Channelling the Power of Uth
‘Youth is wasted on the young’. Every time I read this statement made by George Bernard Shaw; it hits me right between the eyes. This time around, however, it sent me glissading into forehead-wrinkling cogitation as I understand its very relevance today. At some point, the sheer profundity of this statement was enough to send a youngster like me lurching into action, to take up a cause and involve myself in some substantial, constructive work. One purposeful look around, however, was enough to help me realise that today’s youth doesn’t need an external locus of encouragement or realization. Today’s youth is driven.
We seem to have an innate sense of responsibility, built into our DNA, and if not, we have developed it, considering how the century has taken a turn for the worse.
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There isn’t the need for another Vietnam War to set into motion a 70s-like revolution. The youth today, doesn’t wait for a drastic issue to come knocking on their doors to spring into action; they create their own path and dilate their cause by encouraging other youngsters. GYEM- Global Youth Empowering Movement in Dubai, is an example of the initiative we ‘youngsters’ are taking. The organization was started by a teenager who felt strongly about the need to contribute to society, and get others to as well. The response to this organisation was surprising and eye-opening, not to mention, heartening.
We do realise the gravity and magnitude of the current issues plaguing our society and the environment, and there is an enormous amount of participation that seems likely to soon become unprecedented. We seem to be on the path to our very own progressive revolution. And there are no pit-stops!
The one trait of the youth that has transcended generations has been our ability to be the masters of our thoughts and opinions and not cower down to societal or political pressures and norms, as well as our ability to voice them. This is the one stage in our lives where freedom is the only constraint to our thoughts and we have understood and capitalized on this all through the years. This is what we continue to use as our generation’s most potent weapon.
There was a time when youngsters lacked the freedom to make even the most paramount decisions of their lives. Most were ‘guided’ by society’s conventions of good and bad, intellectual and ordinary, smart and average. There were standards – standards that defined people’s odds to succeed in life. If you couldn’t be a doctor or an engineer, you just weren’t good enough. You’d have to struggle, and squeeze your way to the top of just…a molehill because mountains were reserved for ‘smarter’ ones, the ones who had the ability to gauge heartbeats and wangle cars.
The scenario today however is drastically different. People are revered for contributions in the most specialized fields and it is a combination of the smallest and largest offerings that has created the society we live in today. Right from those who choose to pick up a scalpel, to those keen on discovering the potential of the World Wide Web; each person is respected for the field they are knowledgeable and interested in. The potential is enormously diverse. Larry Page was only 25 when he co-founded with Sergey Bin, to develop the world’s most loved search engine, Google! Mark Zuckerberg was only 20 when he revolutionized social networking by introducing facebook to the world. I could go on, but the point I’m trying to make here is that today’s youth has the potential of transforming the world into a better place. A place without discrimination, a place without pollution, a place without wars and a place without hatred. They have the courage to fight injustice, stand up for what they believe in, carry out their responsibilities and pave way for greater accomplishments. All they need; is a reason, and the world….gives them plenty. It’s not about fantasizing a fairy tale and I’m not expecting ‘happily ever after’, but as a youngster, I strongly feel that it’s important to dream big…and that, and only that…can bring you close to channelizing your true potential.
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