The Youth Challenges are not new. Every generation has ways and means of overcoming their challenges. I would advise the youth not to give up as they will overcome. The decisions they will make through these challenges matters a lot. Learn from the adults around you and discuss with them what you are going through.
India has the largest youth population in the world.70% of Indian population is below the age of 35 years. According to the initial figures of the 2011 censes, the youth population in the country including adolescents is around 550 million.
youth are not only the leaders of tomorrow, but also the partners of today.
youth people are social actors of change and progress. They are the crucial segment of a nation’s development.
youths play one of the most important roles in nation building.
Youth In India - a detailed study with referencesUdayan Sikdar
Being in a country with the largest youth population, it is detrimental for brands to understand the mindset of this target audience.
Choice is everything an independent youth has, be it for their gadgets, food or entertainment. They live their lives muti-tasking with their studies, gadgets, internet and television amongst other things.
They try to seek their identity both online and offline through the various mediums available.
For youth the brand they associate with matters a lot more than a simple choice of necessity.
The following report showcases the various aspects of the youth population and attempts to establish an understanding of their preferences.
India has the largest youth population in the world.70% of Indian population is below the age of 35 years. According to the initial figures of the 2011 censes, the youth population in the country including adolescents is around 550 million.
youth are not only the leaders of tomorrow, but also the partners of today.
youth people are social actors of change and progress. They are the crucial segment of a nation’s development.
youths play one of the most important roles in nation building.
Youth In India - a detailed study with referencesUdayan Sikdar
Being in a country with the largest youth population, it is detrimental for brands to understand the mindset of this target audience.
Choice is everything an independent youth has, be it for their gadgets, food or entertainment. They live their lives muti-tasking with their studies, gadgets, internet and television amongst other things.
They try to seek their identity both online and offline through the various mediums available.
For youth the brand they associate with matters a lot more than a simple choice of necessity.
The following report showcases the various aspects of the youth population and attempts to establish an understanding of their preferences.
Alcohol And Adolescence What Every Educator Should KnowSarah Pahl
Presentation designed to equip educators of adolescents with knowledge of alcohol's effects on adolescent brains and bodies, the ability to identify risk and protective factors, and specific tools for the classroom to communicate positive prevention messages.
Youth Percpective in Pakistan and comparative analysis with the youth policies of different European, Australian and Asian Countries and How we can convert the youth as the Strength of Pakistan. Please comments how you find this presentation!
PPT ON WOMEN EMPOWERMENT, empowerment,india, ppt on women empowerment,women,women empowerment,rights, women rights, powerpoint presentation on women empowerment, women empowerment in India, government policies on women empowerment
Advocacy for family and Youth Essay
The Filipino Youth
Essay On Youth Of Youth
Mental Illness And Its Impact On Youth Essay
Challenges facing youths today
My Vision Of Americas Youth Essay
Homeless Youth Essay
What Is The View Of Youth Essay
The Effects Of Social Media On Youth Essay
Strengths And Weaknesses Of Youth
The Effects Of Drug Abuse Among Youth
Youth by Joseph Conrad Essay
Youth and Substance Abuse Essay
Working With Youth Experience
Essay on Youth and Sports
How Globalization Affects The Youth?
Youth and the Media Essay
Youth and Future of Pakistan
Understanding Young Men Challenges in Our SocietyKIGUME Karuri
We have to join hands and assist our young men. Don’t keep away from their issues. They are looking for mentors and models. Would you be there to assist them?
Alcohol And Adolescence What Every Educator Should KnowSarah Pahl
Presentation designed to equip educators of adolescents with knowledge of alcohol's effects on adolescent brains and bodies, the ability to identify risk and protective factors, and specific tools for the classroom to communicate positive prevention messages.
Youth Percpective in Pakistan and comparative analysis with the youth policies of different European, Australian and Asian Countries and How we can convert the youth as the Strength of Pakistan. Please comments how you find this presentation!
