that it takes a lot of work, and it's not entirely clear that anyone over there is willing to do it. If you want to rage against the machine while beholden to a larger organization for funding, you'd better keep your game tight.
That's the problem with those extendable leashes; pets start to think that they're limitless - that is, until the recall button's clicked. The smartest animals are the ones that look like they're staying close to you while playing out more and more slack; the illusion of freedom is almost good enough sometimes.
All joking aside, SBI and SA don't need another mouthpiece. If anyone reading this thinks that they can handle the responsibility of running a counter-culture cornerstone of the UB community while under the thumb of a stymieing bureaucracy, please apply for the editor in chief position before it goes to some SA worker bee.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
