t requires absolutely no effort to classify our generation as less mature than our predecessors. I frequently hear my elders make this claim, and I have to admit that I often agreed with them. Examples such as the hate crimes on campus seem to solidify their point. It makes no sense to me how individuals can act with such disregard for the personhood of others. Let’s challenge ourselves right now to explore possible reasons.
If we are truly going to understand how to commune as people, and spread unconditional love to others, we must evaluate this trend. We must meet people on their level, and explore the contents of their hearts, and the journeys that create their lives.
I often hear the argument that this trend started because people are more sheltered in our society. Controlling parents keep their children from experiencing diversity and impose rigid ideologies. This stunts growth and creates a prolonged period of naivety about the world. It obscures how we as people interpret the cultures and actions of others.
While individuals may be more sheltered in certain aspects, they have opportunities that did not exist 30 years ago. A plethora of social media outlets exist today that have truly made our world smaller. Social media sources such as Facebook allow us to keep in touch with people from all over the world. In a nut shell, it could be a useful tool to liberate ourselves from preconceived notions.
However, some point to social media as part of the maturity problem. How often do you read nasty posts on Facebook? How often does one of those fights spill into our everyday life? These events only reinforce old stereotypes. The fact that we see these interactions online hints at a deeper issue. With alarming frequency, we live our lives vicariously through these media outlets instead of using them as resources. As a result, our communications skills decrease and we are unable to interact with others in a healthy way.
Many experts hint at these facets of the issue when they evaluate our generation. Linda Bips, a New Your Times Contributor, identifies a few social factors that contribute to lack of maturity.
“Our world is more stressful in general because of the current economic and political realities, but I don’t believe that the college experience is more intense today than the past 10 years,” Bips wrote. “What I do think is that many students are often not prepared to be young ‘adults’ with all the responsibilities of life.”
Let’s consider what new college students have to deal with when they arrive on campus. Higher education rates are on the rise. It is now common for students to have one or several jobs to support their academic career. Then they have to balance their classwork. Don’t forget about social lives. What about baggage from home? Rates of divorce are high, and so are occurrences of depression. Most importantly, students have to decide where they stand on important social and political issues.
Critics often point to campus party culture as another sign of immaturity. One can argue that this culture develops from the stress of the aforementioned variables. Not only do students want to have fun, they think they will only live once. They will have a truck load of student loans soon to pay off soon. They realize that they will work themselves to the bone in the prime of their lives, and never get those years back. While that is not a new phenomenon, it is something that is a stark reality in our current economic state.
In essence, we have a culture that sometimes forces people to focus on their egos. This prevents introspection, it stunts empathy toward others, and it prevents us from embracing diversity. However, we must be mindful of how we impact others.
None of these factors are an excuse for insensitivity and acts of flagrant hatred. None of these facets of our society permit us to attack the humanity of others. What these variables suggest is that we live in a time where there are a multitude of new obstacles that prevent understanding. We must learn to communicate in this world where we live vicariously through technology. We must learn to explore our surroundings and interact with others from different backgrounds. In a nutshell, we must challenge ourselves to be better, and to liberate ourselves from prejudice. However, it is counterproductive to stop evaluating why prejudice exists.
Are students less mature than they were 30 years ago? That is for you to answer. Events such as the recent Candlelight Vigil on campus give me hope for the future. A time where the seeds of love are planted when individuals exchange experiences in peace. When the heart and the mind are united and working to solve problems. In those instances, we become larger than ourselves, and we learn how to love all people. We become part of a group, and we take steps towards forming a beloved community.
