In search of freedom

In the quest to find ourselves ‘Perfect’ as young people, we face a lot of battles with being accepted by society. We get judged so often because of our unconventional way of living.

Basically, we think differently, and so this goes on to show in our every day living.

Life for young people is like an experiment its not supposed to be that deep, so we say 

Have you heard of us; we are called the “Gen Z/Woke” generation for a reason. What used to be abnormal, as obtained in the past, is now termed the new norm. 

Some of the problems young people face can be traced to: 

Wrong parenting: Imagine being brought up in a dysfunctional home. A typical example would be a home where young people are forced to grow up faster than their ages to take up responsibilities adults are supposed to handle.

Materialism: The love of wanting all things flashy without wanting to go through the process. For us, it’s about the get-rich-quick schemes, the fast cars, fast food, the fast life, fast spending, the latest Benz, the happening guy, the hottest babe, the clubbing, the booze, the partying, and the drugs.

Oh!!!! Need I mention that “Canadian laud” is now a thing. The list is endless, all this without little or no consideration of the repercussions in the future.

If you dare think about the future, you’d be tagged “too serious”. Being “too serious” is adult stuff young people live for the now.

I still believe every young person needs guidance as they are at different stages in life; we need help, no cap. We don’t say it out loud or so often, but we do.

Young people think they have it all figured out, but it means there is a lot of proving to be done to oneself, society, family, and most especially amongst our peers. We try so hard to fit in.

There is this genuine fear of being termed a FAILURE if we are being truthful to ourselves. Society already sets standards; intentionally or unintentionally, we try to beat the odds to measure up.

Every young person wants to be WANTED or, better say, NEEDED, thereby leading most of us into dark places, even into really disturbing things.

I wish young people would be more kind to themselves by discovering who they are, what they stand for, and their power to create. 

I wish more young people would pick up a worthy cause and commence the journey of the HOW’S, WHERE’S, WHY’S of life so as to become more than the shallowness they project.

By Ella Raphael