By Ronald Wese
In recent times, thriving in the atmosphere of success has become an essential part of life. Access to education, strong work ethics, the rise of social media, and technological advancements are some of the vital factors that have immensely contributed to the success of young people today.
With the explosion of information, the desire to explore different options for youth has grown. Keeping these factors in mind, one may think it is easier for young people to navigate and pierce through the pressures of life. That might not be the case.
“Last November, a 22-year-old man was arrested in Bomet, a town located in Kenya’s Rift Valley, for hacking 481 bank accounts and making away with $400,000,” a report by Quartz indicated. We have heard cases where young people wallow in fake gold scams and bogus cryptocurrency deals, with some masquerading as academic writers to cover up their unlawful acts.
Many young men and women queued in the streets of Kenya’s capital, Nairobi. The reason? They had heard through social media that World Coin was offering free money as long as they got their irises scanned.
Most youngsters cannot satisfy their desires through some of these stated aspects – generating a gap between those leading a sustainable life and those who don’t—a modern battle.
As much as technology has brought the world closer and paved the way for early success, it has also increased the distance between people. Modern-day youngsters lack contentment because they are constantly chasing material things for happiness. They frequently fight the urge to keep up with their peers, which regrettably compels them to engage in illegal and vacuous ways to achieve that lifestyle.
On the other hand, society has placed high expectations on these youngsters to meet specific standards or acquire validation. The direct consequence of this at a young age might be dissatisfaction and discontentment.
With this inclination, is the future still safe in their hands? If not, how can we best avoid this predicament? How can we improve our young people’s mental resilience and well-being globally?
“The Wheels of Prosperity” by Dr. John Toro and Kasim Bushi quotes, “Most societies today face a get-rich-quick syndrome, particularly among the youth. This unlawful get-rich-quick syndrome is unsocial, uneconomical, unreasonable, untenable, and even ungodly.”
While we contemplate this, the big question remains: Why the zeal?