I’m not one to preach (much). Ask my daughter.
The way I see it, it’s understandable that young people feel aggrieved at what’s happening around them.
Ordered to stop socializing, stay home, maintain healthy lifestyle habits and wait for the ‘all clear’ from some adult authority before resuming their lives.
Are you kidding?
And I get it that it’s annoying to have someone constantly nagging you to ‘wash your hands’.
Like you’re five.
‘ If we’re not ‘at risk’, they argue ‘why do we have to be involved in all of this?’ ‘Isn’t it just the elderly who’ll get really sick?’
That argument reminds me of the story of the little boy who asks his mother if he really has to brush his teeth and she replies: ‘No, of course not, honey. Just brush the ones you want to keep…’
We are now learning that in the U.S. young adults in the age group 20-44 make up almost one-third of the Corona virus patients.
So, apart from the crassness of the attitude that COVID-19 is an old people’s problem, it shows a dangerous lack of awareness on the part of some young people of the impending consequences for themselves of not behaving responsibly.
But you know what – I suspect that those who are out there partying are not necessarily crass at all. For many of them, drinking and dancing wildly on the beach acts as a release from the absolute terror they probably feel about this invisible, but highly insidious, COVID-19 monster.
When confronted with a situation that threatens to change all our lives immeasurably – for the worse – especially when that situation takes us by surprise, our reaction, as human beings, can range from:
- outright denial (as in going out socializing and flouting the official advice)
- anger (going out and rebelliously posting about it on social media)
- until at some stage, we face up to reality and resign ourselves to the seriousness of the situation and accept the conditions imposed upon us so that the worst of outcomes can be avoided.
That’s what those young people need to take on board now.
And fast.
I’m thinking that me getting a little preachy here is probably okay.
After all, we are at a turning point in human history.
What we think, say and do now is creating our New Reality.
Our New World.
So, dear young people: Your future is begging you to push ‘pause’ on the party for a while and co-operate with the rest of us and with each other or risk a very uncertain life up ahead.
It’s not just those who get sick who will suffer to some extent. Many people – maybe even you – are facing the possibility of losing their jobs – even losing loved ones – and watching helplessly while the whole world crashes down around us, taking any semblance of an enjoyable future with it.
There is no going back. But there is a way to salvage the future.
Do the right thing.
Just do it!
Now.