Thank goodness that the youth of today still have their "why can't it be so?" perspective. If they didn't, the world may be lost to the skeptics, nay-sayers, and those who have given up hope.
As the adolescent brain develops and the frontal lobes (the area directly behind your forehead) expand into higher level thinking, adolescents adopt an idealistic perspective. For many teens, this time of development allows them to think about larger concepts such as "justice", "peace", "fairness", "advocacy", "social justice", and "global community" for the first time. The child's brain remains very concrete in thought, where the adolescent brain tries to define the gray areas.
They question why there are hungry people in the world when they see food being thrown away every day.
They wonder why aren't all communities recycling when it is so easy.
They protest corporations that harm the environment.
They gather in small groups to start a larger movement.
They create websites, YouTube videos and blogs to educate the masses on the atrocities of the world.
They unite to remember friends killed by the many different forms of violence that are in our communities.
They collect food for the hungry in their neighborhoods.
They sale items as fundraisers to subsidize their schools that are getting less and less financial support.
They sign petitions to tell legislative leaders what is wrong with the law and how it needs to be changed.
Even though adolescents are characterized as being very egocentric (which is true in some areas), they, like the rest of us, have the natural desire to "belong." We are social animals, even if it just socializing with friends on Facebook. We like to be part of groups, whether they are in-person or electronic communities.
The group gives us the idea that we are accepted, included, and welcomed by people who like us. It affirms for us that our existence matters.
This "belonginess" is related to one of Eric Berne's psychological hungers that is in every human: recognition. [The other two hungers are stimulation & structure.] Children will seek attention to know that "If I have an impact, I know that I exist." Hopefully they are getting positive attention, but if not, they will seek negative attention.
The motivating factors of recognition and belonginess are the foundations for youth groups around the world. [They are also the motivating factors for adult groups as well.] These groups choose a goal and the members work together to make a change. They are not limited by social conventions that tell them it cannot be so, but allow their higher levels thoughts of "what if" to save the world.
Below are links to some of these incredible youth groups working on this Earth Day:
Please recycle, reuse, reduce, renovate, reform and rejuvenate.
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