Voices of Youth

Dear Friends,

Have you ever realized that nowadays, along with the superb technology development, the mobile life, and with the Internet dominating the world, we humans are becoming less-smart and less-willing? Have you ever realized that the easiness we get in life has made us even worse than before?

I've been thinking a lot about the lives of those people in my father's generation. Back to the time when all they could do was to make themselves best at everything with their effort. They didn't have what we have now. They barely had televisions and cars. Neither mobile phones nor the Internet was there. Books were hard to possess, and education was poor. They didn't have online games to play. I think that was why they made themselves better athletes than us. Maybe that was why they made themselves better artists than us. The limitations they once had, motivated them to be just better, to live a better life, in a better future.

But if you ever saw how tough they were, you would feel you are nothing compared to them (or at least, that's exactly how I feel). We are living with every facility provided in cities. Books are now sold everywhere, worldwide, and even online. We have mobile phones -- smartphones that can tell us everything. Movies, songs and games are everywhere, becoming more accessible than ever. Education is also becoming a priority to most countries.

This was the future they wanted. Our past generations wanted a future where everything is not as hard as what they went through. Sometimes I hear stories from my parents. If only they had a chance to live their youth age in this era, they would be so happy. They admit that everything is much easier now. To keep in touch, to learn, to communicate easily without having to wait for a telegram or a letter. To travel. To enjoy the liberty. To have what we have right now.

What about us? Tell me, with all those social media things like Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and online games, what do you get? Is it just me, or those facilities make us imprisoned every day? The time when we could learn something new or experience something new outside, is consumed through sitting in front of our computers. Is it just me, or are you thinking that our willingness to struggle is now decreasing?

I see kids whose parents are encouraging them to take extra lessons and they pay teachers for it. Those kids' willingness to study harder with their effort isn't there anymore. They are depending on their tutors to teach them. Because books are more accessible, they spend money on books they don't read. School textbooks are only complementary at school. Some students don't even bother coming to class. A family with smartphones rarely talks to each other. Instead, they are talking to others through online messengers. Music and arts are no longer a passion, but a trend. Everyone can be popular. They can last, but not eternally. Just like a lightning that strikes once, but then it's forgotten.

Right now, I believe I am not the only one feeling this. And I believe we can still make a change. To prepare a better future. What's the future want to see? I want to see a future where everything we once had in the past is not gone. Certain types of plants and animals are endangered, and many of them are extinct. I want to see a future with clean environment and clean air everyone can inhale. Pollution is gone. I want to see a future where everyone lives educated in liberty, but bound to the laws that protect them. I want to see a future where people are not imprisoning themselves in entertainment, but where people will have the willingness to work hard, for another better future. Much better than this.

The future we want. I am certain that there are some people who share these dreams with me. And I believe we are not alone, and that together we can make it happen. As long as we have the same faith and willingness.

This is the future I want. What about you? :)