Humans have never been without negative traits.
We have our own selfish desires, we have our bitterness, we are driven by fear and foolishness. We steal, we fight, we say hurtful things, and we often put our needs before those of others. We are not immune to pain nor are we incapable of causing others pain. Humans have never been without negative traits, because negative traits are part of what makes us human. But with these traits, violence is often inevitable. Daily, phones are flooded with news stories of war, crime and overall pain.
Caught dead in the center of it, old enough to know what’s happening but young enough to still be figuring out the extent of it, are teenagers.
While there’s difficulty discerning whether violence or the awareness of violence has become more prominent over the years, there’s no question that teens feel the effects of it. Social media has story after story of the issues of the world, and sad and unpleasant events are bound to reach the ears of adolescents. Feelings of immense despair follow, and teens are found with a lack of hope for the future of the society that they are fighting so hard to find their places in. It can be genuinely hard having faith in a place that seems to be in a constant state of being pitted against itself. As a result of this difficulty, mental health issues become more prominent, and motivation to carry on is often lost.
That’s when the effects begin to show. As teens turn away from one issue, the next is waiting right behind them. Each exit of the trap that teens feel placed in gets caved in with more and more news of people’s hatred getting the better of them, more and more news of the innocent getting hurt. It’s important to acknowledge that teens are not perfect either, and that the violence around them leads to their own outbursts, as the cycle continues. It’s hard to be surprised when this cycle drives teens to look inward for release. Violence is not always directed at another person. As the depression and anxiety builds, teens, in search of relief and escape, resort to self harm or even suicide.
Because of this, debate often takes place on just how educated teens should be on the brutality of the world. It’s a two-sided argument, both sides motivated by the desire to protect teens. It can be argued that someone still so sensitive should not be exposed to the excessive amount of chaos that the world seems to be constantly consumed by. However, the argument can also be made that sheltering teens from the inevitable is only going to prolong its effects and put them in dangerous situations.
While it is important to keep teens aware of their surroundings, acknowledging how overwhelming it is is important to managing their well-being.
Despite the indifference teens may display, violence has profound effects that are difficult to deny. As the inevitable imperfections of humanity are at their worst, it is essential that the impact of violence on the youth is not underestimated.