PPT ON WOMEN EMPOWERMENT, empowerment,india, ppt on women empowerment,women,women empowerment,rights, women rights, powerpoint presentation on women empowerment, women empowerment in India, government policies on women empowerment
Advocacy for family and Youth Essay
The Filipino Youth
Essay On Youth Of Youth
Mental Illness And Its Impact On Youth Essay
Challenges facing youths today
My Vision Of Americas Youth Essay
Homeless Youth Essay
What Is The View Of Youth Essay
The Effects Of Social Media On Youth Essay
Strengths And Weaknesses Of Youth
The Effects Of Drug Abuse Among Youth
Youth by Joseph Conrad Essay
Youth and Substance Abuse Essay
Working With Youth Experience
Essay on Youth and Sports
How Globalization Affects The Youth?
Youth and the Media Essay
Youth and Future of Pakistan
Understanding Young Men Challenges in Our SocietyKIGUME Karuri
We have to join hands and assist our young men. Don’t keep away from their issues. They are looking for mentors and models. Would you be there to assist them?
UNIT 5 AGENCIES AND TYPES OF SOCIALIZATION.pptxSanskritiRazdan
agents of socialization, or institutions that can impress social norms upon an individual, include the family, religion, peer groups, economic systems, legal systems, penal systems, language, and the media.
Weekly tasks or assignments (Individual or Group Projects) will be.docxalanfhall8953
Weekly tasks or assignments (Individual or Group Projects) will be due by Monday and late submissions will be assigned a late penalty in accordance with the late penalty policy found in the syllabus. NOTE: All submission posting times are based on midnight Central Time.
Almost all people have times in their life when they feel that they are not in control of the events that happen to them. There are often times when others seem to have more power over people than they do over themselves. This can create a strong feeling of power imbalance between oneself and another person. Sometimes, this can be because of a positive power imbalance, in the case of a mentor, advisor, or supervisor who uses his or her authority to guide and teach others. Sometimes, however, this can also be because of a negative power imbalance, in the case of a boss who bullies; a boyfriend or a girlfriend who can be emotionally and physically threatening; or in the case of a confrontation, one person initiating violence against another.
In the United States and in other countries around the world, power imbalances are often commonly experienced by populations who may be political or social minorities because of their gender, race, tribal and ethnic association, or socioeconomic status. Consequently, discrimination may occur as a way of preserving the status quo as a means of preventing others from accessing multiple public and private services, credit, employment, and housing opportunities, for example.
As people bring the personal into the professional, self-awareness is important for homeland security personnel when working and intervening successfully with critical incidents that may involve culturally diverse responders, survivors, and perpetrators. Coping with unpredictable and ongoing situations of crisis and terror can arouse personal feelings of helplessness and lack of control. It is important, therefore, to understand what particular coping strengths you can bring into such a situation, your ability to respond to and manage such a situation, and what your capacity is to learn from such events for future use.
Therefore, looking back over your own life, choose a situation in which you experienced a major power imbalance while interacting with another person that either assisted or prevented you from meeting your aims. This could be, for example, with a former boss, coach, teacher, parent, or friend who had some kind of authority over you when the incident occurred.
Assignment Guidelines
· This paper should be between 750–1,000 words and will be written in 3 parts:
· The first part should be labeled "Part 1: What Happened."
· Insert as much objective detail as you can remember, in as factual a manner as possible.
· The second part should be labeled "Part 2: Looking Back."
· Insert what you felt your response was to what happened during the event.
· The third part should contain discussion regarding 2 additional aspects and should be labeled "Part 3: What I Lear.
Four Family Loves was written by Dr. Robert Kittel, Director of Youth and Students for Peace, with assistance from Dr. Tyler Hendricks. It is endorsed by the Women’s Federation for World Peace, an NGO with General Consultative Status at the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC); the Universal Peace Federation, an NGO with ECOSOC Special Consultative Status; the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU); and Youth and Students for Peace (YSP). Ministries of Education, NGOs and FBOs everywhere are welcome to use it. We ask only the courtesy of a letter of acknowledgment sent to us at “ys4peace@gmail.com.” We believe its employment as a public and private school curriculum will lead individuals, families and nations to prosperity, peace and happiness.
An Eden Project Field Guide to working with young peopleEdenProjectWebTeam
Young people are our future. How we treat them is an important indicator of the health and wellbeing of our society. The Eden Field Guide to Working With Young People explains why working with young people is so important and provides advice on how to go about it. This field guide was published by the Eden Project as part of its Big Lunch Extras programme. Find out more at www.biglunchextras.com
1 S o c i a l i z a t i o n SOCIALIZATION Learning .docxcroftsshanon
1 | S o c i a l i z a t i o n
SOCIALIZATION
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this chapter you will be able to do the following.
