To My Generation | Teen Ink

To My Generation MAG

June 16, 2010
By WriterFanatic PLATINUM, DesMoines, Iowa
WriterFanatic PLATINUM, DesMoines, Iowa
24 articles 0 photos 184 comments

Favorite Quote:
A coward is incapable of exhibiting love; it is the prerogative of the brave.<br /> By Gandhi.


We are powerful.

Our generation is powerful, right now. We have the ability to change the world even though we are only teenagers. Let me tell you why.

Eventually our generation will inherit the world of our parents. Then we are faced with some serious problems. Our world is suffering serious environmental consequences, we are plagued with wars and violence – we will inherit chaos. So what can we do about it now? Some people tell me that because we are teenagers we don't have a voice. Actually they are dead wrong. We do have a voice!

With that voice we can change the world. We can fix the environment by suggesting and creating new energy sources. We can stop terrorist organizations in their tracks by uniting our generation, our nation, our world against them. We can communicate with people our age in the Middle East and the rest of the world. We can say, stop this! We can talk to people our age, young people who the terrorists are trying to recruit. We, better than any other government or army in the world, can stop global terrorism.

With that voice, we can take command of our nation's broken government, a system of constant arguments, and turn it around. We are all residents and most of us are citizens, correct? Well then we have power to change things!

I for one am sick and tired of looking at the news and seeing disaster after disaster, and when I try to talk to friends about it, all they seem to care about are video games. I am not going to sit back and let our world die. I won't! Call me crazy. But if we won't change the world, who will? Who are we going to allow to change our planet? Some terrorist? Or us?

In the end, it's our choice. And in the end, no one but us will be to blame unless we act. Just remember, we are not powerless. We can change the world. Who is with me?



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This article has 20 comments.


rheame said...
on Jun. 9 2015 at 2:29 am
rheame, Anand, Other
0 articles 0 photos 64 comments

Favorite Quote:
turn a mess into a lesson<br /> <br /> a test into testimony<br /> <br /> a trial into triumph<br /> and a victim into champion

i am totally with you and iam sure so are all those teen who have read this article. It is quite relatable....well done!

on Aug. 3 2013 at 1:39 pm
Wow for a start.Great paragraphy.I agree with what your saying that our generation can be one to change every think but this change could be good or bad.So will just have to wait and see.

on Mar. 12 2013 at 2:55 pm
Overcomingthe_Pain GOLD, Klawock, Alaska
19 articles 0 photos 17 comments

Favorite Quote:
Stay positive throughout the pain.<br /> Life will get better.<br /> Life is good, Eternal life is better<br /> &quot;If you think you can do a thing or think you can&#039;t do a thing,you&#039;re right&quot;-Henry Ford

i agree with you totally! We may be young but we have the ability to speak out! so if we can speak out why dont we??? WE SHOULD!

Stef-Rose said...
on Apr. 24 2012 at 2:26 pm

I have been thinking the same thing, and I am sure thousands of other teenagers around the world have been too. It is our chance to change the world, to correct the mistakes that have been made in the past. Life should be filled with love and light, not hate and darkness. I have heard many things about what is coming to our generation... talk of world war 3.. & who knows what other secrets lay within the goverments hands. I am an 18 year old Canadian Citizen, and I want change.

We all need to come together and make a plan for what we can do. You mention writing to people our age in foriegn countries, proposing peace and unity. How can we accomplish this? I am sure thousands of people wish to do something.. but dont know where to start.

I am with you on this, and I know there are kind, good hearted kids out there just like us. That want change for the world.

The last thing I want is to have no voice, I read this today on a blog ...

"what they did not want you to ever find out is that your generation, the generation born between 1980-1995, actually outnumbers the Baby Boomers. They knew that if you ever turned your eye towards political reform, you could change the world."

I believe we have an oppertunity to unite the world !


on Feb. 8 2012 at 2:34 pm
Thomas Culkin BRONZE, Port Charlotte, Florida
1 article 0 photos 1 comment
I totally agree with you ! We are the generation that will inherit this world of chaos, violence and fear. Although I like your enthusiasm about "talking" to terrorists and telling them to "stop" I do not believe that is a realistic scenario.

KelliB GOLD said...
on Feb. 8 2012 at 11:30 am
KelliB GOLD, Amarillo, Texas
15 articles 1 photo 55 comments

Favorite Quote:
Decide that you want it more than you are afraid of it.<br /> - Bill Cosby

I agree.It is so hard to be able to express one's honest opinion with today's teenagers. They really are a selfish generation on a whole. You are right though. We can do this. But its going to take alot of getting up off the couch, away from the video games, out of the mall, and into reality before our generation realizes their potential.

on Dec. 20 2011 at 4:52 pm
beautifulspirit PLATINUM, Alpharetta, Georgia
35 articles 0 photos 1398 comments

Favorite Quote:
The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.<br /> --Eleanor Roosevelt

I was just reading about the differences between Generations X and Y. There are so many advantages that are available today that were not twenty years ago. We have a responsibility to make a difference in the world. Your article sparked these words in my mind as I read it.

