The younger generation began to be allocated to a specific social group not so long ago. Excessive hopes are either put on her or scolded, predicting the death of a centuries-old way of life at her hand. But this is only reasoning from the realm of morality.
What really is youth?
Youth as the vanguard of society
For the first time, the anthropologist Margared Mead spoke about the revolutionary role of youth in society. The scientist noticed that in the middle of the twentieth century, youth ceased to play the role of a student. Boys and girls began to fulfill the function of a “social bulldozer": they cleared the path to change.
The young generation of the 60s in the USA is a generation of non-conformists. They denied outdated state morality, racial and class prejudice, and ostentatious religiosity. All these vices in the society of the future should not exist. It was this generation that created the phenomenon of counterculture.
In the mid-twentieth century, the old conservative generation of Americans saw youth as a threat to their existence. Newspapers were full of "sensational" articles about the shocking behavior of hippies. At anti-war rallies, mass arrests were carried out. All the forces of a conservative society were thrown into preserving it.
A spoon of tar
The significance of the younger generation is not always progressive. In the last century, American boys and girls mitigated cruel racist laws, ended the Vietnam War, and abolished military service. But overall, the struggle with the old society was lost.
The modern young generation in the post-Soviet space did not even begin their struggle. Culturally, these people even lose to their fathers and mothers. A decrease in the level of education, economic problems, and, as a result, a generalized infantilization of the generation, all this creates a portrait of the “future” society.
The big problem is a significant shift to the right of young people. Radicalization occurs not only in the subcultural environment. Street fans have long attracted the attention of even law enforcement agencies. The fact is that contempt for emigrants, “Gentiles” (primarily Muslims) under the influence of the media becomes socially acceptable.
Together with social and economic problems, this gives impetus to the development of extremist organizations.
Who is to blame and what to do?
The blame for the fact that the younger generation is not right now is first of all necessary for educators - parents, grandparents, and the whole society. First of all, you need to think about whether they had a chance to grow others?
Of course, the conditions of modern youth are better than those of children who grew up in the 90s. But other problems have not gone away. Zero quality of education, often an unfavorable situation in the family, the influence of low mass culture - all this reflected on the modern look of boys and girls.
The role and importance of the young generation has long been expressed by Margaret Mead. Young people should become the very bulldozer that clears the road to the future, in which there will be no exploitation, no alienation, no other problems. You just need to give young people a chance.