Define socialization.
Compare nature and nurture as socialization influences.
Identify agents and agencies of socialization.
Evaluate the study of cases of feral children in terms of their importance to our
knowledge of socialization.
Recall and define the steps in determining a self-concept.
Evaluate Dramaturgy for its application to every day life.
WHAT IS SOCIALIZATION?
Socialization is the process by which people learn characteristics of their group’s norms,
values, attitudes, and behaviors. Through socialization we learn the culture of the society
into which we have been born. In the course of this process, a personality develops. A
personality is comprised of patterns of behavior and ways of thinking and feeling that are
distinctive for each individual.
Babies are not born with the social or
emotional tools needed to contribute to
society as properly functioning social actors.
They have to learn all the nuances of proper
behavior, how to meet expectations for what
is expected of them, and everything else
needed to become members of society. As
newborns interact with family and friends
they learn the expectations of their society
(family, community, state, and nation).
From the first moments of life, children begin a process of socialization wherein parents,
family, and friends establish an infant’s social construction of reality, or what people
define as real because of their background assumptions and life experiences with others. An
average U.S. child’s social construction of reality includes knowledge that he or she belongs,
and can depend on others to meet his or her needs. It also includes the privileges and
obligations that accompany membership in his or her family and community. In a typical
set of social circumstances, children grow up through a predictable set of life stages:
infancy, preschool, K-12 school years, young adulthood, adulthood, middle adulthood, and
finally later-life adulthood. Most will leave home as young adults, find a spouse or life
partner in their mid-to late 20s and work in a job for pay.
2 | S o c i a l i z a t i o n
THREE LEVELS OF SOCIALIZATION
When discussing the average U.S. child, most agree that the most imperative socialization
takes place early in life and in identifiable levels. Primary socialization typically begins at
birth and moves forward until the beginning of the school years. Primary socialization
includes all the ways the newborn is molded into a social being capable of interacting in and
meeting the expectations of society. Most primary socialization is facilitated by the family,
friends, day care, and to a certain degree various forms of media. Children watch about
three hours of TV per day (by the time the average child attends kindergarten she has
watched about 5,000 hours of TV.
1 S o c i a l i z a t i o n SOCIALIZATION Learning .docxjeremylockett77
1 | S o c i a l i z a t i o n
SOCIALIZATION
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this chapter you will be able to do the following.
Define socialization.
Compare nature and nurture as socialization influences.
Identify agents and agencies of socialization.
Evaluate the study of cases of feral children in terms of their importance to our
knowledge of socialization.
Recall and define the steps in determining a self-concept.
Evaluate Dramaturgy for its application to every day life.
WHAT IS SOCIALIZATION?
Socialization is the process by which people learn characteristics of their group’s norms,
values, attitudes, and behaviors. Through socialization we learn the culture of the society
into which we have been born. In the course of this process, a personality develops. A
personality is comprised of patterns of behavior and ways of thinking and feeling that are
distinctive for each individual.
Babies are not born with the social or
emotional tools needed to contribute to
society as properly functioning social actors.
They have to learn all the nuances of proper
behavior, how to meet expectations for what
is expected of them, and everything else
needed to become members of society. As
newborns interact with family and friends
they learn the expectations of their society
(family, community, state, and nation).
From the first moments of life, children begin a process of socialization wherein parents,
family, and friends establish an infant’s social construction of reality, or what people
define as real because of their background assumptions and life experiences with others. An
average U.S. child’s social construction of reality includes knowledge that he or she belongs,
and can depend on others to meet his or her needs. It also includes the privileges and
obligations that accompany membership in his or her family and community. In a typical
set of social circumstances, children grow up through a predictable set of life stages:
infancy, preschool, K-12 school years, young adulthood, adulthood, middle adulthood, and
finally later-life adulthood. Most will leave home as young adults, find a spouse or life
partner in their mid-to late 20s and work in a job for pay.