on Aug. 15 2011 at 6:00 pm
nikkigonefishin GOLD, Los Angeles, California
17 articles 1 photo 145 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot; A smile is worth a thousand words&quot;<br /> &quot; The purpose of the writer is to keep civilization from destroying itself.&quot;- Albert Camus

I totally agree with you. Tomorrow depends on what we do today and just because we are young doesn't mean we have to lay back and watch things get worse before our eyes. We too can make a change!

on Aug. 7 2011 at 1:13 pm
WriterFanatic PLATINUM, DesMoines, Iowa
24 articles 0 photos 184 comments

Favorite Quote:
A coward is incapable of exhibiting love; it is the prerogative of the brave.<br /> By Gandhi.

Because I didn't mean them, the "we" I refered to was all of the children currently under 20. That includes me and you. And this was not a blanket statement. I was not referring to specific people, because you are right, there are many exceptions. Unfortunately the vast majority do NOT follow the news at ALL

hpfan12 said...
on Aug. 6 2011 at 8:25 pm
Why would you say "we" if you meant "them"? Why would you say "our" instead of "the"? And being a generation Y kid, we ARE aware of the news. Unfortunately, we (yes, including ME) just choose not to listen unless if we decide to.

on Feb. 1 2011 at 9:36 pm
xJuneBugx BRONZE, Plymouth, Massachusetts
1 article 0 photos 14 comments
Wow! Very well-written and so true! Great piece with important message, keep writing!

KyleXY said...
on Oct. 15 2010 at 2:15 pm
I totally agree with this article. It sems that more and more people in our generation are just standing back and letting others take control, however, it is up to us to take charge, it is important to realize our voice and power, and when we do finally realize, that's when things will change for the better.

on Oct. 11 2010 at 9:39 pm
WriterFanatic PLATINUM, DesMoines, Iowa
24 articles 0 photos 184 comments

Favorite Quote:
A coward is incapable of exhibiting love; it is the prerogative of the brave.<br /> By Gandhi.

Thanks so much for your comment! It is helpful to see that others share my opinion

 


GraemeV said...
on Oct. 3 2010 at 7:02 pm
GraemeV, Bundaberg, Other
0 articles 0 photos 12 comments

Favorite Quote:
&ldquo;The system&rsquo;s got too much control, and they don&rsquo;t wanna let it go, I&rsquo;m a prisoner fighting to be free, I&rsquo;m breaking out of captivity&rdquo; &ndash; Ziggy Marley.

Spot on.

Our generation is so selfish, we don't give a crap what is happening in the world (When I say 'we', I mean them - not me, because I care).

You ask the general Generation Y kid what is happening on the other side of the world - and they don't have a clue! Nor do they really show any interest!

Makes me sad and mad.


on Oct. 3 2010 at 4:21 pm
Thesilentraven PLATINUM, Mableton, Georgia
40 articles 2 photos 1632 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;il piu nell&#039; uno,&quot; (according to Emerson, an Italian expression for beauty)<br /> <br /> &quot;Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality&quot; ~Emily Dickinson<br /> <br /> &quot;The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain&quot; <br /> ~Kahlil Gibran

This article is very true. You call our attention to an extremely important fact: we CAN change the world. I've been disappointed by our generation somewhat, but you've re-inspired me. Thanks for writing this wonderful article!

on Oct. 3 2010 at 12:35 pm
WriterFanatic PLATINUM, DesMoines, Iowa
24 articles 0 photos 184 comments

Favorite Quote:
A coward is incapable of exhibiting love; it is the prerogative of the brave.<br /> By Gandhi.

But will it be too late? Wake up to what? The issue is not that they are "asleep" the issue is that nothing affects them. Two thousand people die in Pakistan? So what. Lets say on the other hand that something happens to affect their lives, then they will pay attention. 

Graeme V said...
on Sep. 30 2010 at 12:42 am

I completely agree.
I loved how you said all your friends seem to only care about video games - so true.

I really don't like our generation - but what can you do? One day the rest of them will wake up.


7Ariel7 BRONZE said...
on Sep. 29 2010 at 2:22 pm
7Ariel7 BRONZE, Plymouth, Massachusetts
3 articles 0 photos 36 comments

Favorite Quote:
All it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.

great job. i agree. our nation needs help and we need to stand up and step in.

on Sep. 28 2010 at 7:10 pm
WriterFanatic PLATINUM, DesMoines, Iowa
24 articles 0 photos 184 comments

Favorite Quote:
A coward is incapable of exhibiting love; it is the prerogative of the brave.<br /> By Gandhi.

Thanks for the comment! Yes Im glad you agree.

on Sep. 28 2010 at 4:07 pm
Jacki.Siwel BRONZE, The Shadowlands, Maryland
1 article 0 photos 4 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story... in which every chapter is better than the one before.&quot;

I definitely agree 100%.  Thank you for challenging our generation to step out and do something.