Where is our youth heading?
By: Afreen Manzoor
The Youth of today are leaders of tomorrow- Nelson Mandela
Talking about ‘Youth Culture’ that seems to be at upheaval now a days, refers to the ways the teenagers and young adults conduct it and carry their lives ahead.
Youth culture relates to interests, styles, behaviour, music, belief, vocabulary, clothes, sports and following trends that are most important. Actions and frame of mind attributed largely to the youth of a particular time period can be described as youth culture.
Historically speaking, youth culture developed rapidly during the 1960s especially in United States. Young people born during Second World War shared in the general level of affluence in the country. It’s always worth remembering that media- good or bad is just one of the several influences on pre teens and teenage behaviour and attitudes. Other influences include family, friends, peers and cultural background.
Youth have the ability to learn and adapt to the environment. Similarly, they are willing to learn and act on it as well to achieve their goals. Our youth can bring social reform and can improve the condition of society. They are passionate about Nations. The youngsters are well aware of the balancing equations of life.
There are various sub- cultures that mark impact on the youth of country within a culture like Personal Appearance is one of the most visible I indicators of teen culture. Looking at how young people groom and maintain themselves is a powerful indicator of the current state.
21st Century youth seems to have a ‘less is more mindset’, focusing on low maintenance hairstyle and minimal makeup if any and at the same time the entertainment preferences of the modern youth tend to connect with peers digitally, spending hours interacting with friends via social media sites where as previous generations spent hours talking on phone. Video gaming and online gaming have become important to many teens.
The young generation is also extremely Tech advanced/ prone to technology. They can complete every task in a single click and yes, this tech savvy youth have lost the values of physical interactions and exercises.
Categorically understanding youth culture is a bit hectic and a hindered task as every generation have their likes and dislikes. It is a moving target as each generation encompasses its unique characteristics. It’s truly developed in the 20th century when it became more common for adolescents to gather together than in past centuries.
It’s a pretty much known fact that youth is like clay in the hands of a sculpture. The more careful the sculpture is, the better is the resulting statue. What is required is a supportive and encouraging society in order to build a better tomorrow.
(The author is a student)
