It's amazing how much the world can change in such a short time. I'm only 23, but the world I remember as a teenager seems so distant and fake, almost like it was all just a dream or something I read about in a history book. It's simply not reality anymore. Every generation seems to want to be different from the generations that precede it. We all want to make our own statements and forge our own paths. Following in our parents' footsteps feels too much like admitting that we can't live life better than them. It's too much like giving up. However, not all changes are positive; and in the case of the new YOLO mentality, it is the antithesis of progress. The world has gone from one extreme to the other. From believing in rigid and structured citizens who are afraid to say what they think, to believing in the acceptance of all things and all people, good or bad. YOLO (You Only Live Once) is the very idea of ​​being reckless; do what you want and condemn the consequences, without caring what anyone has to say about it. It's completely contrary to the values ​​and life ambitions we had when I was younger. Here we are, just a few years later and everyone seems to glorify the idea of ​​throwing caution to the wind and living as you wish, no matter what may happen and no matter who may object. It seems that people are erasing the line that marked the difference between right and wrong, responsible and reckless, intelligent and idiotic. “Right and wrong” is an idea from the past and something that no longer exists. With the new YOLO mentality, many people have the excuse they need to live carelessly and in a state of constant contentment, and they think that means the world is getting better. I believe the YOLO mentality is what is destroying the direction of America's youth, not improving it. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay First, think about when the phrase “You only live once” is applied. It's when you get in the car, you're about to hit the road, and you remember to put your seatbelt on because "YOLO!" ? Is it when you stay up all night studying for college exams, trying to get a degree because you only live once? This is not a phrase that is used when you are really thinking about your life and your future. It's a phrase used as an excuse to be stupid. Lazy. Reckless. It's a phrase you use when you're at a party and someone hands you your fourth shot of whiskey. Rationally you are well aware of some of the unwise decisions you might make if you allow yourself to get completely drunk, but it's fun! You want to have fun! Who cares about the exams you have in the morning! Who cares about the situation you might find yourself in. Life is about today. It's about now. It's all about instant gratification and fun. This is what YOLO means. YOLO is an excuse to throw away your responsibilities, at least for the moment you're in, when fun trumps wisdom. I'm not even here to defend life as a recluse. People should enjoy life and have fun, especially when they are young. Going to parties and finding the courage to talk to the person you like and step out of your comfort zone is a good thing. That's an admirable thing, actually. Many of us (myself included) aren't brave enough to speak our minds or do the things that scare us. I will not argue that it is in any way healthy to isolate oneself and dedicate one's entire existence to study and work, absolutely continuously, as generations before ours did. As in all aspects of life, however, there must be a balance. There must berespect for other people, for authority, and for listening to the advice of those who are older and wiser than us. Instead of seeking wisdom from those who are older and wiser, young people today draw their knowledge from the Internet and television. One of the most influential young celebrities today is a young woman named Miley Cyrus. Miley Cyrus is an actress/singer who could basically be the poster child for this entire generation. She is the queen of breaking boundaries and challenging social norms and expectations. I have heard statements like this made about admirable women in history like Amelia Earhart, who was the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean, or Jane Austen who was above all a writer and believed in herself enough to not let others were to be questioned. lows to stop her from doing what she loved. Miley Cyrus, on the other hand, is challenging the norm of "DOING something with your life." It challenges the norm of working hard and having dreams and then blowing them out of the water. I recently saw a Miley Cyrus music video called “We Can't Stop,” and it's basically a summary of the youthful outlook on life today. Frankly, it's disturbing. Simply put, it describes his theory that people should be free to do whatever they want and no one should judge us for it. One of his lyrics says "To my home girls here with the big booty shaking it like us in a strip club: remember only God can judge you... forget the haters 'cause someone loves you." God loves us, regardless of what we do; but does this mean that He forgives our sins? Does His everlasting love for us mean that we are free to be promiscuous and do anything else that is patently sinful? “Let us walk properly, as in the daytime, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in debauchery and lust, not in strife and envy.” -Romans 13:13 Not only are her words influential, but the way Miley Cyrus presents herself is also influencing the minds of girls today. From her skimpy outfits to her overly sexual dancing, she is corrupting girls' minds and showing them that propriety is a thing of the past. It doesn't matter what people say: do what you want, dress how you want, say what you want. We live in a time where anything is socially acceptable. In the words of Miley Cyrus, "It's our party, we can do whatever we want." What does it mean? “We can do whatever we want”? What do young people want? Do they want to have depressing, boring lives run completely by someone else? Because that's what you get when you sit back and have fun until your thirties. You realize that you have spent your entire life living in the present and not planning for the future. Pretty soon you'll be thirty and living at home because you've never worked hard and never done anything. But we are young. We are too caught up in “fun” to care. Nihilism is more and more relevant in youth culture as time passes. It is impossible to be perfect; everyone knows it. Even trying to achieve greatness is hard work. It takes time, dedication, long nights and patience. Every great thing requires effort and nothing worth achieving comes easy. As cliché as that phrase has become, it remains as true as ever. How about a new metaphor: When the radiator in your car breaks, it means you should just say "Screw it!" and drop it all off a cliff? Or should you solve it as best you can? In a way, the life of a person is very similar to the life of a car. It takes a lot of time, money and frustration to own a car. Believe me, I know. I had many long, annoying days where my old car wouldn't start., 102(5), 1045-1062.