Modern Youth In Singapore: Perceptions And Responsibilities

Views about Youths of Today

Discuss about the Modern Youth for the Context of Singapore.

Youths are the future of a nation: it is one of the mostly respected and believed truths over the years of history. Hence, identifying the psychological outline, the ideologies and the point of views of today’s youth is typically important to tract the trend of future and shape it to obtain the best possible results. This essay is dedicated to discuss the dominant notion about the modern youth, their way of handling and balancing independence and responsibility, expectation from parents and the influence of friends over their lives. This discussion will throw some light over the youth of Singapore and their way of dealing with life.

The popular view about the youngsters is not necessarily positive. The current scenario is posing the teenagers as people without any ideology, responsibility, sense of respect and apathetic behaviour towards the bigger world. The Singapore youth were no less accused of this same accusation; and this was reproached even by the national leaders of the country (Baars, 2014).

However, the One of the most important issues that often gone unnoticed is the views of the youth about themselves. As mentioned by Zhang, (2013) while trying to understand the youth it is important to focus on their own perception about themselves. The new generation of Singapore as well as the remaining world thinks quite highly about themselves. As mentioned by Baars, (2014) the growing economy of Singapore is inducing a sense of superiority among the youths. The new generation treats themselves as “Great people,” who is destined to be successful in life (Horschelmann, 2015). Moreover, they know that they are self-conscious and find no offence in being so. The apathy they feel from the world they are gradually turning it into their defence mechanism.

However, as opined by Wyn, (2015) in conscious communications, they often agree that they are continuously being apathetic to the socio-political world, as they do not find it directly affecting them. Thus, they are continuously being self-centered and may be the world around them is responsible for this.

It is sheer problem with the new generation that people mostly identify them as irresponsible. However, as mentioned by DuBois & Karcher, (2013) today’s youth are far more responsible about their careers. As mentioned earlier, the new generation loves to enjoy their personal independence. It is making them finding ways to make their independence ensured by taking responsibilities.

Balance Between Independence and Responsibilities

The young adults consent to the fact that there should be a balance between independence and responsibility, as they understand that both are interrelated; whereas the teenagers do not have a much sense about them. They consider independence as freedom. As mentioned by Woodman & Wyn, (2014) the teenagers love to take decisions of their own lives. They often overestimate their sense of responsibility and thus misuse freedom.

However, as opined by McLeod & Wright, (2015) the young generation tries to bend the norms to enjoy independence. The smart new generation kids know when to stop and seek for adults’ intervention when it is important, but exceptions are always evident. The lack of sense of balancing freedom and responsibility directs a few teenagers to drug addiction, road accidents, terrorism and many other radical ways (Chu et al., 2014). Their increased self-esteem often directs them to go beyond their limits. This lacking sense of responsibility inspires them to go overboard to prove themselves to the peer group.

Balancing independence and responsibilities is great issue of consideration among the youngsters. However, with aging people generally finds the importance of responsibility to enjoy freedom the fullest.

As mentioned by Yun et al., (2012) parents play a huge role in shaping the character of a person.

The philosophy materialism is continuously making the youths away from their children. As mentioned by Smith, (2015) the modern parents are focusing on making money and the families are on the verge of breaking away. It is making the young members more inclined to the Social Medias and peer groups.

As opined by Yun et al., (2012) the new generation wants more time and attention from their parents. However, it is also needed to identify the fine line between attention and intrusion. As mentioned by DuBois & Karcher, (2013) the new generation often accuses their parents of being intruder to their lives. The parents need to understand the turmoil of youth and be a bit respectful of their children’s personal space. As mentioned by Horschelmann, (2015) the teen agers and youth loves the treatment of a respectful person and it creates a sense of respect to the personal space of others within themselves.

As opined by Chee, Goh & Kuczynski, (2014) the most important thing that the youths want from their parents is having genuine and meaningful conversation. As opined by Smith, (2015) teenagers seldom cease to think regarding the “parents' love, dedication, goals, ambition or responsibility for them” but they rarely think about the assessments parents make on his/her behalf and the way those decisions, affect their lives. The teens do not want their parents to be perfect but they need to feel that their parents are doing their best to make them happy. Hence, it can be speculated that they young children need a genuine conversation with their parents about how much they care for him/her and how hardly they are trying to be happy together.

