Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Attitude & Aptitude, Authenticity, Dream Small, New Zealand, Youth
I saw this picture recently and it made me laugh …
However while it was made for amusement purposes, there’s a lot of truth in it.
Especially that Tuesday afternoon picture.
Which leads me to my point.
There’s a lot of talk about ‘the great resignation’.
How people – predominantly the young – are leaving their jobs in unprecedented numbers.
Even Beyonce is referenced because she touches on it in her lyrics to ‘Break My Soul’ …
Now, I just fell in love
And I just quit my job
I’m gonna find new drive
Damn, they work me so damn hard
Work by nine, then off past five
And they work my nerves
That’s why I cannot sleep at night
I’m lookin’ for motivation
I’m lookin’ for a new foundation, yeah
And I’m on that new vibration
I’m buildin’ my own foundation, yeah
But what I find interesting is how many companies seem to be missing the point.
That they seem to think that youth are basically retiring.
That they must have untold millions in the bank to fall back on.
But that’s not the case.
They’re over being treated the way they are by companies.
Being told ‘you matter’, but get worked to fuck.
Or not given training or growth.
Or simply seeing racism, sexism, favouritism.
That’s why they’re resigning.
It’s not that they don’t want to work … or earn money or grow … they just don’t want to be broken or feel they are sacrificing life for hell.
Recently I sent a bunch of people around New Zealand to listen to what youth culture thought about their life.
For a nation seen by the rest of the World as almost perfect, their view was quite different.
We’ve turned this into a book called, Dream Small.
It’s a collection of stories and opinions from across the nation by a generation who feel more tolerated than welcomed.
Similar to America In The Raw, there’s no hype, no judgement, just people being allowed to speak about how they see life.
When you read it, you realise the great resignation should actually be labeled, ‘the great reset’.
Though for some, it could also be called ‘the last hope’.
Youth get a bad rap.
They’ve been dealt a pretty shit hand.
Promised so much until they realise it was all a lie.
Where to survive you have two choices … comply or escape.
For many, escape is not an option.
Too many responsibilities or too little opportunities.
So they are left with the realisation their life is one where they can only dream small.
How wrong is that?
How terrible is that?
But I’ll tell you what’s worse …
The ‘adults’ know all this but pretend they don’t. At least in public.
Preferring to maintain silence to either maintain control or to not have to accept their role in it.
Which leaves me with this …
If this is happening to youth in NZ, imagine what is happening elsewhere.
And yet I still have more faith in their ability to make a better world than I do with the majority of members of my generation.
I’m very proud of what we’ve done, which is why we will be doing a bunch of presentations and talks about what we heard and why we believe everyone in NZ – and beyond – should care about this issue. However if you want to know more – or more specifically, the impact it will have on your future – drop me a line as we’d love to chat, regardless where you’re located.