2 | S o c i a l i z a t i o n
THREE LEVELS OF SOCIALIZATION
When discussing the average U.S. child, most agree that the most imperative socialization
takes place early in life and in identifiable levels. Primary socialization typically begins at
birth and moves forward until the beginning of the school years. Primary socialization
includes all the ways the newborn is molded into a social being capable of interacting in and
meeting the expectations of society. Most primary socialization is facilitated by the family,
friends, day care, and to a certain degree various forms of media. Children watch about
three hours of TV per day (by the time the average child attends kindergarten she has
watched about 5,000 hours of TV ...
Change never seems natural. We naturally repel it and often want to retreat back into our comfort zone. There is all the resistance to change. When then there is a crisis you must equip yourself for change or be overcome by the change. Every man must prepare himself to handle crisis.
You Must Make Important Changes in Your LifeKIGUME Karuri
Making important changes in your life can be stressful but if done for the right reasons, it will be very rewarding once completed. By making some adjustments here and there, you can move closer toward your goals in life with greater passion and confidence.
Assumptions Can Easily Drain Your MarriageKIGUME Karuri
Assumptions are dangerous and we must work on how we can avoid making assumptions. Assumptions rob us of living well. Assumptions set us up for confrontations, and then we blame each other for the confrontations.
What lessons have we learnt from the pandemic? We need to adjust in such a way as to get our feet back on track. There is always hope. Never give up. There are many things we were doing that were draining our resources and not adding value to our lives. Make an about turn and seek to look for opportunities that will change your life and those that are close to you. You are important and that you will make it. The key word is ADJUST.
The root of our struggles is found in the struggle with an over-estimation of ourselves. It’s pride.
The Bible says that “Pride only breeds quarrels” (Proverbs 13:10a). If pride is left unchecked, it can eventually lead to an absolute loss of intimacy, communication, and connection between a husband and wife.
Marriage is the joining together of a man and a woman in a very special way, and if it is done in the way God designed and planned it, it opens the way for prosperity and blessings both in the natural and in the supernatural or spiritual realm.
Life is full of opportunities and challenges. We can meet these challenges and still live life abundantly. Tough times never last, but tough people do. Tough people who survive do so because they have learnt to reach positively to their predicaments.
If you can nurture a spirit of “we’re in this together and must find our solutions together” as you navigate this crisis, you’ll be greatly strengthened for the journey. If you can view your spouse as vulnerable, fragile, and in need of your love, you’ll grow in empathy toward each other, creating a powerful bridge.
If you are not prioritizing, then you are not thinking ahead of where you currently are and this means that you also probably don’t have a handle on where you are in relation to your overall vision.
Marriage is all about love, kindness, patience and staying grounded. These four things promote a healthy relationship by encouraging understanding, keeping the lines of communication open and making sure both spouses feel loved, understood and supported. This is why you need wisdom in marriage.
You can be the man you ought to be in 2019. Make responsible decisions and actions and stand firm for your family. Be there for your family and take the lead in being the man in 2019.
A long lasting love is just a couple who have made it their goal to go one more day in love and invested the time and effort to pull it off one day at a time.
As much as possible work on minimizing debts in your marriage, I personally advise couples to watch on their spending against their income. There are many items that you don’t need.
The choices you make today not only affect you, but also those around you and your descendants! If your choices are good this is good, but if the choices were bad…you have set up a string of negative events with a myriad of consequences!
Commitment allows us to fulfill our most basic needs and achieve our most sought after dreams. It gives us purpose. It’s never too late to learn how to commit.
The French Revolution, which began in 1789, was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France. It marked the decline of absolute monarchies, the rise of secular and democratic republics, and the eventual rise of Napoleon Bonaparte. This revolutionary period is crucial in understanding the transition from feudalism to modernity in Europe.
For more information, visit-www.vavaclasses.com
Francesca Gottschalk - How can education support child empowerment.pptxEduSkills OECD
Francesca Gottschalk from the OECD’s Centre for Educational Research and Innovation presents at the Ask an Expert Webinar: How can education support child empowerment?
The Roman Empire A Historical Colossus.pdfkaushalkr1407
The Roman Empire, a vast and enduring power, stands as one of history's most remarkable civilizations, leaving an indelible imprint on the world. It emerged from the Roman Republic, transitioning into an imperial powerhouse under the leadership of Augustus Caesar in 27 BCE. This transformation marked the beginning of an era defined by unprecedented territorial expansion, architectural marvels, and profound cultural influence.
