The youth are a crucial part of the human demographic. It may even be argued that they are most important. This is because the economic development goals solely rest on their shoulders since they make up future entrepreneurs and, most importantly, future leaders (who will be in charge of decision-making on various vital issues affecting a country). This is why a country with a youth population may see faster development than one with an aging population.
This is why it is essential to guide the youth so they don’t turn to crime and end up causing untold harm to themselves and society. (Latif and Zakar 13) With proper guidance, youths can effectively make crucial decisions in their lives, and thus, they can positively influence their future and, subsequently, the world’s future. This can be done by civil engagement, whereby the youth can be involved in community activities, boosting their confidence and social harmony. (Latif and Zakar 14)
Political socialization is another way of influencing the youths positively. This involves imparting knowledge to the youth about political processes and various political institutions. According to Latif and Zakar (13), this helps the youth understand the political environment and further the domains of their careers. It is also crucial to create awareness of social problems among the youth by knowing the prospects and effects of social issues such as poverty and crime. They can effectively avoid them and thus advocate for these issues. (Latif and Zakar 15)
Having looked at society’s role in shaping the future of the youth, we must now focus on the role of the youth in shaping the future of the community around them, their nation, and the world at large. The first way they can do this is by making their voices heard. Most youths are simply content with being ruled by the existing government without really minding how the government is doing its work, even though its actions may affect the youth somehow.
The youth must stand up, fight for their rights, and critique the government on its failings. The youth can also make their voices heard by performing their civic duty and participating in the country’s elections. This allows the youth to choose the leaders they think can help propel their nations forward. The overall effect is better overall governance in the present and future.
Youths also play a crucial role in economic development because they contribute a large percentage of a country’s workforce. The youth must make decisions wisely regarding the careers they intend to pursue. They should pursue careers that foster economic growth, such as engineering, teaching and education, and building and construction, to name a few. Finding promising careers means the youth can support themselves, their families, and society when called upon. In cases where there are no jobs, they should take the initiative and use their skills to provide self-employment and start businesses.
The youths should participate in developing innovations and inventions that better the world. The youth should use their knowledge to create projects such as developing alternative environment-friendly fuels, Generative AI, other progressive technologies such as smartphones and electric cars, and better and futuristic agricultural methods that don’t pollute the environment and produce high-quality produce. Such innovations are crucial in ensuring a better world for future generations.
Youths should be bold in participating in activist causes as well. One such cause is climate change. Climate change is a real problem in today’s world, affecting everyone, and the youth have to be at the forefront of trying to mitigate its effects since this is a problem that affects them at present and in the future when they are seniors. Essentially, the youth should endeavor to live in a world with natural ecosystems and everyday weather events, that is, no occurrence of el ninos (extreme rain) or la Ninas(severe drought). (O’Brien et al. 2)
Another activist cause would be the fight for civil rights, women’s rights, and LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) rights. Youths should fight for the afflicted, marginalized, and minority groups. This is especially true for the LGBT group, who have experienced untold discrimination, especially over the last few years, as well as women who have even faced discrimination in various fields. Youths should step in, advocate for, and ensure that the rights of these groups are respected. (O’Brien et al. 8)
In summary, society has to play a role in mentoring the youths before they place the responsibility of shaping the future on them. On the other hand, the youths must pay attention to the advice, apprenticeship, and mentorship offered. They should utilize this to bring about better political systems, economic development, innovations, and activism and consequently create a better world in the present and future.
Work Cited
Latif, A., & Zakar, D. R. (2020). Political insight of youth development: An investigation form public sector colleges in Lahore. South Asian Studies, 31(2).
O’Brien, K., Selboe, E., & Hayward, B. M. (2018). Exploring youth activism on climate change. Ecology and Society, 23(3).
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