The best way to corrupt youth?

[Sunstone]

I think you can be yourself and be Christian also. One can use their religion as an excuse not to take responsiblity for themselves. It takes work to find out who you truly are and some people want to find all kinds of excuses why they haven't done it. If we have been taught to think for ourselves no religion can hold us back. We will see the deep insights of religion that spring us forward. I know people who have been "Good Christians" and they have found who they truly are. I think the true message of Jesus was to look within and be who you truly are. Sometimes we corrupt ourselves with laziness.

I think you're misjudging my friend, Lightkeeper. The man is far from lazy -- including far from spiritually lazy. He's found out who he is, and he stays true to himself. He made the point to me that how he was raised, in the church he was raised, was of little or no help in his pursuing his own spiritual path. He was at one time, in his youth, a very devout member of that church, but gradually fell away from it as he increasingly realized that what his church taught was at odds with his own spirituality. That's not a mark of laziness, but of self-discovery and self-realization.

 

[Lightkeeper]

I think you're misjudging my friend, Lightkeeper. The man is far from lazy -- including far from spiritually lazy. He's found out who he is, and he stays true to himself. He made the point to me that how he was raised, in the church he was raised, was of little or no help in his pursuing his own spiritual path. He was at one time, in his youth, a very devout member of that church, but gradually fell away from it as he increasingly realized that what his church taught was at odds with his own spirituality. That's not a mark of laziness, but of self-discovery and self-realization.

This is a different statement from your first one. And if you notice I was speaking in general and not about this man.

 

[Sunstone]

This is a different statement from your first one. And if you notice I was speaking in general and not about this man.

Perhaps, then Lightkeeper, I should have been clearer in my first post. My apologies if I've confused you.

Speaking in general, I agree with you that spiritual laziness can be corrupting.

 

[roli]

I believe youth are being corrupted as we speak by the influneces they are surrounded by everyday, but this is not the primary reason . The image they are trying to resemble is that which is molded by our society and those who have the power to change cultural trends ,fashion, success and beauty,such as movie stars , rock idols, etc.

Influnece should not affect a well grounded and rooted individual who is secure in themself from the love,affection and affirmation given in child rearing.
The influence in their upbringing, regarding there living conditions, discipline, comfort, family unity etc. all affect the child becoming a successful adult. Parents,teachers, coaches etc. all become the immediate images these youth aspire to be like.
Advertising agencies introduce peer pressure and the manipulation thru adds insisting that you need something you have'nt got, money , clothes, products etc,
The youth want to fit in and be accepted and needed,and be part of a group, regardless of the costs and therefore they must know their identity, standards and boundaries, prior to subjection to these negitive influences in the world.

 

[linwood]

Most parents think they are being a good parent by teaching a child how to think but I believe it is more important to teach a child to think.

And that is exactly how you keep a child from Nietzsches "corruption".

 

[Sunstone]

Do Western societies do an adequate job teaching youth to become strong individuals, or should they do more?

 

[SoulTYPE]

One thing that teaches young girls bad habits CAN be those trashy teen mags, that tell 10 yr olds what to wear, what make up to put on, and what boy they should and shouldn't date.

 

[Sunstone]

It sometimes seems to me that our Western societies are more in the business of encouraging people to become self-centered consumers, rather than socially responsible individuals. I suppose it's good for the economy if large numbers of people substitute consumerism for self-development, but...itsn't it a bit crazy to try to buy your way to self-actualization? Getting your first credit card is the new rite of passage into adulthood, but what kind of adulthood is it? Can you shop your way to self-realization? Do you see this as a problem, too? Or am I way off the wall here?

 

[painted wolf]

I have to agree... the best way to corrupt youth is to first teach them not to question authority when they are young, then plunk them down infront of popular media. There they can learn to be shallow, greedy and self-lothing for thier imperfections. Remember that TV, Magazines and Radio want the holy grail of merchantdom... to grow consumers.
Consumers don't care what goes on so long as they have access to thier stuff...

"the stuff you own ends up owning you." -Tyler Durden- Fight Club.

wa:do

 

[Sunstone]

One thing that teaches young girls bad habits CAN be those trashy teen mags, that tell 10 yr olds what to wear, what make up to put on, and what boy they should and shouldn't date.

I worry that those magazines might be teaching girls to shoe-horn themselves into a one-size-fits-all mode. Am I mistaken about that? Do the magazines encourage individuality or conformity?

 

[The Voice of Reason]

Once taught bias I think it can be unlearned.

I agree, and it is in open discussion with a wide variety of viewpoints (like this site) that bias will be unlearned. That is why you see some people join the site for a short time, post a few bigoted statements and, when challenged, disappear into the ether. They have surrounded themselves for too long with like minded people, and they develop a "security blanket" in their belief system. The mere thought of peeling away that blanket scares them to no end.

These people are, by and large, the product of the indoctrination that this thread is about.

TVOR

 

[Watcher]

What currupts the youth of America......VIDEO GAMES!
No, I'm just kidding. Honestly though, I think that we need to be more encouraged to question things like politics, religions, etc. and learn to think for ourselves. One of the biggest problems I have noticed is the amount of people following the herd. Young people nowadays are smothered in things like what they should look like, how they should act, what they should believe, plus the pressures from their peers about drugs, sex, alchohal, etc.

 

[SoulTYPE]

I saw two young girls, maybe around 9, on the train and putting makeup on, saying "That might get (boy named) to go out with me.." They were wearing miniskirts and knee high boots, which looked a bit worrying. And of course, what did I see them reading? One of those trahy magazines. Sad part was, they were reading out an article on um.."masturbation" extremely loud, and giggling. I don't think the other passengers really needed to hear that.

Personally, I think 9 is a bit young to start dating.