A Problem With The World’s Future Generation

By. R.F. Cisneros

Know what one problem with the world today is? If not, don’t worry I’ll tell you. In this day and age most of the parents of the newest generation being born have raised an ungrateful, selfish, group of individuals that are being taught with no understanding of how the world really works. We give them trophies just for showing up. I believe the term used is “participation awards.” Why should kids be given an award just for participating? I mean if they want to join a sport, then they are showing us that because they want to participate. And no trophy or prize should be used to draw them into said activity. It’s always been the idea of being part of a team, a group that strives in being the best. To beat the other team to come in first in a competition or a tournament. Its the thrill of competing and winning that fuels us to be better and to strive to be the best. People say it’s not winning that matters but how you play the game. I agree, but I also believe that losing makes us want to be better. And, when prizes or trophies are given for coming in last, it gives our kids the idea that, “ why should I do better, I’m going to get a prize anyway, why should I work harder?” That’s the mentality that’s being taught to our kids. The mentality that as long as you show up. You’ll get praised and given a reward for doing just that.

So, we praise them because they get up in the morning and when they show us they can tie their own shoe laces we tell them “good job.” We don’t expect anything from them, we don’t expect them to work for what they need. They’re given the idea, I don’t know from where, but they’re given the idea that the world owes them something. And, that’s where we have made the mistake. Isn’t it the job of the parent as it was the job of the parents before them to raise their children with the passion, to do better than the parents who raised them?

In conclusion, I feel that it’s better to start teaching our children the values to which we were taught. That this world does not owe us anything. And that we need to express wholeheartedly that “there is no free lunch.” Working hard for something not only gives you self-worth, it builds character and that is something lacking in the new generation of people coming into this world.

Lord Zurphs