word up - it's about time for us to continue our exploration of ridiculous statements heard in graduation speeches. now that we've considered some of the implications of viewing the university experience as separate and apart from the 'real world', we can move on to other false assumptions about young people.
one of the refrains we hear almost any time someone is speaking to the importance of young people is that we are the future. that the prosperity and safety of the future rests with us, that one day we will be the leaders and shapers of society, and how wonderful it is that a college education has prepared us to assume these responsibilities...........one day. there is some truth in that the youth of today will be the shepherds of nations and the world for some time in the future, however, this type of thinking implies that we are not able to actively contribute to the rebuilding of society or directing significant efforts of social change TODAY.
there must be many factors that lead to such an assumption, so we'll try and mention at least a few of them. in the united states, it's become a fairly established cultural tradition to extend childhood as long as possible. what does that mean? well, it means that as a society, through various systems including education, mass media, politics, etc. we repeatedly tell young people that their primary objective in life is to have as much fun as they can now, because later they will have to enter the 'real' world and be responsible, hard-working adults. we can see the evidence of such an approach in the institutions of society. one example (which certainly could be investigated further to find the exact percentage) is that the overwhelming majority of people serving as members of congress (House and Senate) are 50+ years of age. that means that practically all of the people creating new laws and policies by which our country is governed represent only one generation of americans. how can our legislative institutions make decisions that are truly effective and beneficial for the entire country if the perspectives and voices of multiple generations are not fully heard? it is true that with experiece comes wisdom, and it is important that some of our public servants have seen and experienced enough to offer an informed historical perspective. at the same time, it is also important to understand that often times young people, though with less life experience but properly educated, see the challenges we face in society in another way, and may offer ideas and views that shed light on old and new problems alike. this diversity of perspective add strength to the overall understanding of the institution and insures that as many possible angles are seen and the best possible course adopted. the same principle applies in terms of the importance of having a balance of women and men represented, and racial and ethnically balanced representation.
another manifestation of the extension of childhood is the decreasing value of a standard liberal arts bachelor's degree in preparation for a career. economic recession notwithstanding, it's been getting harder and harder for graduates to find suitable career paths directly out of college. most liberal arts programs don't provide much in the way of marketable skills, prompting young people to seek more and more advanced degrees, or look for work that often is very unrelated to their major subject of study. this essentially communicates that you're not ready to work yet, you need more training. if you're needed greater training then you still have to wait to make your significant contribution to the advancement of society. closely related to this is how often most of our education is the memorization of information and theories, generally divorced from practical experience and bearing little relevance to choosing a meaningful career path that somehow serves humanity, but this concept should be further considered in future posts.
perhaps the most fundamental disadvantage to encouraging the population to carry the habits of behavior and thinking of childhood through adolescence and even early adulthood is the limiting effect it has on how young people think about themselves. if we let it, it can convince us that we lack the capacity to serve and advance our communities because we lack the necessary education, life experience, financial resources, understanding of the world, etc. as we move towards a learning approach to life, we will better understand the futility of waiting for more experience, more education, more training, more permission to take ownership for the conditions of society and begin to take action towards social transformation. the truth is that every individual has the capacity to contribute in some way to the betterment of society, and that the sooner we embrace this the earlier we can start to learn about which lines of action seem to bring the most benefit and how to refine and expand our efforts over time. NOW is the time for young people, with their vast energy, creativity, and fresh perspectives to be empowered to work in and for the community, embarking on a path that education and training can lend clarity to and enhance as we directly apply the themes and concepts to the social action in which we are already engaged.
it would be foolish to think that we've exhausted the many complexities of these social dynamics, and therefore this is an area to which we'll frequently revisit as the conversation progresses. feel free as always to share your thoughts on the matter.
PS - stop telling young people that we only represent the future. we ALL have a part to play today.
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