YOUTH 2020 - The position of young people in Slovenia

304 Passive activism is about apparent social engagement that does not ma- terialise in practice. Passive activism is not expected to lead to much, as it is based only on a declarative desire to make a difference. In this sense, passive activism can be demarcated in relation to activism based on the principle that ‘wishing tomake a difference’ is different from ‘wanting to make a difference’ and becoming actively involved in processes of change in one’s local environment. This difference in the level of social engagement is well illustrated by public opinion surveys, where expressed value orientations, ideas, and concepts are sometimes not in line with the realistic expectations of the respondents. It is sometimes difficult to recognize how much someone really wants to see change in their environment, as respondents do not fully express their opinions and attitudes on a particular topic for vari- ous reasons (mistrust, desire for anonymity, self-importance, local con- ditions, etc.). Similar declarative attitudes can be observed when linking data on the importance of material goods and expressing the importance of protect- ing nature and living in a clean environment. In line with the principles of sustainable development and reducing resource consumption, which stem from attempts to reduce the effects of consumerism trends, giving importance to material goods, while at the same time supporting the im- portance of protecting and living in a clean environment can be perceived as a typical form of declarative attitudes without any real basis in practi- cal implementation.