Youth are the hope of the world. Consequently, each nation should strive to see that their future is secure by educating them to the best of their ability. Yet, oftentimes, being young is what everyone seems to aspire to. How can that be? In the US there’s some evidence that the that to be youthful is the end all of life and to be elderly is to be on the wrong side of the fence, but it’s mostly talk. And, it’s youthful minds that create that impression. Mostly however youth and old age have a healthy respect for each other. Old folks understand that that the youth inherits the future and they’re eager to be of help when ever they’re allowed to be of help.

An obsession is not happening anywhere else but on television. Main stream America goes about its business taking care of the elderly, advising the young and regulating and attempting to keep all segments of society in their proper places. Common sense tells everyone be your own age and be proud of it. What it does not need is war between the young and old.  

And then again, why shouldn’t citizens of the  United States be obsessed with the young folk. Not obsessed with acting like them, but by appreciating them and instilling in them a sense of pride an wonder. It’s preferable to have a society that’s balanced with enough of each, old and young, to keep the world going in the right direction. It’s not the youth that keeps the industries and the economy manufacturing and advertising to the young. It’s the seasoned member of society that’s takes advantage of the young ones and their purchasing power. Children would not ask for the silly and expensive toys were they not so highly advertised. 

However, the answer could be is that the country is obsessed with youth is that parents and grandparents have lost control of their children’s actions. That, of course, is only partially true. The other inconvenient truth is that possibly old age is a frightful time and only those in that category, know of it.

All too often younster run wild and make their own rules.  It’s as if they see the whole world as their playground and act accordingly. They are trying to grow up as best as they know how and without adequate role models and curfews and limits to their overly stimulated emotional systems, they do as they think to do.

A certain amount of rebellion is normal and is justifiable but not to the point that it is being seen today. They must question and seek to understand and to find new ways of living and loving and addressing issues of their times, and this is okay up to a point. Where it gets everyone in trouble is when it is sanctioned by their elders and is exploited for economic reasons.

That is where the US is now where youth are concerned.  Money has become the reason for everything and youth, seeing nothing else available, seeks to take over this lucrative field from their elders. Had they had a more secure and moral environment while growing up, possibly they would now have a more philosophical approach to their vocations.

The obsession comes from a jet propelled society that has never learned how to listen to their own conscience; how then could they have helped their youth develop theirs. Instead, they believe it is possible to turn it on and off at will. This sad fact of life comes about because they have not had the time to allow this part of their reasoning system to develop normally.

All this advice consists of, truthfully, is nothing more than a few broad and generalized statements about why older folks allow our youth to dictate norms for a society. Maybe everyone is overly reacting to the problems in the world, and are inadvertantely blaming it on the young ones. No one can see what is coming tomorrow but those who are older and have lived through different times can reflect back and ask questions and accept their own guilt in not doing their part to steer their children toward a more relaxed and moral world. At least that is a start. Respect and responsibility for life is the goal for both young and old. At St. Cloud University, RESP 100: Respect and Responsibility is a required course for their students.