Rising Generation Revolt

We are currently witnessing a rebellion on the part of millions of young people, all across the globe. Humanity is in crisis, from climate change to gun violence to inequality to pollution. Youths are demanding action to deal with these problems. They are taking into their own hands the responsibility to finally do something to address these crises.

It's interesting that young people—who are often regarded as naive and immature—can also be capable of deep thinking and serve as catalysts for change. In the past, youth activists have often sparked societal transformation—as kids took the initiative, while their elders appeared mired and immobile. For example, young people began revolutions that brought change in South Africa (against apartheid), in Palestine (against Israeli oppression), in Hong Kong (against Chinese domination), and currently in the US with gun violence and climate crisis.

Why do young people sometimes take action, while the older generations don't? There likely are several reasons. One is that elders have often fought hard in the past for what little comforts they have, and if they take to the streets, they may lose those meager gains. For another, older people tend to be more conservative, accepting of problems, and possess less energy. 

Young folks in oppressive conditions often suffer more than their elders. They've not yet had the opportunity to acquire a secure job or a home, and as they peer into the future, they see many dismal decades of injustice looming. They have the stamina to protest. 

Many movements for justice get off to a good start, but later wither, as authorities find ways to wear them down. People in their middle years often have busied themselves with various responsibilities and preoccupations, so they are often not inclined to take action. In contrast, young people often have more free time, so if they become engaged in protest or rebellion, they have time and energy to put into the work. Furthermore, in their naivety, they have not yet been beaten back by the authorities. They don't know that they can be outwitted by those authorities, so they just might get inventive and create strategies that work. 

Finally, young people are often driven by righteous anger. They're fed up with inept and corrupt politicians who ignore the responsibilities of their offices, and they correctly perceive that their future is being gambled away by an adult mentality that is unable to look into the future beyond the current fiscal quarter's obligations to the bottom line, seeking ways to maximize stockholder returns.

The youth movements of today make it evident that change—critical revolutionary change—must come from the bottom up. The entrenched and compromised older generations cannot cause change from the bottom, because they are either too tired or unwilling to take the necessary risks. And change from the top down is extremely unlikely to occur, because today's leaders and politicians are often, in one way or another, part of the corruption and gross inequalities. We cannot rely on leaders to change a system from which they benefit.

Virtually all of our major problems—climate change, racism, anti-immigration, inequality, and societal polarization—are caused by adult complicity and the inactivity and immoral behavior of leaders. At best, we can hope for adult “leadership” to slowly take modest steps to correct the harmful path that humanity is following. However, we no longer have the time to wait for their snail's pace. Young people understand the crises and insist upon action now. Otherwise, their future will be grim. May our youth lead the way!