Public Service Is, like, Really Awesome

In my quest to prove how similar the Millennial Generation is to the WWII generation (a.k.a. the "GI" or "Greatest" generation), I found this graph which shows that well over half of Millennials would likely consider attending a public service academy rather than a traditional college after graduating from high school. The very interesting thing about this graph, which is explained in more detail here, is that the percentages of young Democrats and young Republicans willing to attend a service-based institution, implying that public service amongst today's young adults goes beyond the political realm. This graph also quite drastically disproves the idea that Millennials only do such extensive community service to get into more competitive colleges--that is, for selfish reasons. After all, this service-learning experience would happen after high school in lieu of a traditional college experience.

Obviously, the statistics displayed here may well inspire hope in many people for the future of the United States of America. For a generation known for its addiction to Facebook and compulsive obsession with text messaging and Us Magazine, the graph contradicts many societal judgments about today's teens. Is there any way that our tech-savviness and excellent communication skills help us feel more connected and thus concerned for the world around us? It sounds radical...but maybe it's not so far off the mark.