Youth then and now…..

Temshinaro [dropcap]A[/dropcap]lmost about a decade back, self clicked pictures were unheard of, ‘#tag‘ was probably not even imagined and music schools were not as numerous as it is now. The word ‘status’ was used only in rumors - referring strictly to boyfriend/girlfriend status – and ‘update’ was a word used mostly by teachers and parents to encourage kids. Back then, playing in the open – an adventurous game of hide and seek, a casual evening of five stones - ‘sweating’-running around with friends was fun that marked our sweet childhood days. And we still go back to those old sweet days and reminisce the memories that are sealed in our hearts. Teenage years went by with hardly 10 in 100 teenagers owning a mobile set. Having an internet connection at home was just not every family’s cup of tea. Only a handful had computers at home and online streaming had not been developed yet. Videos were watched in VCRs until CDs came later on. Social networking was yahoo messenger, hi5 and orkut, accessible only to those who had money; Rs. 40/hour in a hot internet café empted a month’s saving easily. A birthday party was normally a bunch of friends - usually of the same sex - having momo or chow, at an open restaurant (contract pre-signed to return home early). Apart from that, school/education was everything and we were barely aware of the things that were happening around us. Growing up was so different from how it is now.Not many years ago before the coming of the modern era, ‘needs’ and ‘wants’ were considered as two words that had two completely different meanings as explained in the English dictionary. In most of the families, basic needs like food, cloth and shelter were the only things that were considered as the most important of all while the needs for ones ‘wants’ was not always fulfilled. But today teenagers find it difficult to differentiate between ‘wants’ and ‘needs’. Everything they want is considered as their needs. True incidents go give a reality base could be recalled for such cases. In the year 2013, a young teenager committed suicide just because her parents failed to buy her a mobile phone she demanded which proves that her desire to own that particular handset became her ‘need’. Stories of such happen every now and then and it happens only because kids today feel that that everything is a ‘need’ and ‘must have’ for them. With the advent of the ‘fast-moving’ technological era, kids have changed a lot in just a few years. Kids today, are without a doubt more talented in so many numbers of ways. They are exposed to a variety of choices and opportunities. No doubt we are walking hand in hand with the fast growing computerized era but I am sure younger generations are more experienced than the past generations. They know so much about everything. Education is not the only thing they focus on……but music, sports and so many other activities equip them to face the world with a positive attitude. The media has played a major role in spreading technology. Maybe a bit too much as it seems to be the only medium that kids exploit. Koreans and fashions are dangerously on the rise, as compared to the intellectual gain or in terms of useful experiences. It was back in 2010 that my brother helped me open a Facebook account. I was new to it and not surprisingly, I saw students much, much younger than me having accounts already. This was completely different from what I knew. When I was younger, taking pictures involved thorough process: All we could do was take pictures with friends and wash it just to keep it in our albums and pass the negative to friends so that they could do the same but today every individuals have pictures saved in their systems no doubt we do the same NOW. I still remember during our days we would collect money and buy reels and had to wait till the 37 0r 38 wards in a reel got over then we had to wait for days to see our pictures. But today making display pictures and albums is the main reason behind taking pictures and wait for likes or comment. ‘upload’, ‘like’, ‘comment’, ‘share’, ‘tag’ , etc is considered important or one can say necessity behind every pictures. Thank God for the ‘edit’. But one thing that has gone unnoticed is that today pictures are random, carry sentiments only to the size of a few MBs and a measure of beauty alone: on the basis of likes and comments. The story, which should matter the most, is now posed. Where is the beauty in that? No doubt we are all responsible for that ‘crime’ and that is not to belittle the younger generation; they are much more experienced than us. They know so much more about everything. Not only in terms of education but say music, sports and many other activities. Hence, with such possibilities and opportunities ahead of them, it is important to equip one, to face the world, with the right attitude. Today’s generation or ‘Global youth’ rely on social networking sites in order to communicate and exchange ideas and information. But they should also understand the fact that everything that is heard or seen is always not good. Despite all attractive information related to technology, fashion, news, etc. they should know how to filter and choose what to take or utilize and what not to. Giving ‘positive’ feedback is not always the answer to convey a message. There are unaccounted number of things that teenagers today have left behind. Teenagers of today prefer to spend time alone in their rooms most of the time, browsing instead of spending quality time with parents. They prefer doing what they think is right and forget the fact that they are more focused on fashion and they modify their looks much more than what is required. Teenagers today have turned into a ‘Fashion minded generation’. Compared to previous generations, recent high school graduates are more smarter and experienced technologically but less equipped to face challenges and downfalls in life as they are dependent mostly on technology and does not think of “What’s” and “If’s”. Though it saddens my heart to see that many of our “Life’s way of having fun with nature” is way off forgotten, I with no second thought can proudly say that I am impressed and today’s global youth will surly transform our society and reach the level where we should really be and that can be achieved only if filtration of ideas takes place by ignoring the negative attributes and by letting the “Real Positive Attitudes” lingers amongst them. Teens need to realize the fact that they can achieve things that older generations only imagined or dreamt of. They will one day make the dreams and imaginations of past generations to reality. And this can only be achieved if the ‘thirst’ for a positive change in our society dwells among the young talented youths as ‘thirst’ is the only weapon for a better tomorrow which can make impossible dreams possible. They should above all understand the fact that they are the most privileged and luckiest of all generations. So, taking this into consideration every individual should strive, work hard and make our land proud of having this sacred and wonderful generation. Todays generation if lived positively will be the generation that will mark a new beginning of what was left behind and walk hand in hand towards a better world. Imti Awa, a higher secondary school student who has a sister 10 years elder to her mentioned that, “comparing to my sister’s generation, our generation today is more determined and we strive to follow our hearts desire, but many of us tend to lose the right way of living as we are so over exposed to the outside world. We find it difficult to choose the right from the wrong as to everything, whether good or bad, there is always a proof that proves it right in a very attractive way”. Leave-taking all the ‘pros and cons’ of today’s generations aside, a word to my young growing brothers and sisters: You may be more technologically equipped and more confident than us but I can assure you that, you are emotionally not tough enough to face the future. This future that beholds for you will be more challenging and more dangerous than ours as with the growing of technology problems also grows. We have seen our yesterday’s future but your today’s future is yet to be seen. Be prepared to face challenges and let this prolific technology not ruin you but mould you in every way. “Let the hunger for a better tomorrow linger today in each and every individual”. “Nobody can be a judge to anybody in this free world but anybody can be a teacher to everybody…so be anybody rather than being nobody”