By Jocelyn Kate | JustJocelynThings – Nurturing Minds, Bodies, and Imaginations

You name a system in our society, and chances are it needs to change. Education, healthcare, money, politics, work, even the way we think about time — most of these frameworks were built in another era, for another kind of world. Some of them date back to the 1800s or earlier, and yet we still cling to them as though they are unshakable truths. But when you zoom out, it’s hard not to notice the cracks: burnout, debt, environmental collapse, political division, and a rising sense that the future feels uncertain.

For a long time, my response was to step away completely. I tuned out, detached, and thought the best way to preserve myself was to avoid the mess. But what I’ve learned is that ignoring the systems doesn’t make them disappear — it just makes you powerless in the face of them. Real change doesn’t happen when we hide. It happens when we stay grounded in reality while holding tight to our own values, spirituality, and identity.

The truth is, change is both terrifying and necessary. Older generations often criticize younger ones for questioning the status quo, but maybe we’re not being lazy or ungrateful — maybe we’re seeing clearly what others have learned to tolerate. And while it’s tempting to label our whole world as broken, I believe the deeper truth is that we’re living in a time of massive transition. The systems that shaped the past no longer fit the present. And that leaves us with two choices: cling to comfort until everything collapses, or dare to imagine something new.

Generational Tensions

Every generation looks at the one coming after it with a mix of judgment and confusion. It’s almost a rite of passage. But lately, the gap between older generations and younger ones feels wider than ever. Baby Boomers and Gen Xers often accuse Millennials and Gen Z of being entitled, fragile, or apathetic. We’re told we “don’t want to work,” that we’re “too sensitive,” and that we’ve been coddled by technology and participation trophies. To them, it looks like we’ve checked out.

But what if the reality is more complicated? Research from the Pew Research Center shows that Gen Z is not actually apathetic — we’re just less willing to play into systems that feel broken. Take politics, for example. Yes, younger generations vote at lower rates than older ones, but that’s not necessarily from disinterest. Many of us look at the current two-party system — Republican versus Democrat — and see little hope for meaningful change. Both sides have valid points, but also glaring flaws. Choosing between two deeply entrenched teams feels like choosing the lesser of two evils, not like exercising true freedom.

Older generations often see disengagement as irresponsibility, but for many young people, it’s protest. It’s a refusal to buy into a system designed in the 1800s that no longer reflects the complexities of today’s world. Our skepticism comes not from laziness but from vision — we know things could be different. We see climate change accelerating, student debt ballooning, healthcare costs rising, and wages stagnating. To us, “business as usual” looks like a dead end.

At the same time, critics aren’t entirely wrong. If younger generations step too far back and refuse to engage at all, the people in power remain the ones writing the rules. Change still requires showing up — voting, organizing, building alternatives, even if it feels frustrating or inadequate. That’s the paradox of being young in this moment: we crave new systems, but we still live inside the old ones.

So maybe the truth lies somewhere in between the judgments. We are not lazy, but we are impatient. We’re not fragile, but we are exhausted by pretending things are fine. What older generations sometimes miss is that questioning outdated systems isn’t a weakness — it’s the first step toward reinvention. The question isn’t whether young people care. The real question is whether the world is willing to listen.

Money and Financial Freedom

If there’s one system almost everyone feels frustrated with, it’s money. Think about it: no matter how hard people work, most are still living paycheck to paycheck. According to the Federal Reserve, nearly 40% of Americans would struggle to cover a $400 emergency. Groceries and housing costs keep rising, while wages barely move. Families take on debt for school, cars, or even medical bills, and then spend decades paying it back. Inflation — the quiet thief — eats away at savings every single year. Even if you do everything “right,” the system feels stacked against you.

That’s because it kind of is. The U.S. dollar, like most currencies, is controlled by governments and central banks. They decide how much money to print, when to raise interest rates, and how to handle crises like recessions. Sometimes that works, but more often it means regular people carry the burden while big institutions get bailed out. Think about 2008: banks were rescued, but families lost homes. Our money isn’t really ours — it’s managed by people and systems we don’t control.

This is why Bitcoin matters. Bitcoin flips the script. It’s money that no one can inflate, freeze, or manipulate. Only 21 million bitcoins will ever exist — no printing presses, no political games. It runs on a transparent network (the blockchain) that anyone can check, and it doesn’t rely on a bank to say “yes” before you send or receive it. You hold it yourself. For a generation that has seen crashes, student loan explosions, and the constant grind of inflation, that’s powerful.

