Why I'm not Drowning in the Mainstream. Perspectives on the Culture of Today's Youth
by L'aFar
When I was nine years old I came to Sedona, Arizona with my mother to become a part of Aquarian Concepts Community. Due to a troublesome early childhood I was very insecure at that time. I had been doing pretty poorly in school and had few friends. I hid my troubles from my classmates by playing the role of the school "clown" so that nobody ever got to really know me. Like many other children, however, I was spellbound under the awesome influence of the media. The steady rhythm of school was not what shaped my daily life then; it was the enormous reality of television, movies, and music. This is the same for almost all youth in the American mainstream, and any troubled child such as myself looking for solace from the real tests of everyday could find it readily in the clutches of the entertainment industry.
When my mother and I moved to Aquarian Concepts Community, my entire quality of life began to change. What affected me the most at first was how living in an alternative spiritual community meant far less direct access to the media outlets I was used to. The movies I watched and the music I listened to were more carefully selected for their uplifting as well as entertaining qualities by my mother and co-parents . At first I was frustrated by this because I saw it as merely restrictive. As time went on, however, I was able to observe how these procedures proved extremely beneficial to my maturation process. Also, a more personalized education and a healthier diet aided me enormously in living a more positive life that I’m sure I wouldn’t be enjoying had I remained in the midst of the mainstream American culture.
Now I have just turned eighteen years old. During my teenage years living in an alternative community, I have had the opportunity to observe the effects of the mainstream on adolescents from somewhat of an "outsider’s" perspective. Trial and tribulation are ingrained aspects of adolescence, but I do believe that much unnecessary strife can be avoided in this trying time of life. Drugs, alcohol, smoking, violence, teenage pregnancy—these are all well known and major causes of hardship in a teen’s world. These things and others are clearly recognized as very real problems in our society, and many movements and campaigns have been launched to try and stop them.
But once again the saying applies: "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” What is the root of the problem? What makes youth want to start doing drugs in the first place? What circumstances make teens feel as if they have to resort to extreme violence? Who should be held responsible for making these problems so big? The answers to these questions are what people need to know and act upon. Whether they think so or not, the majority of American youth are sick of at least one element of mainstream culture. Their frustration is so encompassing and deep sometimes that there is no real way of coping with it in normal society. They might indulge in promiscuous sex, violence, drugs—anything extreme enough that they believe will quench their anger or misery.
The arts are the greatest communicator. The giant corporations controlling most of what we see and hear also greatly influence how most people feel and think. This is true for children and teenagers more than any other age group. The music industry makes money off of teen angst. The film industry off of sex appeal. Whatever it takes to keep the consciousness of the youthful masses at a low level, the corporations will do it. If American youth attained any sort of collective higher consciousness, the greedy record or film companies would not survive. Music and film are wonderful when they reflect a Godly reality and are truly artistic. It is a horrible shame that the arts are so often used for greed and selfishness.
Living in a spiritual community has allowed me to reach beyond what the media is feeding me. Having a relationship with God has enabled me to rise above so many of the superficial troubles that wrack the youth in the mainstream. Receiving a richer, experiential education has given me a greater respect for my teachers and an eagerness to put what I have learned to good use. Why aren’t other troubled American youth allowed the same environment I live in? Children and teens need caring parents and elders who administer counsel and discipline with a firm love.
Every person has a destiny within God’s plan of healthy and wholesome growth. The youth of this society need a goal, a focus within a God-context that will help bring forth their true personality. They need real friends with whom they can share their worthwhile, healthful experiences. The youth and adults of America and the world must be willing to take the first steps toward a new and higher dimension. If mainstream society chooses to remain apathetic toward spirituality, then our culture will degrade ever more rapidly and this country will become unsafe for the young and the old alike. This is why I have chosen to search beyond the established norm—not just for the good of myself, but for the eventual good of the planet.