Good morning World. So, this morning I was struggling to find a good topic of conversation for us to have. Then I thought about a few videos that have become popular on Facebook lately- which brings me to Simon Sinek's "This is exactly what's wrong with our generation" video. If you haven't seen it-please make sure to check it out! It's definitely worth the watch. Most of the ideas in this post will be adapted from the video.
This is Simon, by the way:
So Simon starts off by explaining that our current adolescent generation is a generation that is super entitled and super insecure. Why? Well- we were raised to believe that we could do anything or have anything we want. We were given medals for participation at school and we were given merit where merit was probably not due. Do I agree? I suppose so yes- my dad had an absolute fit the other day when I told him about the interning job I was offered, "Caitlin, you listen to me darling. I did not raise you to get coffee for other people. Now find a better internship where they can see how talented and amazing you are."
So yeah, we are entitled. But are we insecure? Of course! What happens when our parents can no longer fight our battles for us and our employers tell us that our ideas aren't good enough, we aren't working hard enough...Basically, all we hear is the real world telling us that we aren't good enough. (Which is the total opposite of what we've been hearing for the past 23 years.) So, what will eventually and inevitably happen is- insecurity.
In addition to this, we are a generation that has been raised with technology. Now, an interesting fact that I wasn't aware of is that dopamine gets released when we receive a Watsapp message from someone. It's really exciting when people Watsapp us-let's be honest, we feel good about ourselves! However, dopamine is the same chemical that gets released when you smoke, drink alcohol or gamble. So, is being addicted to your phone just as dangerous as being addicted to alcohol? Well think about it like this: the same chemical gets released in both of these instances, except- there is an age restriction on drinking, smoking and gambling but there is not an age restriction on owning a smartphone. So, essentially, when you allow your (already insecure) child to sit on Facebook when they are down, you might as well be opening up your liquor cabinet to them.
Now, I have lots of friends that vent on Facebook. It's been hardwired in their brains to seek that sense of comfort in technology. That short-term kick that they get from the dopamine. However, what I want to know is, why are these young people not turning to their friends? Why do they prefer to upload a status than to have a deep, meaningful conversation with their best friend? Well, as I have previously mentioned in one of my earlier posts, I truly believe that young people are really struggling to make these strong connections with one another nowadays. It's because we have grown up in a world of instant gratification. We share a post- we want as many likes as we can get, as quickly as possible. If we meet someone we're interested in, we add them on Facebook and quickly send them a message. I mean we don't even have to strike up the courage to have a conversation with someone anymore, all we have to do is swipe right on Tinder.
However, what we're forgetting is that trust, something which is essential in order to build strong relationships- it takes time. Trust cannot be earned in a day or two. It doesn't work the same way social media does. Look, I really don't mean to sound like I have it all figured out, because I don't. I also struggle to put down my iPhone-but I want to challenge myself and I want to challenge you-put your phone away when you are having conversations and interactions with others. If you reach out to your phone in the mornings before you greet your room mate or your spouse or your partner- you have an addiction problem. And just like all addictions, it will waste your money, it will waste your time and it will begin to take over your life.