People often say Bitcoin is “too volatile,” but here’s the thing: every new technology looks unstable in the beginning. The internet crashed all the time when it was new, but now you can’t imagine life without it. Bitcoin’s overall trajectory since 2009 has been upward, and as more people and even entire countries adopt it, its stability continues to grow. Meanwhile, the dollar is guaranteed to keep losing value over time. Which one is really more “volatile”?

The truth is, Bitcoin isn’t about getting rich quick. It’s about having a money system that works for people instead of against them. It’s about being able to save without watching inflation erase your progress. It’s about independence — financial freedom in the purest sense.

Younger generations see this clearly, which is why Bitcoin resonates so deeply. It represents fairness, transparency, and a future that isn’t locked inside old systems. Even some of the brightest minds in the financial world now recognize its potential — investment firms, hedge funds, and even governments are beginning to take it seriously. Will your traditional financial advisor tell you to put a big chunk of your savings into it? Probably not. Why? Because Bitcoin isn’t a stock, and that means it doesn’t generate fees or value for their line of work — if anything, it threatens it. But that doesn’t make it less powerful. It just means that, for once, the financial future might be shifting back into the hands of regular people.

Education and Creativity

Every child walks into the world curious. They ask endless questions, build forts out of nothing, and imagine entire worlds in their play. But somewhere along the way, much of that natural spark gets dimmed. By the time many kids graduate high school, they’ve been trained to sit still, memorize, and follow directions — not to create, question, or dream. Parents see it, teachers see it, and students themselves feel it: school doesn’t always nurture who you are, it often teaches you how to conform.

The problem isn’t that knowledge is bad. Of course it’s important to learn history, math, and science. The problem is that the system hasn’t evolved to meet the needs of the world we live in now. Schools were originally designed in the 1800s during the industrial revolution — their main job was to create disciplined, obedient workers for factories. Sit in rows, listen to the bell, follow the rules. And honestly, that’s still what a lot of education looks like today. But we don’t live in a factory world anymore.

Younger generations feel this disconnect deeply. They don’t just want to be filled with facts — they want to learn things that give life meaning and value. Imagine if kids spent their days not only learning math and reading, but also gardening, building, coding, creating art, practicing mindfulness, and exploring the passions that make them come alive. Studies on project-based learning and creative education models (like in Finland) show that when kids are given freedom and trust, they don’t just become better students — they become healthier, more engaged, and more innovative adults.

That’s why more parents are taking matters into their own hands. Some are choosing Montessori schools, which encourage independence, hands-on learning, and self-directed exploration. Others are homeschooling, creating personalized learning environments that match their children’s needs and interests. Both of these paths are growing in popularity because families are realizing that traditional schools often suppress creativity instead of nurturing it.

Of course, defenders of the traditional system argue that standardized learning ensures everyone has a common foundation. Without it, they say, kids might miss out on critical knowledge needed to participate in society. And that’s not entirely wrong — we do need shared understanding in order to function as a community. But what’s the point of “shared understanding” if it leaves most people burnt out, uninspired, and unprepared for the realities of life?

The truth is, education doesn’t have to be either/or. Kids can still learn essential academics, but in ways that connect to the real world and empower them to be themselves. Instead of forcing everyone to fit into the same mold, we could build schools that help children discover their gifts, passions, and unique ways of thinking. Because when education is used as a tool for conformity, it limits the very creativity and curiosity that could actually change our world.

Younger generations know this. Parents know this. Even many teachers know this — they’re just trapped in a system that punishes creativity instead of rewarding it. And that’s why the movement toward Montessori, homeschooling, and alternative education isn’t a rejection of learning. It’s the opposite: it’s proof that people care too much about education to leave it in a system designed for a world that no longer exists.

Work and Burnout

For most people, work isn’t just part of life — it is life. The average person spends more waking hours at their job than with their family, their friends, or even themselves. And yet, for all those hours, millions still struggle to pay bills, save for the future, or feel truly fulfilled. We’ve built a culture where exhaustion is a badge of honor and where being “busy” is mistaken for being valuable.

The 9–5, five-day-a-week grind was invented during the industrial era as a way to regulate factory shifts. But more than a century later, many of us are still living by that model, even though the economy has completely changed. Research shows Americans now work more hours per year than workers in most developed countries — often with less vacation and weaker safety nets. And what do we get for it? Rising rates of burnout, stress-related illnesses, and strained relationships at home.

It’s no wonder people are asking: what’s the point? If we spend the best decades of our lives working, only to retire too tired or too sick to enjoy it, what exactly are we working for? Retirement savings often end up going to end-of-life care, not bucket-list adventures. And parents who want to stay home with their kids are often judged as “not contributing,” even though raising a family is some of the most important work there is.

