Helping Young Adults to find their Great Cause

There are many in our country who appear to have given up on our young adults.  As more young adults are taking “care” of themselves due to the lack or relaxed parenting, it has been argued this generation may be the first generation not to succeed their parents. 

Proponents of this belief, point to data that show young adults scored lower on reading, math and science test scores than the previous generations.  Proponents also point to what appears to be a lack of “moral compass” where young adults are portrayed as having a “me first” attitude where the strong prey on the weak and excess (sex, drugs, material consumption.) is the norm.  More importantly, young adults seem not to conform to the social filters of previous generations.

While there are some who have bought into the negative portrayals of young adults, we must not make the mistake of generalizing that all young adults fit this negative portrayal.  We must also remember that as individuals who were once young adults, we had to find our way and navigate through trial and error to become the adults we are today.  However, what appears to separate this generation from previous generations is the absence of a “great cause” to rally and provide young adults with a purpose.

As a young adult in the mid 1980’s fighting for social justice was the “great cause.”  Growing up, there was the movement to divest from South Africa due to Apartheid, there was the Tawana Brawley and sub-way shooting incidents in New York, and the emerging AIDS epidemic.  I participated in a protest against the State flag of Georgia having a Confederate Flag on it, and I participated in a “sit in” at Emory University in support of increasing student diversity and multicultural studies. 

Today’s generation does not have a great cause.  Although racism is still prevalent, many young adults view racism in the lens of the Civil Rights era of segregation and Jim Crow.  The AIDS epidemic is not the terminal illness what it once was and there are some young adults who think AIDS has been eradicated.  The absence of a great cause has left many young adults without a purpose. 

It is time for the adults of this generation to help the young adults find their great cause.  Technology can be one avenue where young adults can rally and find their great cause.  With technology being imbedded in the culture of young adults, causes such as health care, closing the technology gap, and education are areas that young adults can begin to work for change.  Other avenues young adults can find their great cause is in social justice, global warming and eradicating hunger and poverty. 

To those who fear this generation of young adults will not succeed, don’t just talk about it, do something by helping them find their great cause.  By helping young adults, we are helping to make our country and the world a better place for the next generation of young adults.