Dear Society,
What have you become? It seems as if you’re going backward instead of making strides forward. All the good that’s been done is fading into the background while hate and discrimination take the forefront in describing the human race. Why has everyone become so self-righteous and entitled? And no, that statement is not limited to Millennials; it’s everyone. Every age, every race, every nationally. Why has empathy and kindness taken a backseat to loathing and cruelty? If you don’t understand what I’m referring to, allow me to elaborate.
When did it become okay to be bullies? At this point in history, society has become a bunch of hypocritical bigots who take pride in scolding others but believe their words should be heard no matter how injurious they are. Yes those over the age of 25, I’m speaking to you. Your self-indulgent choices in entertainment and music have cleared the path for your children to become cyber bullies and terrorists. Yes; Terrorists. They may not be crippling cities and killing in mass numbers, but they have began destroying each other one by one, and why? Because they learn by example. Because adults have taken to the internet and have begun ripping each other apart over the most insignificant things imaginable.
Taking to beauty videos and calling both males and females who have trained themselves to be artists ugly and disgusting? Is that a joke?! What if that was your child? Why have we started wars with words over whether or not breastfeeding is acceptable or if it makes people bad parents because they have to work instead of staying home with their children? We live in a crippled economy with an army of sinful superiors running this land we call, “free.” Of course, both parents at a middle-class level must work. If you are lucky enough to survive on one income, instead of considering yourself extremely blessed, you decide to tear down others for the pure sport of it. What happened to the expression, it takes a village to raise a child? Do you really believe older generations turning their backs against each other instead of shaking hands is a better way to raise the future of the world?
We believe we are free, but we are not free. Not when laws can be twisted to cause pain and damage to our fellow humans. You refuse to make a cake for two men who want to celebrate their marriage and claim that’s your religious right? NO. That’s discrimination. The scenario does not differ from whites refusing to let blacks use the same bathroom. There are people, OUR PEOPLE, dying overseas protecting the right for you to continue your mindless bickering, but do we speak of them? No. We argue over how much entitlement we deserve and squabble until someone revolts in the worst way fathomable.
Respect has disappeared. Not long ago Millennials were children who understood that you needed to respect your elders and respect those who looked after you. Do not misunderstand, this new wave of birthright declaration is not to be connected to everyone under the age of 37.
Those who are of the elder generations are so quick to place blame and metaphorically spit on the Millennials who have a chip on their shoulder. Have you forgotten who raised these people? Have you forgotten who they have learned from? I am a Millennial. I was raised with respect, with the understanding that you must work hard and keep your mouth shut. That things will not be handed to you simply because you believe you deserve them, but instead, you must prove you are worthy of success. I know many other Millennials who were raised the same exact way, and we too, are disgusted by our peers and our elders who have let their purpose become one that demolishes the spirit of our equals.
We are no longer allowed to defend ourselves. We are no longer allowed to be erroneous. There is a justification for everything. A child is no longer allowed to be disciplined if their actions are incorrect. We are allowing them to be wrong and treat each others wrongly. We are raising a generation of mollycoddled humans that will never know how to take criticism or stand up for themselves. What’s wrong with children getting into scuffles on the playground? What’s wrong with being able to put a bully in their place when you’ve had enough of their torture? By not letting children defend themselves we are only lying to them. The real world is cruel, and they will never be prepared.
We are a community of fools. We want our children to be happy and healthy but refuse to engage with them unless they give us a perfect pose in which we can share with the cyber world. We quiet our children at the dinner table with technology instead of speaking to them and teaching them life skills. We cry how there are so many toxins and chemicals in our everyday lives but allow our children to become increasingly unhealthy, enabling them to sit inside on a beautiful day instead of experiencing what scraping your knee is like. We force useless information down their throats all the while they never learn the basic skills of human interaction and respect. Once upon a time, parents use to teach their children that life had no excuses; now? Parents are the ones spewing excuses left and right.
As for the era of society that is referred to as Millennials, it’s time for you to sit down and shut up. Standing up for something you believe in doesn’t have to resort to rioting and punishment. Adopting such ridiculous mantras as, “Black Lives Matter”, “White Lives Matter”, or “Police Lives Matter”, or however else you decide to divide society- is undoing everything those before us had fought to have. Why have we forgotten that it’s not a matter of race against race or gender against gender but good against evil? We idolize superhero movies and cheer for the good guys on our favorite television shows but turn off the notion of positive conquering negative when we return to real life. Why? There is good and bad in everyone, so why are we condemning an entire demographic based on the mistakes of a few? Is that going to solve anything? Let me inform you that the answer to that question is no. It will always be no.
UNITED WE STAND DIVIDE WE FALL. Remember the tragic events that occurred on September, 11th 2001? Those were the words we chanted as we mourned the lives of our brothers and sisters. Our white brothers and sisters, our black brothers and sisters, the brothers and sisters we have that are Muslim, Jewish, Christian, Irish, Asian, Gay, Straight. That day didn’t matter who you were and what your life preferences were, you were a part of our society, our family. The family of this great nation that is no longer great because we only seem to come together in the wake of tragedy. Why is it that it takes such calamitous measures for us to remember we are one? United we stand, divided we fall.
Society, we are falling and falling hard. It’s time for us to put down the knife we have held to humanity’s throat and remember that it’s not too late for there to be peace. We’re more than capable. I believe that because it has been proven. We know how to unite against evil. We know how to accept each other for who we are. We know how to defend ourselves and teach the younger generations right from wrong.
If there is any hope for society, changes need to be made, and they need to be made today. We must once again stand united; if we don’t, we will suffer a fall that will never allow us to recover.
And we are dancing dangerously close to the end.