The empire's roots lie in the city of Rome, founded, according to legend, by Romulus in 753 BCE. Over centuries, Rome evolved from a small settlement to a formidable republic, characterized by a complex political system with elected officials and checks on power. However, internal strife, class conflicts, and military ambitions paved the way for the end of the Republic. Julius Caesar’s dictatorship and subsequent assassination in 44 BCE created a power vacuum, leading to a civil war. Octavian, later Augustus, emerged victorious, heralding the Roman Empire’s birth.
Under Augustus, the empire experienced the Pax Romana, a 200-year period of relative peace and stability. Augustus reformed the military, established efficient administrative systems, and initiated grand construction projects. The empire's borders expanded, encompassing territories from Britain to Egypt and from Spain to the Euphrates. Roman legions, renowned for their discipline and engineering prowess, secured and maintained these vast territories, building roads, fortifications, and cities that facilitated control and integration.
The Roman Empire’s society was hierarchical, with a rigid class system. At the top were the patricians, wealthy elites who held significant political power. Below them were the plebeians, free citizens with limited political influence, and the vast numbers of slaves who formed the backbone of the economy. The family unit was central, governed by the paterfamilias, the male head who held absolute authority.
Culturally, the Romans were eclectic, absorbing and adapting elements from the civilizations they encountered, particularly the Greeks. Roman art, literature, and philosophy reflected this synthesis, creating a rich cultural tapestry. Latin, the Roman language, became the lingua franca of the Western world, influencing numerous modern languages.
Roman architecture and engineering achievements were monumental. They perfected the arch, vault, and dome, constructing enduring structures like the Colosseum, Pantheon, and aqueducts. These engineering marvels not only showcased Roman ingenuity but also served practical purposes, from public entertainment to water supply.
Embracing GenAI - A Strategic ImperativePeter Windle
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies such as Generative AI, Image Generators and Large Language Models have had a dramatic impact on teaching, learning and assessment over the past 18 months. The most immediate threat AI posed was to Academic Integrity with Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) focusing their efforts on combating the use of GenAI in assessment. Guidelines were developed for staff and students, policies put in place too. Innovative educators have forged paths in the use of Generative AI for teaching, learning and assessments leading to pockets of transformation springing up across HEIs, often with little or no top-down guidance, support or direction.
This Gasta posits a strategic approach to integrating AI into HEIs to prepare staff, students and the curriculum for an evolving world and workplace. We will highlight the advantages of working with these technologies beyond the realm of teaching, learning and assessment by considering prompt engineering skills, industry impact, curriculum changes, and the need for staff upskilling. In contrast, not engaging strategically with Generative AI poses risks, including falling behind peers, missed opportunities and failing to ensure our graduates remain employable. The rapid evolution of AI technologies necessitates a proactive and strategic approach if we are to remain relevant.
June 3, 2024 Anti-Semitism Letter Sent to MIT President Kornbluth and MIT Cor...Levi Shapiro
Letter from the Congress of the United States regarding Anti-Semitism sent June 3rd to MIT President Sally Kornbluth, MIT Corp Chair, Mark Gorenberg
Dear Dr. Kornbluth and Mr. Gorenberg,
The US House of Representatives is deeply concerned by ongoing and pervasive acts of antisemitic
harassment and intimidation at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Failing to act decisively to ensure a safe learning environment for all students would be a grave dereliction of your responsibilities as President of MIT and Chair of the MIT Corporation.
This Congress will not stand idly by and allow an environment hostile to Jewish students to persist. The House believes that your institution is in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, and the inability or
unwillingness to rectify this violation through action requires accountability.
Postsecondary education is a unique opportunity for students to learn and have their ideas and beliefs challenged. However, universities receiving hundreds of millions of federal funds annually have denied
students that opportunity and have been hijacked to become venues for the promotion of terrorism, antisemitic harassment and intimidation, unlawful encampments, and in some cases, assaults and riots.
The House of Representatives will not countenance the use of federal funds to indoctrinate students into hateful, antisemitic, anti-American supporters of terrorism. Investigations into campus antisemitism by the Committee on Education and the Workforce and the Committee on Ways and Means have been expanded into a Congress-wide probe across all relevant jurisdictions to address this national crisis. The undersigned Committees will conduct oversight into the use of federal funds at MIT and its learning environment under authorities granted to each Committee.
