by Bernie Otis, Featured Contributor
[su_dropcap style=”flat”]A[/su_dropcap] WOMAN answered her front door and found two little boys holding a list. ‘Lady,’ one of them explained, ‘We’re on a scavenger hunt, and we still need three grains of wheat, a pork chop bone and a piece of used carbon paper to earn a dollar.’
‘Wow,’ the woman replied. ‘Who sent you on such a challenging hunt?’
‘Our baby sitter’s boyfriend.’
For the past two and one-half years I have written blogs relating to the journey of life and the issues that need to be addressed by persons of all ages in order to make that trip ma happy one with a good ending.
A few days ago something quite unexpected happened to me that got me to thinking about this what is happening in our society that has a dramatic affect on this journey.
I was reading messages on a social network I use when I saw a series of not very nice messages being sent by young persons. I responded to several of them asking why they found it necessary to communicate in that manner.
I received an answer from a person who I assume is an adult in which he said that the American dream is no longer attainable by our youth. He said parents push their kids to achieve success in sports, go to school get an education and go to work, etc. etc., but I reality at the end of the day there are no jobs, earning a living is more bleak.
He went on to say that as a result kids are dropping out of school, turning to alcohol, drugs and sex and feel that there is no hope for achieving the American dream.
I responded by saying that we should never give up seeking the dream and that all of us need to become more involved in changing our educational system to adjust it to the needs of our technological society and that parents need to work together with businesses, the educational system and become more actively involved in electing leaders who are dedicated to solving societal problems.
I said and I believe also that we need to reinvent the apprentice system of employment that helped me and my generation learn about career opportunities and go on to success in life.
Dear friends, I was so overwhelmed by the tremendous response I received from young persons who applauded my comments and asked me how I was going to start such a nationwide movement.
Instead of accepting our current economic and societal difficulties and just blaming it on Technology, we need to become proactive and demanding that out our political, industrial and service sectors establish parent/youth councils and address these issues.
Editor’s Note: Bernie Otis’s new Book: “How to Prepare for Old Age—Without Taking the Fun Out of Life”, A humorous, witty and informative Book which addresses issues for all ages is now available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