Critics say hard work builds character, and in some ways they’re right — there is dignity in effort and pride in achievement. But dignity shouldn’t require sacrificing health, joy, or family just to keep the lights on. Studies from Iceland and the UK on four-day workweeks show that when people work fewer hours, productivity stays the same, stress decreases, and time with loved ones increases. In other words, less really can be more.

Younger generations especially are rejecting the idea that success means climbing a corporate ladder only to end up burned out. They want flexibility, meaningful work, and time for life outside of the office. And they’re not wrong — technology and shifting cultural values mean we can reimagine what work looks like. The system just hasn’t caught up yet.

The truth is, work should support life, not consume it. And the fact that so many people feel trapped in jobs that drain them is proof that the current model isn’t working. If we dared to redesign the way we think about labor, success, and time, we might just discover that a better balance isn’t only possible — it’s overdue.

Marriage, Love, and Modern Relationships

Work doesn’t just drain our time — it shapes our relationships, too. Many women in their 30s are realizing that years spent climbing the corporate ladder came at the expense of love, partnership, and family. Marriage rates are dropping, birth rates are at historic lows, and more people than ever are single. At the same time, divorce rates remain high, partly because many couples rush into marriage for the wrong reasons — pressure from family, the ticking of the biological clock, or simply the idea that being married is what you’re “supposed” to do.

The result? A lot of people are burnt out, lonely, and questioning whether they’ll ever have the family they dreamed of. Society tells us that success means working harder and buying more, but when you zoom out, the trade-off is clear: we’ve sacrificed connection for achievement.

And even when people do find relationships, many struggle to keep them alive. The truth is, the key to a healthy, lasting partnership has always been communication — but somewhere along the way, we lost it. Instead of having hard conversations about needs, fears, or insecurities, people avoid conflict, hold grudges, or pretend everything is fine. Without honest communication, even relationships that look perfect on the outside eventually crumble on the inside.

What makes this worse is the way relationships are judged in modern culture. My boyfriend and I laugh sometimes because people say it’s “unhealthy” to want to spend all your time together, or “toxic” to get jealous. But let’s be real — isn’t it stranger to not want to be with your partner? Isn’t it concerning if you don’t care at all when someone else flirts with them? Jealousy in its extreme form can be damaging, yes, but there’s a healthy kind of protectiveness that shows you value your relationship. When people who aren’t in healthy, loving partnerships try to define what “healthy” looks like, the advice often sounds hollow.

Another issue is that people have become hyper-picky and materialistic about choosing partners. Having standards is important, but waiting for a perfect person is a recipe for disappointment — because no one is perfect. We all come with flaws, quirks, and growth areas. Constantly holding out for “something better” leaves many people perpetually single, always searching and never settling into the deep, imperfect but beautiful work of building a life with someone. And for those who do get into relationships, there’s another trap: trying to be the “ideal” partner. So many people lose themselves in the performance of being picture-perfect that they forget to be real. But real love isn’t about flawless appearances — it’s about showing up as you are and being loved in return.

And then there’s the bigger question: why is marriage even a government-regulated institution in the first place? Historically, marriage wasn’t about love at all — it was a business deal, often involving a father giving away his daughter to secure land, wealth, or alliances. Over time, marriage evolved into a romantic ideal, but the government’s role has stayed, tying legal benefits like taxes, healthcare, and inheritance rights to whether or not you’ve signed a marriage certificate. That system may work for some, but it also traps people in unhappy marriages just so they don’t lose financial stability or health insurance. Is that really what commitment and partnership should look like?

To me, love itself is essential — marriage is optional. Real partnership doesn’t need a contract to be valid, but the fact that so many benefits are tied to legal marriage makes it feel like a requirement. And that’s where the system is broken. No one should feel forced into or stuck in a marriage because of tax codes or insurance. Marriage should be a choice, not an obligation.

I don’t know about you, but I believe love is what gives life meaning. Success at work and financial stability have their place, but they can’t replace intimacy, partnership, or family. If our culture continues to push people toward career achievement at the expense of communication, connection, and real love, we’ll keep seeing rising loneliness, broken relationships, and unhappy marriages. At the end of the day, wealth without love is an empty victory.

Consumption and Simplicity

Walk into any big-box store and you’ll see it: shelves lined with things we don’t really need, marketed as if our happiness depends on them. New phones every year, fast fashion that falls apart in months, home gadgets that promise convenience but mostly collect dust. We live in a culture of endless consumption — always chasing the next upgrade, the next sale, the next thing that will finally make us feel satisfied. But does it ever actually work? Or do we just end up with more clutter, more debt, and more emptiness?

