Clinging to your passion or just joining the flow?
Questioning the youth of today and its inclinations
Why? Because my parents are strict and conservative, and one of the conditions given by my mother is that I should not become an activist in entering UP, while my dad said that if I am a radical, there are less chances of having work in a bigger corporation; yes, I admit that I am coward that made me not to become an activist, and instead I focus much on my self interest. I am scared that if I join there are no chances of opportunity in having a good-paying job. And it is also somehow a biggest regret in my entire youth."
These are the words being said by one of the students of Prof. Gerry Lanuza in writing reasons why they did not join rallies.
And in these words somehow meant how the youth of today, despite its idealism had tend to disregard partial, if not full their passions in favor of practical ones such as studying and having a good record in order to gain opportunities in applying for a high-paying Job, other than choosing to obey the side of their parents, whose concern is oftentimes to the extreme and hence being described after as strict and conservative in dissuading their children in joining rallies or even expressing their thoughts that is contrary what goes on the present social order.
But come to think of this, is the youth of today cling to their passion or instead joining the flow that leads to an uncertain nowhere?
Passionate, idealistic,
to becoming self-centered and idiotic
Originally, this writeup was made in request from a student from San Sebastian College with the same topic this writer stated. However, since this writer knowing that her's, and yours truly shared some of views on today's youth, had to made this work happen knowing that today's youth had lost its passion and instead succumbed to the flow they are enjoying.
That is in fact, far from what they think so.
And knowing that it is indeed a trait of the youth, especially those of school age that they are idealistic when it comes to their views they willing to offer, or rather say "that everything around them is an idea to create and share with," that somehow meant for the old ones whether to recognize or consistently dare to oppose their views, oftentimes using their status as its pretext for subjugating the young.
However, as according to Amado Guerrero in his "Philippine Society and Revolution" that "Elder people should not be arrogant to the youth and the latter should not be insolent to the former," it is common for everyone that both sides, the old and the young often argue when it comes to their views just like what was said earlier about activism and its hindrance to having a well-paid job not knowing that there are certain individuals who, despite being activist, or radical, also afford to have a job as individuals for their needs!
Yet, on the other hand, not all youth had afford to unleash their passion, nor having the idea that can foster certain social changes other than themselves. Again, just like what's been mentioned, they rather chose to be "practical" in a sense that they're much into their self-interest like having a job, getting paid a higher wage, buying state of the art stuff and afford to brag that they can surpass their parents when it comes to earning as its basis for their "independence".
Yes, it is indeed fact that being financially stable as a basis for their "independence" as individuals, as young adults willing to succeed their forebears in assuming responsibilities especially those of the family, not to mention that they afford to say "Change starts from the self"; but with the advent of consumerism as the basis that affect today's lifestyles, today's youth had chose to disregard their idealism, if not having their passions unconsciously distorted in favor of self-interest and others such as escaping from reality, and even narcissism.
That somehow afford to say "You Only Live Once", and other modern-day quotations as if their dictum in justifying (sorry to say so), a life consist of earn, buy, consume cycle (as evidenced by those who care nothing but to enjoy); of joining the flow not knowing where will it lead to, or let's just say having their consciousness reduced to nothing unless few, if not one dares to reclaim something that can affect today's society, as well as its own.
And if so, then true was what the late Lu Xun knowing that today's culture that also affected the youth in their decisions, that according to his work "Madman's Diary":
"Everything requires careful consideration if one is to understand it. In ancient times, as I recollect, people often ate human beings, but I am rather hazy about it. I tried to look this up, but my history has no chronology, and scrawled all over each page are the words: "Virtue and Morality." Since I could not sleep anyway, I read intently half the night, until I began to see words between the lines, the whole book being filled with the two words—"Eat people.""
Knowing that today's "virtue and morality" had been tainted by self-interest, that "joining the flow" involves a vicious cycle of "earn-buy-consume" that is "cannibalistic" to those who had the consciousness to understand and perhaps beg to differ. Not to mention that there are those who once having enough courage to show ideas, yet as they gave up for mere practicalities they themselves rather conforms back to society by becoming sane and again blind to the social cannibalism around him.
Or, is joining the flow itself same term as eat people? If so then perhaps this writer had to lament over this matter. Knowing that everyone in today's acta diurna had end up in their narcissistic activities and materialism, disregarding calls for major changes as they reduce such matters as mere figments of imagination.
Not to mention that if "Change" really starts from the "Self", then how come people failed to make certain long term changes other than having themselves "improved" their so-called status in life just to brag on? Worse, having the same social order failing to reform its own and instead aggravating its past problems?
Yes, that the system overtakes the once single protestor. Sorry to say so, but oftentimes it becomes true for those who bid to be differ from what the present order insists.