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Emily Whitney

Highschool Student,

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How can young America make a difference?

With the role of children and teenagers set up into a consistent apprenticeship of watching and learning from the adults around them it's a lot harder to make a difference and for their ideas and voices to be heard. Personally, as a member of younger America, I have missed out on many wonderful opportunities due to the fact that I am 14. I must wait to mature before I can contribute ideas alongside adults and be taken completely seriously. I believe maturity does not come with age but with mind. I just wonder if there is a proper way for a "child" to pursue their dreams early without the, say, plus 20 years of experience, work, and university. Just a thought! Thank you so much for your time!

Topics: TED Young america change children freedom future teen work
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  • Lars Mews

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    Aug 19 2012: Be lucky that you can not live your dreams yet-most people will agree that they are more than just happy that they did not turn out the person they dreamed of being at the age of 14-be sure of that.

    And being taken complete seriously also means that you have take serious responsibility for your actions. Do you really want to take a responsibilty for everything you do, now at the age of 14?

    • Emily Whitney

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      Aug 19 2012: Yes I do understand the fact that consequence comes with everything, and I really do believe that I have a lot more maturing to do, intellectually and physically, before I should take on big projects and decide the road to travel. Although I completely understand where you are coming from, that wasn't really the point I was trying to get across. I am speaking on a more general scale of contributing to their society. Sometimes even the most ignorant people can contribute the most, and ideas worth spreading don't necessarily have to be filled with fact and experience!

      Thank you for the response! It made me rethink my words, and that's how you know you've presented a good question!

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