|
Generation lacks group mentality, respect |
|
|
|
Monday, 14 July 2008 |
The word “leadership” is perhaps one of the most common used words in America’s schools today.
“He is a leader.”
“She is a leader.”
“We are all leaders.”
Our generation was shaped by the use of the word “leadership.” It has changed the way we view the world and how the world is currently viewing Americans.
The negative ramifications of raising our youth to believe in
self-pronouncing attitudes is slowly engulfing the way our society
respects and cherishes each other as individuals and as a group.
After conversing with a friend who spent a year studying in Japan, we
came to the conclusion that American lifestyle promotes and encourages
individual progression versus the “group progression” mentality of the
Japanese society.
Somewhere in the past 232 years since the creation of the United States, we changed sides of the pendulum.
Instead of banding together to reach a common cause like in 1776, we
slowly drifted apart and continue to swindle more and more of our
developed consumerist population.
Business life is dominating our society in a revolutionary way.
Businesses have evolved from a necessity of life to profit mongering establishments after every extra penny.
Why do we believe the individual is more important than the group in business and at home?
The values instilled in Americans as children is continuing to shape
the society we evolve into, and is the cause of the society we are
experiencing now.
Teaching children they are leaders is not a bad thing.
However, failing to teach children how to be followers and how to help a group of peers is a bad thing.
Schools today are leaving out the most essential part of “common sense” education.
Being a follower can sometimes be just as important as being a leader.
Accomplishing goals as a group where a single individual would have failed can be an eye opening experience.
Our nation is driving down a dark path in which our grandchildren may suffer.
The world is a different place all together. There is no super power.
There is a world evolving with a nation that has a superiority complex.
There are some in this nation fighting the fight against big business
individualists by helping our society through charity and non-profit
work.
There are some Americans who will show respect and love for their neighbors or even strangers.
There are good people in this nation who are leaders and followers from every class, creed and ethnicity.
Even with those who continue to shape our nation in a positive way,
there simply aren’t enough to change the road we are traveling down.
The fact that some people are more interested in voting on American
Idol than following the presidential candidates and making an
intelligent contribution to our next four years astounds me.
The only answer I can provide to the problem of apathy in younger generations of Americans, including myself, is simple.
We have forgotten how to love our neighbors and how to respect our fellow man.
We have forgotten how our nation would not exist if it weren’t for the
persistent and group-oriented attitudes our forefathers had towards the
cause.
We have forgotten that we are followers before leaders.
We are forgetting our humanity.
Jon LaFontaine, a senior journalism major from Asheville, is the editor in chief.
Trackback(0)
 |
Opinion 
TrackBack URI for this entry
Show/Hide comments
