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For millennials, “Man-up!”

Written by Daniel Otero

The Y Generation

Caught up in the silliness of life, a people develop economically; then, it’s when the quality of life and education should grow.  With better food, less fear of starvation; more development, awesome jobs and the professionals begin to focus on the material wealth that life can provide.

There are those changes in attitudes which affect the up and coming generation.  And I have often wondered, are men becoming less manly and women less feminine?

Noticing young people crying over pettiness; recalling a lost love and preferring suicide than to live for a better day.

You want to scream at this generation, “Man/Woman-up!”

It’s a fact that from pain a person grows to become a greater person and learns to overcome the odds.

No, the above is not happening.  Society is turning more hedonistic with its youth and they want instant gratification, without the pain and sacrifice of hard work.

These students, the 20 something people who easily and lazily procrastinate their lives away.  And you know why they do less action or nothingness?  They don’t have hunger twisting at their bellies or chasing them at their heels!

Boys and girls, overflowing in toys are never thankful of their love ones, since they never had to pay or struggle for anything in life.

Reminds me of those six-year olds I once saw in Chile; begging on the streets, working as shoeshine boys, just to take some money home or get a couple of scraps to eat.  No my people, our children have never learned what’s to go without!

But I sure had to learn quite early what was to grow up poor back in Brooklyn, New York.  I sure learned, remember and never want to ever experience those dark days again.

Children in our developing societies have never been taught properly how to respect their elders.  Sure, they expect and selfishly want everything easily from everybody.  As they get, it’s even harder for them to fathom how to give in return.

What can be done to educate the rude and selfish generation?  If they haven’t lost their values yet!

Parents should start educating their offspring when they’re children.  Not giving into all their whims, fits of anger and desires.  Half of these responsibilities come from the adult-family members.

Educators are also responsible [by 25 percent] in intending to make the country’s children better human beings.

Then the last 25% can lay on the government, by transmitting through television-networks commercials on how to properly behave in the country and throughout world.

Teaching good behavior to the young, how to say “hello” and “goodbye” to their elders, teachers, etc;  expressing in a polite manner a “please” and “thank you” when they request and get something.

Other ways are to show the children where to place the rubbish into its proper wastebasket.

Teach by example when giving a seat to a pregnant or older person on the public transportation.

When an adult is driving, he/she should stop for pedestrians at the zebra-crossing.

Children do notice these things and they can learn from the adult’s positive reinforcement.

“It takes a village to raise a child!”

One final note, when I was five-years old, I stole some marshmallows while shopping with my father.  My father didn’t notice till we had left the store.  My dad got so angry, but he didn’t spank me.  What he did?  He took me back and I was embarrassingly made to apologize in front of the entire store and manager, as I returned the candies.  You know what?  It was a permanent lesson in life!

About the author

Daniel Otero

A New Yorker who has been living in China for the past 10 years. He's a freelance writer/journalist and ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher.

A former member of the military with extensive travel to 50 countries and has lived in six.

Lover of life, good food, travel, writing and dealing with social issues.