As the people in South
Africa celebrate Youth Day today we are reminded of the ability and power of
the youth to change the world. Their efforts, passions and
effectiveness as expressed on that June in 1976 were echoed by the
impact of the youth in Tiananmen
Square, Egypt and elsewhere in the world.
The youth typically have two characteristics that made this possible, a
total absence of fear of consequences and the ability to see the world in black
and white. The spread and functionality
of the internet and social media allows people to leverage these
characteristics to spontaneously organise a group or groups of people who see
the world in absolutes and aren’t afraid to try and change the world when they
see an evil.
This, if anything, places a higher responsibility on those of us who are parents and
role models for the youth of our society.
Not to attempt to direct their thinking, but to provide them with a
moral and ethical basis that provides them the knowledge and competency to
properly wield their power and authority in the world as it changes.
We don’t have, and shouldn’t have, the authority to dictate the
decisions they make, but we do have the obligation to give them a firm place to
stand when they make those decisions. In doing so, we give them the ability to
evaluate and assess ideas that are presented to them, allowing them the right
to make the call.
If we do our job well they will make the right decision in that moment
for both them and us and make the world a better place.
