I watched an interesting show last night called Generation Kill, this show depicted life for soldiers prior and during the invasion of Iraq. What was interesting to me was the interaction of the soldiers among themselves. It was as if they were numb to the fact that they were going to kill people, almost as if they wanted to kill people. In war I know death and violence are inevitable, hence the word "War", but with these young guys it was almost second nature to want to kill someone...or something, just to have the opportunity as one solider put it, "To let her breathe".
It began to make me think about how we are raising a generation of kids, teens, and young adults who are numb to consequence. They live in a society where they perceive a lot of false truths, and we all know that "perception is reality" for many people, including myself at times. These kids live in a time where famous people do whatever they want and some how come out untouched by justice, a place where we can go to war with no real justifiable cause, a place where video games numb them to violence and consequence, where music teaches them to "Get Money, and Fuck Bitches." By no means am I condemning these vices. I love my music including Hip-Hop, video games, and of course Hollywood gossip. But I have learned how to filter these entertainments . I think that is what these kids are really missing. The ability to filter what is real and what is just entertainment. Robin Sharma says that we all view life through a stained glass window, which becomes our paradigm on life. When we change the way we see the world, inevitably the world changes....Wayne Dyer said that one.
What I'm getting at is that we must begin to wake these kids up...more over "WE" need to wake up! Like the famous Isley Brothers song "I got work to do". We as a society, a country, and a human race need to realize that we are what we think and the images that we put out there are inevitably whats going to become our reality.
Its not just enough to talk about a problem we must begin to formulate a solution. Thomas Edison failed 10,000 times before he was able to produce the first functionable incadescant light bulb, meaning we need to begin somewhere...and I believe the solution lies within the problem. Yes that's right, I think we can learn from these vices that have our community by the throat. We can learn new ways of marketing, product design, and ways of pushing an idea to a willing audience. Think about this. I bet you most high school students can recite their favorite song word for word, but would fail to name every capital of every state in the U.S. (well even I would), but the point is that these rappers, video game programs, and directors have found a formula to reach these kids. Something our teachers, parents, and administrators have been failing at for years. So what do we do?...Get MTV, play GTA, and listen to some Lil Wezzy. In the art of war you first must know yourself, then your enemy. Begin to take this like a war, begin to study your "enemies" methods and learn from him. Then incorporate that in your own "swag" and I think you are constructing a new formula for success. At the end of the day we are all spiritual beings having a human experience...so deep down there is a root of love. Our job is to dig deep enough to find that root and begin to bring it to the surface.
PS: Sorry for being so Sappy, guess its one of those days.