Expectation from Parents (Without Violating Ethical or Moral Principles)

Moreover, as mentioned by many teenagers, they feel that their parents do not understand them and they often look for faults within them. This particular thing involves the craving for being listened within itself. As opined by Yun et al., (2012) in teenage, the children seeks attention. Hence, they want their parents to listen to their views. They want their parents to treat them as grown-ups. As opined by Chee, Goh & Kuczynski, (2014) it is important for the parents to listen to their children, examine the value of it and raising the concerns related to it. It makes them feel that the parents are giving him due respect and child starts to believe himself, which is typically needed to shape positive personality of an individual (Chee, Goh & Kuczynski, 2014). Hence, it can be said that the new generation is expecting a bit more attention, meaningful conversation and respect of individuality from their parents.

As discussed earlier, the lack of time from the parents end it motivating the young adults to be more social and absorbed within the peer groups. The trend of Nuclear families is directing the teenagers to create their own world, which is obviously more important than their families.

Treating the friends as the best possible resort and icon of life is a phenomenon in the young age. As mentioned by Horschelmann, (2015) it is the sub-conscious mind of the youths which directs them to follow their peer group. Moreover, the society and its norms play a great role in making the young minds influenced by their friends and their lifestyles. As opined by Sim & Tan, (2013) being accepted by the social groups is the main motivator of following the peer suggestion by a teenager. The influence of the friends is high on the young minds also because of their feeling of being misunderstood by the family.

Friends and social circle can move a teenager’s life largely. As mentioned by Sim & Tan, (2013) as the youths find someone who is taking interest within his/life and understands him, it becomes great deal to them. As mentioned by Horschelmann, (2015) the criterion of same age often works as an added advantage. In many empirical cases, it has been found that the young militants often opt for the path of Jihad as their friends have told them it is the best way to make the world know about his worth (Chu et al., 2014). Moreover, as opined by Chu et al., (2014) they want freedom and respect, and hence hate to listen to the preaching of the elders. So, the company of people with same age, needs and interests feels more valuable than the family. Moreover, when they find someone who is influential in the peer group, the youths start to believe on his/her ideologies or copy their way of living lives. As opined by Chu et al., (2014)  youths often think that, it will give them added validity within the group.

Conclusion:

Hence, it can be concluded that the young adults and the teenagers of Singapore are not much different from other countries. The consistent economic growth is gradually influencing their character and personality. With the increased sense of responsibility towards themselves, they need to find a true icon, which the world may be missing today. The parents need to be more conscious about the psychological needs of the modern youths and take a meaningful part in shaping their attitude and responsibility to the bigger world. however, the new generation of Singapore is gradually taking interest to the world around them which is no doubt a ray of hope to the county’s future. 

References:

Baars, R. C. (2014). The good citizen: citizenship education and youth in Singapore (Doctoral dissertation, ResearchSpace@ Auckland).

Chee, L. P., Goh, E., & Kuczynski, L. (2014). Oversized loads: Child parentification in low-income families and underlying parent-child dynamics.Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Services, 95(3), 204-212.

Chu, C. M., Daffern, M., Thomas, S. D., Ang, Y., & Long, M. (2014). Criminal attitudes and psychopathic personality attributes of youth gang offenders in Singapore. Psychology, Crime & Law, 20(3), 284-301.

DuBois, D. L., & Karcher, M. J. (Eds.). (2013). Handbook of youth mentoring. Sage Publications.

Horschelmann, K. (2015). Dissent and Youth Culture. In Politics, Citizenship and Rights (pp. 1-14). Springer Singapore.

McLeod, J., & Wright, K. (2015). Inventing Youth Wellbeing. In Rethinking Youth Wellbeing (pp. 1-10). Springer Singapore.

Sim, T. N., & Tan, M. M. (2013). Behavioral norms, moral judgments, and social approval of participant roles in school bullying in a Singapore sample.Youth & Society, 45(2), 184-200.

Smith, K. (2015). Childhood and Youth Citizenship. In Handbook of Children and Youth Studies (pp. 357-376). Springer Singapore.

Woodman, D., & Wyn, J. (2014). Youth and generation: Rethinking change and inequality in the lives of young people. Sage.

Wyn, J. (2015). Thinking About Childhood and Youth Youth Childhood.Handbook of Children and Youth Studies, 3-20.

Yun, H., Lian, W. M., Prema, V., Loke, W. M., Phoon, F. N., Fang, T. F., & Vijaya, K. (2012). Do Parents Talk to Their Adolescent Children about Sex?—Findings from a Community Survey in Singapore. Annals of the Academy of Medicine-Singapore, 41(6), 239.

Zhang, W. (2013). Redefining youth activism through digital technology in Singapore. International Communication Gazette, 75(3), 253-270.