Offering suggestions
to young people as to what they can do in a practical way to reflect
the philosophy of the Future in Our Hands Movement, is not easy. Because
FIOH advocates a way of life that reflects values such as co-operation,
sharing, fellowship, compassion and truth, it may seem to challenge
many of the attitudes and pressures that often dictate the way young
people think and act and what the media suggests as being acceptable
behaviour. This is why this section of our web site is entitled YOUTH
COUNTERACTION.
There are many pressures
on young people, often from those of a similar age, to act in ways that
do not reflect these values. These pressures can be very great and challenging
them may expose a young person to ridicule or even danger. Reflecting
these values in positive action is , therefore, likely to require some
courage.
For example, what is a young person to do if he/she sees someone being
bullied in school? What is a young person in a war-torn part of Africa
to do if he/she witnesses a boy soldier about to cut off the hand or
leg of an innocent civilian? In both these cases the victimiser may
also end up being the victim. People's bad actions when young often
return to haunt them in adult life.
A natural part of
growing up is to challenge what is seen as the mess created by adults.
Indeed there are many things which should be challenged - corruption
in politics or business for example; exploitation in a world trading
and financial system that creates extreme poverty. Young people have
more power than they often realise to bring about changes because they
may not as yet be held back by the fear of unemployment or the pressures
of family obligations.
But young people's actions can also compound the problems caused by
adults. Increased affluence and freedoms in Western countries have brought
about a whole new set of youth problems it would seem.
Taking Britain as an example, recent years have been marred by worrying
increases in youth crime, teenage pregnancies and proscriptive drug
and alcohol abuse, even in children as young as seven.
In many poor countries, war and the use of child soldiers, has been
a disturbing trend.
World-wide the scourge of the AIDS pandemic marches on despite the development
of new drugs and many young people take a cavalier attitude towards
the disease through promiscuous sexual activity and a disregard for
sensible precautions. The way society is reflected in popular media
entertainment is unhelpful in this respect and also promotes a culture
of greed and self-interest.
Why start this
page with something so simple as a smile?
The reason is that it is something positive and universal - a little
thing that young people anywhere can do and which can bring happiness
and cannot be measured by money. In many respects it is not easy, or
even appropriate, to suggest a common set of actions that are possible
for all young people and we would like the first visitors to this site
to make their own contributions. Please SEND
US YOUR IDEAS and suggest some topics that you think are of interest
to young people. Please do not give your contact details but state the
country and district where you live as this might be of interest to
other visitors to the site You can also give just your first name if
you wish. We advise young people not to give their contact details
to anyone over the Internet.
