Support the building of a pluralistic society, by banning the word "youth"!?

[Fadi Otaqui]

It seems like whatever event young Ahmad attended, he found himself being called a "youth" participant, a "young" delegate or contributor.
At meetings people were surprised, that the deep authoritative voice on the other side of a phone conversation was a young “boy” of 25.

Everyone clapped proudly as the youth delegates were commended on how beyond-their-years their contributions to the event have been.
"The youth are the future, our children..." the organizers shout proudly.

I am not one for flowery writing, but I believe you get the idea I’m trying to convey.

The youth are not the future, they are the present!


And as a young Jordanian, I propose disallowing the use of the word “youth”. I even suggest the penalization of anyone who even utters the word “shabab”. (A word I would lock away like others with oppressive connotations)

Since under 30's make up the majority of the population. It can be deduced that the age group also makes up the productive and intellectual capacity of Jordan almost entirely; at present, not in the future.

So clearly we’re not an oppressed minority group that needs to be babied and protected, WE ARE in fact JORDAN (not in the cheesy campaign slogan kind of way).

Why then are we labeled “youth”?

I propose that the rampant use of the “youth” label is not a way of empowering the young people of Jordan, but a tool for marginalization and control.

Allow me to explain this idea further.

The suggestion that someone is a "youth" neglects that he/she is a professional (banker, lawyer, nurse, marketing executive), a student, a certain gender, a person with a political affiliation, with a religious preference, or a parent. It pools everyone into large indiscernible blob that shares nothing but an age classification.
Members of this “youth” group are indefinable and share little commonality on issues, and are hence completely immobilizable as a force for change.

By banning the word (as preposterous as I know this sounds), the majority of Jordanians (under 30’s) can be emancipated from our ageist culture, and the shackles of state-linked civil society (Shabab Kuluna al Urdun, Injaz, etc.). And can organize along (dare I say!) individualistic interest, where they can funnel their energies into clear areas of minority interest. This is pluralism.

I realize that this is clearly not feasible or reasonable.
So for now, to my fellow Jordanians I suggest that we all start on this road by at least becoming comfortable with the fact that we might be smarter and better equipped than our elders. After all, we’re members of a majority that has had unprecedented access to information, education and knowledge.

[Yusuf Mansur]

Thanks Fadi; a very astute observation! However, regarding organization around interests, do you mean that we form cluster organizations? This way, people who have a common interest, don't have to be in the same profession or business but are participating in activities that complement the creation of a product. For instance, a cluster can be formed around the publishing but its members need not be publishers. They could be bankers, educators, printers, writers, media, advertisers, etc...Anyone whose efforts could contribute to the success of a publishing industry could join in.

Eliminating the age discrimination and the labeling that goes with it, also helps create synergies among age groups. Experience could couple with intelligence and fresh knowledge to not only create powerful products but also powerful minds across the spectrum. If not for the young, how could the old learn new skills; and if not for the old, how could the young proceed and learn the institutional history. Einstein once said that he stood on the shoulders of giants. I believe the young are giants in their own rights, the product that is made of the synergy created by learning and relearning is an input that is at once necessary and needed.

Like Nadine, I think we should place this in the list. Shall we put it in the A or C Fadi? Anyone else?

[Walid Zou'bi]

Using the label youth is actually insulting, its like saying you aren't old enough to be making an informed decision, which is funny since most people in most countries consider that the age where you can vote, and drive a car, so if you are old enough to these things you should be old enough to be taken seriously.

I am also one of those ageists, I usually look at some young person and say o what do you know, and I admit that is wrong, sometimes someone that young actually might know more than me about a certain topic.
Here's what I usually say to people older than me: "There you go again mistaking existance for experience!"

[Mais Irqsusi]

very well said Fadi...
Lately it feels like Youth are the ones into Fashion... its a term used to attract the attention... its catchy and when talking civil society it attracts the right people who are interested in Youth ... same was the case for women in a previou phase... and you would often hear the term women & society! and now youth & community... come on... they are part of this society , they are the community... and most probably in all our Arab world the majority of any group are by default young... we are not 2 separate entities being young doesnt exclude us from being part of the society....