Capitalist society has given us much besides a better quality of life. It has given us facilities and luxury but has taken away the time we need to enjoy that leisure. People are now more aware of their rights and possibly more aware of their emotions, but even so, couples are finding it increasingly difficult to stay together. Children seem to have their own problems to deal with from a very young age.
Surprisingly, many of these problems are simply solved in the name of technological development, intelligence, necessity, frustration, and even maturity. People are leaving their innate zones, the zones for which they were created. Mothers are leaving homes with babies just a few days old that are placed in nurseries, fathers are conceived as a natural bench provided by God and nothing more. The whole relationship thing has come down to give and take, which is exactly like 2 + 2 = 4 (not 2.5 or 1.99 but 4). Compassion and humanity are gradually leaving our daily life. We must be aware of the problems our young people face and not only write about them, but we must raise awareness to solve these problems.
10. Broken families, Single parent homes
Today, more children than ever live with single parents. It is due to unwanted pregnancies or broken relationships or high divorce rates. Young parents are hardly compatible in terms of marriage. So this problem affects not only children but also young parents. The LGBT concept and the adoption of children by homosexual couples have paved the way for unnatural family configurations. While it seems wonderful to the kindergarten child to have two dads who are both money banks and providers, it leaves a great void that can be filled by a single mother. The absence of a parent also creates a lack of care and supervision for children. They become susceptible to other problems like emotional abuse, early relationships, drugs, unwanted pregnancy, etc.
9. Drugs and alcohol
21% of high school students have admitted that they have been tall and 41% of the same group said they had alcohol. There was a time in movie history when smoking was considered “cool” and it was shown that everyone, including women, was holding a cigarette of any kind between their fingers. Today the concept has changed. Drugs are not shown to be cool and the rare appearance of such in a movie, for example in The Tourist, starring Johnny Depp, is given with a disclaimer and explicit narration that it is “electronic.”
8. Earlier onset of maturity
There was a time when children enjoyed being children. Every now and then a child would dress in his mother’s clothes and carry Dad’s briefcase, but that was considered innocent and fun. Even the older ones enjoyed it. Now, children as young as 10 and 11 are getting intimate with their partners. The media, including innocent-looking cartoons, have taken a toll on a child’s growth. Children want to grow up fast and have children. They feel too childish to be children. Even children’s songs have implied sexual notes along with entire series that are marketed for children dealing with intimacy.
7. Violence in Schools
When a mother decided to homeschool her child, the response from other parents was, “I don’t blame you, schools are very unsafe today.” Growing up is hard enough and adds the stress of being stabbed or killed in math class to kids’ problems and seeing what happens. Schools, especially in today’s poorer and backward areas, are literal war zones. It goes beyond the usual bullying, as children become the victims of shootings, stabbings, and suicides. The purpose of a school is to prepare a child for future endeavors after school, but like many other things in life, schools are losing their essence.
6. Materialism
We are instilling materialism in our children because the concept of buying “when you need it” and discarding it when you don’t need it is gradually disappearing. Children often take what they see with their friends. We need to let them know that they cannot get everything, even if their parents can afford it. Owning things is not a measure of success and happiness. You don’t win because you want to have more things at home. We are raising materialistic children who always have their eyes on what they want next.
5. Obesity
Our children are getting fatter and fatter. 20% of American children are quite obese, which is practically outside the safe range. Obviously, we owe this to fast food and technology like tablets and play stations. Interestingly, now kids even play cricket on Wii or Play Stations. It’s quite ironic to walk on remote-controlled cars and burn calories!
4. Educational disparity
Access to education and the fulfillment of the American Dream depends on the neighborhood in which the children live. Being an American is not enough. If you live in the suburbs or belong to the Latin American or African American minority, the children are likely to attend a school that lacks many needs. Asians and whites, on the other hand, have better access to education and opportunities.
3. Economy
A few decades ago, a high school graduate could find work in a factory and continue working there for the rest of his life with a pretty decent lifestyle. Today, even various college degrees cannot guarantee students a good job after graduation. The world is now a global economy. What happens in Japan or China can have major effects on US stock prices. Developed countries used to support themselves through their own manufacturing but over time the manufacturing is being outsourced to other countries where the labor rate is low.
2. Poverty
The gap between the income levels of society increases every year. If only people bought what they need and not what they wanted, fewer children would be made fun of in school. Almost 50% of American children live in poverty. And, if American children are in poverty, imagine where the rest of the world stands. Poverty is the driving force behind inappropriate behaviors and social problems. It also obstructs development and learning.
1. Collective identity diminishing
Americans are gradually losing their collective identity. If he’s not my son, no one bothers. American children are becoming obese does not bother people. American children are experiencing an increase in abuse that no longer bothers people. People are more concerned about what is happening in their family, because of the forgetfulness of the fire that little by little is also invading their home.
Youth is the future of any country. The United States is the superpower of a unipolar world and that is why we look at it in matters as such. In order to make the world a better place for our future generations, we must look at these issues NOW. It is not a matter of years, but it would be decades before we can see any difference if we decide to change things.
