As Eleanor Roosevelt once said, "It is better to light a candle
than curse the darkness."
Terrifying footage of the earthquake and Tsunami that swept
Japan earlier this month has left me, like so many others, feeling
shaken and powerless to help in any real way.
However, an inspirational article in TIME magazine caught my eye
this morning. The story reported a general uprising amongst the
youth of Japan who have been swift and effective in rallying
together to help pull those in need from out of the darkness.
Hannah Beech reports, "As their nation tries to cope with the
costliest natural disaster the world has ever seen, the country's
coddled youth are rising to meet a new era's challenges."
Having witnessed the devastation of their home nation firsthand,
the unprecedented numbers of youngsters volunteering their time,
money and even social networking expertise could seem relatively
unsurprising.
However, with 1 in 10 youngsters unemployed and nearly one third
of university graduates failing to get a job offer, Japanese
youngsters have long been disillusioned and swamped by political
apathy.
It seems that the horrific disaster has shaken up youngsters
across the country. Not only are they gathering in unparalleled
numbers to help in any way possible, but are also showing signs of
demanding long term change for their country's future. As Toshihiko
Hayashi, an Economics professor at Doshisha University in Tokoyo
states, "Often it can take a huge crisis to make a society
change."
The popularity of 38 year old politician Yujiro Taniyama is
certainly a testament to this push for change. Taniyama is
currently running to be Tokoyo's new governor and is capitalising
on the power of Facebook to rally support and organise donations
for the thousands in plight across his country.
Contrary to the many politicians who have gone before, it seems
that Taniyama wants to rebel against "snail paced bureaucracy" and
make a difference in the here and now - a demand that is resonating
with the youth of Japan.
One young optimist, Hikaru Tanaka states, "Japan may be dark
right now but if we all come together it will be bright again."
How's that for lighting a candle?
Tagged:
Japan, Youth