Modern Century Youth
July 04, 2010
Youth. It is sought after, desired, and imitated. As youth is upon us, it is not justified. The girls put on makeup to age them, the boys engage in harmful activities to feel grown up, and the sexual curiosity peaks before its rightful time. Youth is in fact wasted on the young. When the realization of adulthood hits, by then, the attempts at fruitful vigor are utilized to get it back. The “Peter Pan” element is alive and strong in genders alike. It as if there is a magical age for each person that brings awareness of morality; the struggle to regain childhood and run from adulthood occurs at different ages. It could be the notion of the world before them, and it is easier to prolong it than face it.
The idea of adulthood is more of a mirage than fact. To behave as an adult is dissimilar for everyone. For some, an adult means acting serious, children, and marriage. For others, it can be the same as adolescence with some bills thrown in the mix and the job to pay for the bills.
Adults behave childish all the time. It doesn’t necessarily correlate with age and responsibility yet the notion of growing older terrifies people. It is rarely discussed the positive aspects of age. Wisdom, confidence, strength, and financial security, to name a few. These traits are hard to deny. Without life experiences and age, they will not come about. These irreplaceable traits are traded for smoother skin and a slender physique.
As there is more emphasis on younger actors, the gravitation towards youth oriented obsession rises. In recent years, the obsession with youth oriented films, clothes, and phrases is growing momentum. Because of this, products are manufactured to turn back time in appearance and there are plastic surgery procedures performed to appear younger. The odd concept behind this is that the obsession with youth is affixed to appearance, however, there are not any pills created to take away the memory for our past experiences or clothes designed to make us feel insecure and uncomfortable as we may have felt in our adolescence. Clearly, because these products wouldn’t sell. It just adds to the concept that our culture desires youth and vanity. Together. Only.
What children have in their youth is much more compared to my upbringing. Kids nowadays own cell phones, numerous video games consoles, are enrolled in sports teams and/or dance classes. Children are expected to be involved in everything they can and aware of the world around them. Teenagers rule the world right now. Marketing is geared towards them because there are 76 million available for consumerism. It is crazy to me that within the span of a decade or so, the differences in childhoods are blatantly obvious. It is even proven that adolescence is longer and longer for the reason that children are living with their parents for longer spans of time and are allowed the freedom to be a child. Because of the opportunities upon them, children are able to enjoy their childhood for longer and will develop into a form of an adult unlike the ones before them. It isn’t bad. Every generation is known for following another path. For example, I am in Generation Y or the Millenials. This is for the population group born from the years of 1976 to 2000. It can also said to be 1982 until 1996. The issue with generations is that is theoretical and changes based on the researcher. The studies for this particular generation say we are great multi-taskers, highly educated and technically savvy as well as pessimistic and the most medicated generation. Despite this differenation, there are children only a few years younger than me that portray characteristics which are contrary to Generation Y traits. With generational studies, it is more about labels and understanding than truth. It has to be since the characteristics are blurry between what generations.
With the youth obsession, it appears, it is about appearance and the capability to allow ourselves to act younger than we are. Growing older shouldn’t change the aspect of acting childish, immature and playful. Children shouldn’t be shielded from age. To me, growing older, has been a gift. Yes, I spy gray hair in the mirror. Sure, there is more responsibility I deal with than I would prefer at times. Of course, there exist expectations for me in my age. However, I love gaining wisdom from my life experiences, growing more confident as a woman and a person, and feeling I look better than I ever. Age is all ways and reasons is a wonderful thing, and there should be more stress on the greatness of age in the emotional capacity than the exterior in the youth capacity.
It may be the baby boomers who are are accelerating the obsession with remaining youthful, myself included. I want the physical and mental vitality that goes with youth, yet at the same time I appreciate the wisdom, knowledge, self-confidence, life skills that come with age. I would not want to go through my 20′s again with all the uncertainty of my future. If I was in my 20′s again I would make a point of relishing the unknown, rather than fearing it.
This is an excellent point. We do want it all, but it is hard to attain. There should be effort in keeping our bodies revitalized as much as our minds.
Yes, youth is wasted on the young. My favorite example of that is that babies and small children are forced to nap all the time, and they never want to sleep. We, on the other hand, would kill to have a regular nap time in the middle of our work days, and alas, once you’re not “young” anymore, no one wants you to nap anymore. That is at least until you’re really old!
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“With the youth obsession, it appears, it is about appearance and the capability to allow ourselves to act younger than we are. Growing older shouldn’t change the aspect of acting childish, immature and playful.” This, in a nutshell, is my entire philosophy on life. I have a bookmark that says “Maturity is overrated,” and in many ways, I hold that to be true. Yes, being emotionally and financially mature are necessary components of being a responsible adult. However, this is not to say that – even as “grown-ups” – we can’t have fun, enjoy the little things and yes, be silly now and again. Today’s youth, in my estimation, are in such a rush to grow up that they totally miss out on all the wonderful things in life, always looking to greener pastures only to be overcome with nostalgia when they realize that adulthood is not all it’s cracked up to be. Most adults, I’ve noticed, are barely surviving, overcome by stress and incredibly dour most of the time. It’s for this reason that my childlike nature is among my most prized character traits. As far as I’m concerned, I’m eternally youthful because I cling to that youthful perspective on life and the incredible adventure that it has been ever since I was a child myself.