Pluralities exist that argue on behalf of smaller government and more power remaining with local and state entities. But the need for a reformed welfare state is strong, as well as a revamped Social Security system that will be able to help us and future generations as we get older. While the general trend in America has been toward liberalization, I am reluctant to couple that with libertarianism. Individuality does not necessarily mean every man for himself. I think it means that we need to develop a way to get others on their feet and becoming productive members of society so that we can all have the privilege of self-determination.
Leaders come in all shapes and sizes and therefore attract young people of all walks of life.
I cannot generalize on this topic because I can think of people who would follow, over a cliff, everyone from Ronald Reagan or Donald Trump, to William S. Burroughs or Martha Stewart. But there seem to be qualities that surround each person who is viewed as a leader. Charisma and vitality are a must. Now, whether vitality means the individual is a capitalistic whiz or an innovative environmentalist does not matter, but leaders must possess an energy that is transformed into initiatives for change. Forward-thinking, innovative leaders, like Bill Gates, have taken an idea and nurtured it into total success.