Jenelle Orosz
Youth Energy
Can Make the Difference
Not
only is it possible for the youth of
One
may wonder, “Why rely on the youth rather than the adults of the older
generation?” It is easy to think that
the adults would be the correct choice to lead this movement of making the
world a more “compassionate, just and equitable place,” as the Dalai Lama
desires it to be. This idea, however, is
incorrect. Although there is a tendency
to think of someone who is older as someone who is wiser, that is not always
the case. On the other hand, it is true
in the sense that they are wise in the ways that they had been taught by their
societies as youths. The main reason why
the older generation cannot be the leaders in this effort is due to the fact
that the Civil Rights movement of the 60s presented a difficult transition for
them to make. Therefore, many people are
still stuck in their old views and do not desire change. They are already halfway done with life and
are too ‘burned out’ to begin a movement that many of them will not even live
to see carried out. Their energy has
been spent playing their own significant role in this ever-changing world; so
now it is our turn.
Nowadays,
youth have been exposed to information that has opened our eyes to a new
understanding of other cultures. We have
been introduced to more humanitarian views and have been shown that previously
unwanted ideas, such as cultural diffusion and integration, are valuable things
for the enhancement of our world. It is
because of these main differences between the older and younger generations of
today that the movement must begin with youth.
Metaphorically
speaking, if this change for world peace were a marathon, it is most likely
that an eighteen-year-old person would have a better chance of winning than a
fifty- or sixty-year-old person? It is
only natural because, as youths, we have more energy and, in most cases, are
more physically capable. Our ideas are
fresh, and our purpose is defined. In order
to achieve an end to the all-too-common tragedies we hear of every day and to
engage the rest of the world to participate in the peace effort, we must begin
with ourselves. This is where the older
generation had a problem, because the idea of worldwide peace and equality was
so abrupt that they did not have enough transition time to realize the
importance. However, as a result of the
education we have received as youths, we are more open-minded and better prepared
to make the necessary change.
It
is up to the youth to devote ourselves to making peace in our societies and to
begin the initiative. I am not saying,
though, that the older generation is useless in this cause. Their role has been indirect but essential
because it is through observing their mistakes that we can lay a foundation to
build on. It is as though the effort
will progress in the form of an upside down pyramid. It all starts at the bottom, the point at which
an individual has changed his or her personal views. As time goes on, the pyramid widens to cover
larger areas; for example, neighborhoods to cities, to states, to
countries! Because the progression
toward world peace will evolve slowly, it is important for the youth to begin
initiating peace and understanding within their communities immediately.
As
the youth of