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Time to Teach Youth about the Real World
It is time to step up to the plate and teach young people about the real world. Images of constant fun and games on television and the playing of animated computer games that simulate violent acts has lured many youth into a mode of thinking that there are no significant challenges or dangers in life and no serious negative behavioral consequences.
The importance of hard work, the value of delaying gratification for greater gain, and the significance of setting goals and objectives is not emphasized by most contemporary media outlets.
The glorification of crime and drugs and the promotion of uninhibited sexual activity outside of marriage with no mention of the consequences of irresponsible behavior has been a driving force behind Hollywood for years.
ABC, NBC and CBS are no longer the only players in town. Television stations no longer play the National Anthem and turn off their signal before 12 p.m. Television is now a twenty hour, seven day a week enterprise. The competition for advertisers and viewers is so furious among media networks that many network executives have crossed the line in airing programs that are not family friendly during primetime.
Hollywood appears to be driven by the premise that most viewers do not want to be reminded of the consequences of irresponsible behavior. They know that there are those who want to enjoy the music of the piper but do not want to pay the piper. This is why there is rarely any mention of the side effects of smoking, drugs or alcohol. Broken homes, strained family relations, jail time, psychological problems and diseased bodies are usually not mentioned when airing programs which address risky, unethical behavior.
The devastating effects of extra martial affairs which at times leads to divorce and the psychological scarring of children are usually not highlighted within the story lines of most television programs.
The entertainment complex in many ways has deemphasized the real world and highlighted a fantasy world of fun and games which in many ways has desensitized many people to the pain and suffering of others. The lack of feeling empathy for others has led many to devalue life which in turn has led to an increase of violence against innocent people.
Many mass media enterprises are sending the wrong message to young people. This is why parental involvement is more important today than ever before. Given the high number of children and young ladies in particular who are being kidnapped and sexually abused it is time to do more teaching on real life dangers and challenges.
The increased time young people are spending on computers and in cyberspace demands that young people be given a dose of reality. They need to be taught that every person is not to be trusted because everyone is not a friend. Avoiding unfamiliar areas without being accompanied by others is also extremely important.
It is time for law enforcement to work in conjunction with the schools, the home and the church in the development of a training course that can be taught in the school system on how to survive; living in a money hungry, crime driven global society. Young people not only need to know how to manage money and how to avoid the trap of credit cards but they need to know more about the dangers of living in a society that in many ways does not value human life.
Given the increased number of crimes against innocent people there seems to be a criminal system in place that preys on the young and the innocent. To combat this system, the family, the church and the schools and all youth friendly agencies must devise ways to educate and protect youth in a world where far too many children and youth are being physically and sexually abused.
The Reverend Micheal J. Darby