How has the relationship between child and parent changed? What about child and elder? For so long it has been common knowledge that anything that passes an elder's lips needs to be respected, taken into consideration, and most likely executed without complaint. These days children are raised on cartoons that show the rebellious side of all of us. These are the role models big eyed newbies look up to as they're "figuring things out". The morals of the story are slowly being dropped. Is this just more raw? More real? Or more entertaining?
As a child and even now my favorite counter to any argument would be "Why?". My mom would say we couldn't go to the movies after school like she promised and I would promptly ask "Why?". It's funny how even the toughest parents and elders lurk over this question for a few seconds before answering. They often realize themselves why they decided the simplest things, it never phased them before. But as I'm entering my teenage years propaganda has come out of the closet and I refuse to just turn my back on it. I often call people out on things that don't make sense because I know they are not right. Debates used to be my specialty and it is only 5 minutes ago that I realized where I picked up this habit from. The very person that told me to shush up as a kid and hear what they had to say. Now I see them doing everything I was told not to and I'm not shy when it comes to calling them out.
Is this because I am an ignorant brat who thinks she knows it all? Maybe. I prefer calling myself an indigo. And as a philosopher on the side I feel that many kids and teens are taking this approach towards their parents. They are finally speaking their truth and following what they truly want. My one friend has parents that want to put her in an arranged marriage with an African man from her tribe. 10 years ago there would be no question that she was destined for either a miserable relationship or divorce but she laughs with her friends about it. She is attracted to mixed men and latinos so the idea of dating someone in her tribe does not correlate with what she wants for her. Often we find people following their hearts whether that means dropping everything they once new and starting fresh or genuinely denying the mantras people have ingrained in their minds and replacing them with brand new person mantras that sing to them.