• The Committee on Education and the Workforce has been investigating your institution since December 7, 2023. The Committee has broad jurisdiction over postsecondary education, including its compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, campus safety concerns over disruptions to the learning environment, and the awarding of federal student aid under the Higher Education Act.
• The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is investigating the sources of funding and other support flowing to groups espousing pro-Hamas propaganda and engaged in antisemitic harassment and intimidation of students. The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is the principal oversight committee of the US House of Representatives and has broad authority to investigate “any matter” at “any time” under House Rule X.
• The Committee on Ways and Means has been investigating several universities since November 15, 2023, when the Committee held a hearing entitled From Ivory Towers to Dark Corners: Investigating the Nexus Between Antisemitism, Tax-Exempt Universities, and Terror Financing. The Committee followed the hearing with letters to those institutions on January 10, 202
Acetabularia Information For Class 9 .docxvaibhavrinwa19
Acetabularia acetabulum is a single-celled green alga that in its vegetative state is morphologically differentiated into a basal rhizoid and an axially elongated stalk, which bears whorls of branching hairs. The single diploid nucleus resides in the rhizoid.
A Strategic Approach: GenAI in EducationPeter Windle
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies such as Generative AI, Image Generators and Large Language Models have had a dramatic impact on teaching, learning and assessment over the past 18 months. The most immediate threat AI posed was to Academic Integrity with Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) focusing their efforts on combating the use of GenAI in assessment. Guidelines were developed for staff and students, policies put in place too. Innovative educators have forged paths in the use of Generative AI for teaching, learning and assessments leading to pockets of transformation springing up across HEIs, often with little or no top-down guidance, support or direction.
This Gasta posits a strategic approach to integrating AI into HEIs to prepare staff, students and the curriculum for an evolving world and workplace. We will highlight the advantages of working with these technologies beyond the realm of teaching, learning and assessment by considering prompt engineering skills, industry impact, curriculum changes, and the need for staff upskilling. In contrast, not engaging strategically with Generative AI poses risks, including falling behind peers, missed opportunities and failing to ensure our graduates remain employable. The rapid evolution of AI technologies necessitates a proactive and strategic approach if we are to remain relevant.
1. Youth Challenges in Our Society
Ecclesiastes 11:9-10
“You who are young, make the most of your youth. Relish your youthful vigor. Follow
the impulses of your heart. If something looks good to you, pursue it. But know also
that not just anything goes; You have to answer to God for every last bit of it. Live
footloose and fancy free— “.(MSG)
Ecclesiastes 12:1-2
“Honor and enjoy your Creator while you're still young, Before the years take their
toll and your vigor wanes, Before your vision dims and the world blurs And the winter
years keep you close to the fire”.(MSG)
Has life changed or have values changed? These are pertinent questions for all of us to
answer. The family as a place of imparting knowledge and skills has been facing serious
challenges. The man as the head of the family has not been there and even when he is
there, he is also facing major challenges that he has neglected his role in the family. Peer
and societal pressure have weighed so much on the man that the youth, who were
expected to learn from him, have had no chance at all. The rush to do things the way
others are doing and not to be left behind, have taken over the lives of most young
people.
Most of the problems facing today’s youth are not restricted to any one ethnic or religious
group, but affect young people generally. Most discussions on youth have focussed on
issues such as drug abuse, crime, violence, sexuality and poverty. In addition to these,
today’s youth are afflicted by new challenges.
These include:
1. An Identity Crisis: Who am I?
2. Lack of self confidence and low self esteem: I am worthless
3. A sense of hopelessness: Where am I going?
4. Confusion and ambiguity concerning moral issues: What is right and wrong?
5. The negative impact of the electronic media: Entertainment?
6. Competitiveness in education: the uneven playing field: Excellence by whom?
Not Me.
The above are fundamental challenges that most youth are seeking an answer for. The
problem is: ‘Who are they asking or where are they seeking as answer from?’ In
most instances, they get advice from each other. The matter is so grave that the future is
1
2. blink for our youth. We need to arise and play our rightful roles as adults and particularly
adult men.
Who is Considered an Ideal Youth?
One may define the ideal youth as a balanced individual exhibiting a highly spiritual life
informed by absolute moral values and whose behaviour demonstrates qualities such as
righteousness, honesty, humility and conscientiousness in everything he/she does.
