Allegory of the Jar

Chapter 13

Chapter XIII: Kids These Days

As I wake up from my bed, I drink from my tumbler. I look at my phone and open f*******:. f*******: has a lot of unhinge things, stretching from politics, updates, news, marketplace, and more. You can literally find some weird things here. Well, I might say that i********: is more unhinged, but f*******: can be anything, a lot like t****k.

I see the stories below the search bar, and there's a lot. Things like people together with their friends, famous landmarks, quotes, rant, vent, or anything. But I would happen to see how generation today is far from what our generation was like back then.

I see people posting notes saying, "Paligaw naman" (Courtship me). Some even quote, "Looking for GF/BF). I know that one might and am I against the ideologies or idiosyncrasies of today. But, this is just pride. People today are just overconfident over things. Or I would say it in one term, "Nonchalant". There's another word for it. I may not say the word, but I can describe it though. Have you felt pride, like you can do that thing being buff and anything like having +1000 aura? That's the kind of attitude I am describing.

There are factors of why people particularly Generation Alpha and above have this kinds of attitude. I wouldn't blame it solely on mobile phones and gadgets, but this kind of attitude might be the word spoiled or nepotism. With these gadgets, these people solely rely on technology.

One of my instructors have an ideology, "The newer generation is much smarter than the previous generation"

That was when he encouraged us to make a building with 54 floors instead of 40 floors like the previous school year.

In actuality, I beg to disagree. The newer the generation right now relies on technology, especially AI or Artificial Intelligence. If a person be given an assignment let's say school, they will use AI instead of their brains. Why don't you use your brains? And it's not just students or teachers, even politicians use AI.

What can a person learn if they AI frequently? I mean it's not bad to use AI, especially if you are in a rush, and have things to balance. I know the kids and students there might be planning to procrastinate in doing their assignments and just do it a day, an hour, or minutes prior to the deadline. Do not do this, for you will not learn anything. One can only use AI in case of an emergency, entertainment, unknown skills, or rush. But it's your own fault if you procrastinated in doing your assignment, and ask the others if they finished, and copy their own work.

In my class, a lot of my classmates are doing this. A lot of them were even caught red-handed by our professors since one professor noticed that they used AI, and her instructions were clear of not making use of AI.

"What is the difference?", my classmates' question as it reverberates and echoes like a cave.

Some AI gives you accurate information, some don't. Some are consistent, some aren't. Teachers know the grammar syntax between a normal constructed sentence, and AI generated response.

People today are so engrossed in brainrots. Wait, why call them brainrots? I tried endulging myself into it, and it did rot my brain a bit. I remember back then that during my teen years, they were not called brainrots. They were called Memes. Memes can be anything, and much simpler to say. And these can be accompanied with history lessons, and others fields like science, math, and more. Yet, Memes and Vines still exist today. How simple the days were back then.

I would say, this era is corrupted, especially my country. The Filipino youth has been corrupted by a lot, not just the community, but from social media. I would say that kids learn a lot by using these kinds of media, and they can learn like languages, skills, crafts, arts, computations, and more. But there's always the dark side. They could access illegal websites easily, that they can slip through them even if there is a "18+" popup. These youth learns about adult stuff younger as ever as young as they know what to click on the internet. These corrupts the Filipino youth, and the reason why the number of teenage pregnancies are fluctuating. What they see, is what they imitate if they do not apply the ethics and principles of morality strictly. Manners in particular, but affected by the hypnosis of external bad influences in life.

Young parents are also distracted by phones. They could be chatting other people while nursing the child, and if they have another child, the other child will never get attention from them. These kids could get injured, wounded, and more if left unsupervised and unnurtured if distracted by phones. What is more important, phones or the lives of your children? You may think it's a simple question like activists asking Art or Life, but this is more important. Unlike art, where we see history and hence the cultural value within that nation, it's important for young parents and parents to look after their kids. Because if they don't, things will end up badly for them.

It's not just the kids are the ones getting corrupt. Corruption is also amongst politicians. Filipino politicians today are not the same back then. These people should serve their country, and their people , and take inspiration from their predecessors, especially notable heroes in their leadership like Burgos, Rizal, Bonifacio, Luna, and Magsaysay. We are one country, and there is war depleting our fuels and oils. If we keep this up, then our country might as well perish. Do not be Aguinaldos or cheat in elections, pay off high criminals, land grabbing, or make the poor suffer more. Your leadership to this country is a disgrace today than back then, that if these heroes were reborn today, they rather die to see how disgusting the government of this country is, than to live in their own motherland with cronies and crocodiles. What is the point of a democracy if you do not hear your people? What is democracy if you do not do it for your people?

I hope these politicians have a common sense. You're a businessman, you're an actor, you're a teacher, you're a police, but have some common sense in serving the people. To serve the people is to lead with dignity, and if you steal money from the government, you are stealing from the people thus betrayal of public trust. I may not a bachelor in political science, but the truth says it all. It's like what Gen. Antonio Luna said, "NEGOSYO O KALAYAAN, BAYAN O SARILI, PUMILI KA! (BUSINESS OR FREEDOM, YOUR COUNTRY OR YOURSELF, MAKE UP YOUR MIND!)".

If you wish to keep serving your people, no more rally or protest, hear the people sing for there will be a light that shines when tomorrow comes. A great leader is not shown by money and power, but by the qualities of a true leader that listens to his/her people, giving what they need, and to respect them. I wouldn't say that all politicians are corrupt, but good leaders exist rarely in a way. Democracy is a government by, of, and for the people. This would be my political analysis of this generation.

The system today is defined by 'Who You Know' than 'What You Know', and my father firsthand experienced it, not just once or twice, but numerous times.

I remember back then, during my Altar Server Ministry, the President of the Ministry gave all of his friends a position as officers. Many didn't got in, especially for me and Daniel. There are still people doing this, not just in the government, but sometimes organizations.

As I begin to widen my knowledge about the world, and aware of what is happening, the world today might be in the process of globalization, but globalization with good implementations and moral essence of ideas, and to apply them on the real world. Thus, for if a country with shared ideas, united as one, no cheating in the system, it would boost not just economy but its status too.

It's like in a family, the family that understands together, shares, together, laughs together, prays together; stays together.

People have their own statements about this, and have their own ideas as well. They stick to what they believe, without even understanding or listening to others because they think ideas of others don't matter at all.

In media res, ideas matter based on the benefit and consequences once applied. One can only find rare people with common sense to lead, to learn, and to apply these to teach and more. Moreover, society might be progressing in a way, but there is a dark side to it.

Compared to a coin, there is balance. Flip it, heads will prevail, and show a shiny new look. But on the other side, rust is present. That if we don't prevent rust from happening, imbalance infects the equilibrium of the system, leading to chaos and eradication of itself.

Back to reality, and I scroll away from the nonchalant and 'kupal' posts I saw. From those posts, it's even hard to fit in today.