As millennials, it is instilled into our brains to ask questions, some silly, some inherently important. We ponder the ever-changing world that surrounds us, we question who we are, who we are going to be and continually wonder why, what if, how come?
There are so many technological advances and global changes that we constantly experience, it is hard to truly understand what lies ahead for our generation and what will become of our futures. But, I ask you, are we doing everything in our power to ensure a better life for ourselves? Are we making a difference?
Rather than asking your friends what color heels you are going to wear with your pink romper on a Friday night, ask about something that pertains to the bigger picture. Ask something that matters. For example, “What do you think about the crises going on in the world?" “Do you support Hilary Clinton's candidacy or Donald Trump's?" or “How do you feel about the environmental impacts of Hubert's Peak and the limited supply of natural resources?" Sure, this may not be an ideal pregame conversation in between shots, but we need to discuss these international issues. We need to think about what this means to our lives in the next 20 years. We need to understand the impacts of what is going on in our world now and how it will affect our futures.
I do not want to be a hypocrite and say I know everything about the political parties or that I understand worldwide troubles affecting our economy or foreign policy, because I don't. But, that's the problem isn't it?
As 20-somethings, we are all too caught up in our own worlds to not learn about the ongoing concerns in the real one. Things are not universally okay and instead of getting all flustered about our Friday night plans, we need to educate ourselves on these matters. Global conflicts are worse then ever. Violence even within our own nation has exceeded the limits. Hundreds are being murdered, thousands are dying from starvation and millions are living barely above poverty level all across the globe.
We need to care. We need to ask questions about these controversial topics. If we don't, we are feeding into the stigma that clouds Generation Y. Many believe we are the laziest generation of human history and that we take for granted everything our founding fathers have worked towards. We need to prove this stereotype wrong.
We have a fountain of knowledge at our fingertips, we have thousands of peers that are willing, even excited, to express their beliefs with you, we have the ability to learn, appreciate and spread the word. So, I encourage you the next time you're with your friends to get heated in a political debate. Share your ideas on religion and these conversations that go untouched by many our age.
As apart of Generation Y, we are no longer children with carefree lifestyles. We are adults that should start thinking like those in the “real world." So, with all that said, go check out CNN.com, pick up USA Today or just start plugging in questions in the Google search bar. Start educating yourself. The future of our generation will thank us.
