Change
What is it that we strive for, as
individuals? Our young people of today, I believe display this more
honestly than any others. We want to be loved, and we want to be
accepted. We want to be known and acknowledged and understood.
Our young people are told they will grow up to be models and astronauts; superstars and Nobel prize winners. They are told they will rule the world, and are told they must take responsibility for every predecessor they have had. They are told, they have to be everything we could not, and everything we can never be. They are told they have to exceed all expectations and limitations.
What though, are we really doing? These young people, growing up in today's society with access to so many more resources we had growing up; with access to so much more advice and vantage points to take into account. They are brilliant and bright. They are optimistic and enthusiastic. These young people are the shining hope of the redemption of all that has befallen mankind, and the treasured torches lighting the way so that we do not blindly walk into the future.
What, I ask again, are we doing to them? We are giving them the weight of the world on their young shoulders. We are crushing their aspirations with anvils too heavy for them to bear.
A lot of young people take this beating, this tremendous responsibility pushed upon them and realize the unfairness. They realize that this is not what should have been and not what should be. They become angry, and slowly, outraged. They throw off the expectations and limitations and responsibilities of society in sheer defiance and scream out in protest at being so dictated and oppressed. These are the rebels; the activists and the free-spirited, fiery, young protesters.
Some of these young people, that do not turn into the defiant passionate knights against oppression, instead bear this weight society has pushed upon them. That we have pushed upon them. They silently take this burden and harden their hearts, building their inner strength and biding their time. They trust in their efforts, and after they have become all that they can, they push further, moving to destroy that which so limited them. They become who we should have been, helping the newer ranks of young people into themselves and lightening their burden, taking back what weights they can bear, to allow our young people to stand back from their hunched positions and stretch out their arms, seeking and attaining everything they can grasp.
Sadly though, many, too many of our young people live their lives, quietly bearing their designated duty. Slowly, as their passions are smothered and their dreams die, they suffer as tormented beings. They are the ones that work the middle grade jobs their entire life, steadily trying simply to get to tomorrow, but having long ago forgotten why they wish to press forward anymore. They are the backbone of our society, the crushed and dismissed youth we have pushed into roles they never wanted, given duties they were never informed how to fulfill, and shoved out of our thoughts, like a program to run it's course.
What are we doing to them. It isn't a question to actively answer. It isn't something to write about or make a new donation about. It's something to think about. Take it home with you after hearing this. Understand what you are doing. Understand what we are doing. Remember. We want to be loved, and we want to be accepted. We want to be known and acknowledged and understood. All of us, and especially our young people. It isn't a 'phase' of everything being new, so reactions and actions aren't yet tempered. It's called unabashed honesty of expressing what you want; what you need.
All that I ask is for you to think of this and take it home with you after you hear this. Remember these words the next time as a parent, you scold your son or daughter for acting out. Remember these words the next time as a teacher when you punish your student for missing an assignment. Remember these words the next time you see a young person on the news that committed arson, or even murder.
Think of why they've done this. Think about what society is doing. I'm not telling you to have a little empathy. I'm telling you to do something about it other than shake your head in disdain. Get off your soapbox and change something! Remember what you once desired as an individual; before you started to delude yourself you were happy or you had done all you could. These young people are no different from you. It's time we changed, and picked up our end of the bargain. Even if it's just an extra study group for students after school or a shared past experience where you learned something valuable. Do something. We can't afford not to anymore.
Our young people are told they will grow up to be models and astronauts; superstars and Nobel prize winners. They are told they will rule the world, and are told they must take responsibility for every predecessor they have had. They are told, they have to be everything we could not, and everything we can never be. They are told they have to exceed all expectations and limitations.
What though, are we really doing? These young people, growing up in today's society with access to so many more resources we had growing up; with access to so much more advice and vantage points to take into account. They are brilliant and bright. They are optimistic and enthusiastic. These young people are the shining hope of the redemption of all that has befallen mankind, and the treasured torches lighting the way so that we do not blindly walk into the future.
What, I ask again, are we doing to them? We are giving them the weight of the world on their young shoulders. We are crushing their aspirations with anvils too heavy for them to bear.
A lot of young people take this beating, this tremendous responsibility pushed upon them and realize the unfairness. They realize that this is not what should have been and not what should be. They become angry, and slowly, outraged. They throw off the expectations and limitations and responsibilities of society in sheer defiance and scream out in protest at being so dictated and oppressed. These are the rebels; the activists and the free-spirited, fiery, young protesters.
Some of these young people, that do not turn into the defiant passionate knights against oppression, instead bear this weight society has pushed upon them. That we have pushed upon them. They silently take this burden and harden their hearts, building their inner strength and biding their time. They trust in their efforts, and after they have become all that they can, they push further, moving to destroy that which so limited them. They become who we should have been, helping the newer ranks of young people into themselves and lightening their burden, taking back what weights they can bear, to allow our young people to stand back from their hunched positions and stretch out their arms, seeking and attaining everything they can grasp.
Sadly though, many, too many of our young people live their lives, quietly bearing their designated duty. Slowly, as their passions are smothered and their dreams die, they suffer as tormented beings. They are the ones that work the middle grade jobs their entire life, steadily trying simply to get to tomorrow, but having long ago forgotten why they wish to press forward anymore. They are the backbone of our society, the crushed and dismissed youth we have pushed into roles they never wanted, given duties they were never informed how to fulfill, and shoved out of our thoughts, like a program to run it's course.
What are we doing to them. It isn't a question to actively answer. It isn't something to write about or make a new donation about. It's something to think about. Take it home with you after hearing this. Understand what you are doing. Understand what we are doing. Remember. We want to be loved, and we want to be accepted. We want to be known and acknowledged and understood. All of us, and especially our young people. It isn't a 'phase' of everything being new, so reactions and actions aren't yet tempered. It's called unabashed honesty of expressing what you want; what you need.
All that I ask is for you to think of this and take it home with you after you hear this. Remember these words the next time as a parent, you scold your son or daughter for acting out. Remember these words the next time as a teacher when you punish your student for missing an assignment. Remember these words the next time you see a young person on the news that committed arson, or even murder.
Think of why they've done this. Think about what society is doing. I'm not telling you to have a little empathy. I'm telling you to do something about it other than shake your head in disdain. Get off your soapbox and change something! Remember what you once desired as an individual; before you started to delude yourself you were happy or you had done all you could. These young people are no different from you. It's time we changed, and picked up our end of the bargain. Even if it's just an extra study group for students after school or a shared past experience where you learned something valuable. Do something. We can't afford not to anymore.