Tin Tức

Our economy in this day and age is one motivated by competition, all in the name of human progress. What many fail to realise is the mounting pressure this system poses upon youngsters directly, as well as on parents who, in turn, reflect that pressure on their children. Parents, with the best intentions, often inadvertently put significant pressure on their children to succeed without realising that what they think is a healthy push is, in fact, the accumulation of trauma over many generations. This has undoubtedly had a negative effect on youth’s mental wellbeing, as has been reported time and time again on various channels.

Contrary to the way things were in the past, the economy of the here and now is driven by competition, as is the nature of free market. Generations after generations inevitably become involved in what could be described as a race towards wealth, the measure of success primarily associated with success itself. In a race, there is a loser for every winner, and while whether or not someone is successful might not be so clear in real life, the fear of ending up as a loser is imprinted upon each and every person living in the aforementioned economy. This fear instilled in a young person’s mind inevitably manifests as a fervent desire of wanting their child to succeed. The lack of emotional support from parents compounded with an economy that continually fails young people consequently create more youths who are, quite arguably, traumatised, thus continuing the vicious cycle. Without the proper emotional introspection needed to heal from this generational trauma, the pressure will only continue to mount from one generation to the next, leading to younger generations increasingly feeling the pressure to succeed by measures defined by their parents.

The state of affairs regarding youths’ mental wellbeing in the present admittedly leaves much to be desired. Whether or not this is the direct result of parents’ and society’s mounting expectations of them is still up for debate, but the coexistence of youngsters’ deteriorating mental health and an increasingly competitive economy is all but irrefutable. Even from a layman’s point of view, the correlation is there, and the causation seems highly likely. Given how unforgiving society has become already, it is only understandable for youngsters to look towards their loved ones for emotional support, and when this expectation is crushed underneath even more pressure from people whom youths expect to be their place of respite, the likely outcome is trauma. A healthy push from parents is often needed to get their children up and going in life, but the kind of pressure present in many households nowadays is often more debilitating than it is motivating.

At the end of the day, parents have the right and an obligation to worry about their children’s future, as they should. However, it is important that parents regularly check in with their children and be receptive to feedback on how the effect their style of parenting has had on their children. It is sometimes easier said than done given parents’ manyfold responsibilities, but they ultimately have a duty to their children first and foremost, and that includes making sure the children are not being subjected to unhealthy amounts of pressure.

VOCABULARY

Mounting (adj): tăng dần dần

Inadvertently (adv): không cố ý

Accumulation (n): sự tích luỹ

Inevitably (adv): chắc chắn

Imprint (v): ghi khắc, in sâu vào

Instill (v): làm cho thấm nhuần dần

Fervent (adj): tha thiết

Continually (adv): liên tục, không ngừng

Vicious (adj): xấu xa, đầy ác ý

Introspection (n): sự tự xem xét nội tâm

Irrefutable (adj): không thể chối cãi

A layman (n): người không có chuyên môn

Respite (n):  sự trì hoãn, sự nghỉ ngơi

Debilitating (adj): làm suy nhược

Receptive (adj): dễ tiếp thu