— opinion —
Teens can’t solve i It is not the youth’s job to save the world Cartoon by Ariana Ravitz Amid the many calls in the WXVIIXW GPEQSVMRK JSV NYWXMGI XIIR ZSMGIW WLSYPH RSX FI HVS[RIH SYX Young people are a powerful force JSV TSPMXMGEP GLERKI ERH WLSYPH FI acknowledged as such. At the same time, our society should not push American youth into civic respon WMFMPMX] FIJSVI XLI] EVI VIEH] High school is a time for teens XS PIEVR EFSYX XLI QER] MWWYIW JEG MRK XLI [SVPH EVSYRH XLIQ FYX MX MW RSX XLIMV VIWTSRWMFMPMX] XS WSPZI them. Many of the issues that plague SYV WSGMIX] LEZI I\MWXIH JSV HIGEHIW SV LEZI FIIR TIVTIXYEXIH F] SPHIV generations like the Boomers and +IR < -X¸W XLI HYX] SJ XLI GYVVIRX generation in power to deal with Á\MRK %QIVMGE¸W WSGMIXEP MWWYIW RSX the kids who are still taking calcu lus. Gen Z are still kids and should FI EPPS[IH XS EGX PMOI OMHW 8LI] should not have to feel the weight SJ IZIV] [SVPH MWWYI FIJSVI XLI] EVI IZIR ÁRMWLIH [MXL WGLSSP ;LMPI XIIRW WLSYPH RSX FI MKRSVERX SV MR sensitive to what is going on around them, neither should they have to FI VIWTSRWMFPI JSV GVIEXMRK EPP XLI change that is needed. Teens often get criticized for FIMRK XSS TIVJSVQEXMZI [MXL XLIMV
8 September 2021
EGXMZMWQ FYX [LIR WSGMEP QIHME MW WSQIXMQIW XLI SRP] EGGIWWMFPI [E] for them to make a difference, what GER [I I\TIGX# -X MW XVYI XLEX QER] SJ XLI VSYWMRK -RWXEKVEQ TSWXW and retweeted slogans do little to JYVXLIV MQTSVXERX GEYWIW FYX XLI ]SYRK EGXMZMWXW WLSYPH WXMPP FI GSQ QIRHIH JSV XV]MRK XS FIXXIV XLIMV world. There are teens who success fully created enormous amounts of GLERKI PMOI +VIXE 8LYRFIVK ERH )QQE +SR^EPI^ EW [IPP EW QER] WYGGIWWJYP XIIR PIH QSZIQIRXW Though we must listen to their voices and value their activism, it is unfair to push other teens and I\TIGX XLIQ XS ÁRH WSPYXMSRW JSV KPSFEP MWWYIW FIJSVI XLI] EVI VIEH] One thing teens can do to cre ate change is focus on educating themselves. Sometimes the most important thing we can do is teach ourselves how and where to create change. This education may occur on social media and teens who start XLIMV NSYVRI] SJ EGXMZMWQ SRPMRI WLSYPH RSX FI HMWGSYVEKIH 8LI] WLSYPH JSGYW SR ÁRHMRK GVIHMFPI WSYVGIW XS JSGYW SR PIEVRMRK EFSYX topics that they feel passionate EFSYX
“Gen Z are still kids and should be allowed to act like kids. They should not have to feel the weight of every world issue before they are even ˪ȥǫɽǠơƎ with school.”
At the same time, we need to VIQIQFIV XLEX XLI ]SYXL [MPP RSX FI EFPI XS QEOI WMKRMÁGERX WSGMEP GLERKI EJXIV NYWX E JI[ MRJSKVETL ics and historic lessons. Teens WLSYPHR¸X FI FPEQIH JSV JEPPMRK WLSVX SJ ER YRVIEPMWXMG I\TIGXEXMSR There are many Gen Z activists who are dedicating large amounts of their time to making this world E FIXXIV TPEGI ERH XLI] WLSYPH FI taken as seriously as anyone older. 8LI] WLSYPH FI TVEMWIH JSV EHZSGEX ing for change at such a young age, RSX I\TIGXIH XS HS QSVI %QIVMGE RIIHW XS XLMRO X[MGI FIJSVI TYWLMRK youth into social action too quickly.
-The Lion’s Tale