Traditional Society
Traditionally, the older generation has managed to transmit their beliefs, values,
traditions, customs, worldviews and institutions to the younger members of their
societies. This was achieved largely because of the impact of agencies of socialization,
such as the family, religion and the schools. Today the impact of these institutions has
been challenged and undermined by new forces, particularly the internet and the
television.
Modern Culture
In my view, we are witnessing an erosion of traditional systems and institutions. As such
the family and the Church now have a minimal impact on the average youngster. The
values emphasized today include individualism, Godlessness, materialism, secularism
and rationalism.
It is the youth who are encountering the most serious challenge to his/her faith under the
impact of godless culture of modernity. Best minds in our society are not socialized by
religious institutions. The emphasis is on competitiveness, academic success, career
goals, income and social mobility.
Little or no attention is given to preparing tomorrows leadership. There is no emphasis
placed on critical thinking and problem solving. We are preparing followers, imitators,
conformists, and not leaders, innovators or problem solvers.
The youth is being asked to give up certain family and social values that were an integral
part of their identity, and adopt in its place a sense of self-alienation, and become a self-
estranged imitator of everything "modern".
We need to pay close attention to the effects of secularism: confining the role of
Christianity to the private domain of the individual and creating a dichotomy between
"Christianity" and "worldly," between "private" and "public." It denies Christianity and
its mediating institutions any public function and influence in shaping matters of public
policy.
Internet and TV
We are witnessing a phenomenal advancement in technology over the last three decades,
and our people are experiencing remarkable social and cultural change. This drastic
2
3. change has generated psychological and social dislocations among many people.
Moreover, technology has influenced the way we think about life in general and
interpersonal human relations in particular. Certainly, Christianity should influence all
aspects of our life. It regulates our relationship to God and fellow human beings. When
Christianity is made insignificant and is reduced to one among many other forms of
cultural expressions, then meaningful existence and interpersonal relationships that are
cultivated by its presence are threatened. In its place there is personal greed and self-
centered and "first me" individualism. If these tendencies are not kept in check by
concern for the well being of others, as taught by the Bible, it could lead to a self-serving,
ego-centered individual.
Television in particular has gone beyond its mandate to assist the family and the school in
providing visual aid and education to the young. It has taken upon itself to appeal to the
destructive and disintegrative instincts, to provoke greed, unlimited self-gratification, and
absence of moral restraint in its young audience.
There is a need for Christians to join in the agitation for more responsible TV
programming and more media coverage of the human condition without the celebration
of outrage and obscenities. Christian groups must create alternate avenues for recreation
and social interaction. There should be avenues where spiritual and social activities
combine to make the average child a whole human being whose life is directed to God.
Adults should ensure that they benefit and make full use of the cultural resources of the
society.
Education System
There is need for re-structuring of the education system, so as to minimize competition
and rivalry and thereby reduce feelings of marginalization and exclusion among low
achievers. Also, there is need for reform of the curriculum so as to include universally
desirable values that are necessary for producing well rounded, balanced and useful
citizens.
Our present educational system has trivialized religious devotion and reduced moral
commitment. Therefore, the youth of today does not have the moral guidance to be able
to pursue the right course when faced with a moral dilemma. Ethical living is not part of
the lessons taught in our schools. There are also no models that the youth can learn from.
Family
The parents, consequently, have to assume an active role in the moral development of
their children. They need to become fully involved at every stage in the child's mental
growth until he/she attains maturity. This involvement includes learning to communicate
with the younger generation through their books and reading materials. Also, there is
need for constructive entertainment and personal involvement in the selection of the types
of entertainment (whether at home or outside). This is very critical and almost inevitable
3
4. since there is enormous pressure on the children from outside their home to participate in
undesirable activities.
The man as the head of the family must take his rightful position and guide the youth. Let
both the mum and dad model the youth. If all of us did something at least, we would start
influencing the youth in our society.
Finally
Let us recognize that we have a serious challenge on our hands: to ensure that today’s
children (tomorrow’s adults) would experience a better world than we are living in today.
We should all work towards this objective and not wait for a crisis to occur and then
react, let us be prepared.
We have to join hands and assist our youth. Don’t keep away from their issues.
They are looking for mentors and models. Would you be there to assist them?
4