Consumerism has become so ingrained that many of us don’t question it anymore. Ads tell us we’re incomplete without the latest product, and social media pressures us to show off curated lifestyles. Psychologists even link materialism to lower wellbeing — the more we chase stuff, the less fulfilled we tend to feel. At the same time, our buying habits come with global consequences: overflowing landfills, exploited workers, and environmental damage that will outlive us.

The irony is that humans have lived much happier with far less. Studies show that people often feel freer, less stressed, and more present when they choose simpler lives. Minimalism, sustainability, and even “slow living” aren’t just trendy buzzwords — they’re survival strategies for a world that’s drowning in stuff.

Of course, critics argue that consumption keeps the economy running. If people stop buying, businesses close, jobs vanish, and growth stalls. And there’s truth in that — but maybe the real issue is not consumption itself, but what and how we consume. Do we need disposable products that harm the planet, or could we shift to durable, meaningful goods and experiences that actually enrich our lives?

Younger generations are already leading this shift. Many are rejecting fast fashion, buying second-hand, choosing experiences over material gifts, and supporting local or sustainable businesses. It’s not about rejecting modern life altogether — it’s about realizing that more doesn’t equal better.

Because at the end of the day, simplicity isn’t about deprivation. It’s about clarity. It’s about freeing ourselves from the cycle of always needing more so we can actually enjoy what we already have.

Healthcare and True Healing

Walk into almost any doctor’s office today, and you’ll notice a pattern: the visit is quick, the prescription pad comes out fast, and the focus is on managing symptoms rather than digging into root causes. It feels less like a place of healing and more like a conveyor belt — patients in, prescriptions out. For many people, the experience isn’t about being cared for, it’s about being processed.

This isn’t to say modern medicine hasn’t saved lives — it absolutely has. Vaccines, antibiotics, and surgical advances have changed the course of human history. But there’s a massive blind spot: prevention. Study after study shows that diet, exercise, sleep, and stress management can reduce the risk of chronic diseases, and in some cases even reverse them. One famous study from the American Heart Association found that simple lifestyle changes — regular physical activity and a healthy diet — can cut the risk of heart disease by nearly half. But how often do patients walk out of the doctor’s office with a prescription for vegetables and daily movement? Almost never.

Part of the problem is systemic. Medical schools receive heavy funding from pharmaceutical companies, and the curriculum leans toward drug-based solutions. That doesn’t mean doctors are malicious — most are doing their best with the tools they’ve been given. But it does mean the system is set up to prioritize lifelong prescriptions over lifestyle healing, because that’s what keeps the money flowing.

Holistic and integrative medicine offers another path. Herbal remedies, plant-based diets, meditation, and movement practices like yoga have all shown promising results in research. For example, mindfulness meditation has been proven to lower blood pressure and reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. Yet these approaches are often dismissed as “alternative” instead of being integrated into mainstream care, even though patients are hungry for them.

Of course, critics argue that not all holistic treatments are backed by strong evidence, and that rejecting medication outright can be dangerous. They’re right — balance matters. A broken bone needs a surgeon, not sage. But the opposite is also true: a lifelong prescription might not be the best answer to a problem that could be solved by lifestyle change.

The truth is, healthcare shouldn’t be about pills versus plants — it should be about what actually heals. A system that combines the best of both worlds — advanced medicine when it’s needed and holistic practices for prevention — could finally live up to the name health care. Until then, many patients will continue to feel like customers in a marketplace instead of humans in need of healing.

Younger generations especially are questioning this system. They’ve watched parents and grandparents become dependent on medications, and they’re asking harder questions about root causes. They know that health is more than managing symptoms — it’s about living well. And that shift in perspective may be exactly what forces the healthcare system to evolve.

What We Eat, What We Use, and What’s Around Us

Health isn’t just about doctor visits or prescriptions — it’s also about what we put in and on our bodies every single day. For decades, we’ve trusted processed foods, cleaning products, plastics, and even sunscreen without thinking twice. But research is making it harder to ignore: many of these everyday items may actually be harming us in ways that go deeper than we realize.

Take food. Highly processed products dominate grocery store shelves — filled with preservatives, refined sugars, and artificial ingredients. These foods are cheap and convenient, but studies consistently link them to rising rates of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and even certain cancers. In contrast, diets rich in whole, plant-based foods lower inflammation, strengthen the immune system, and reduce chronic disease risk. The problem is, unhealthy food is often the most affordable, trapping families in cycles that are hard to break.

Then there are the products we use at home. Many common cleaners, plastics, and cosmetics contain endocrine disruptors — chemicals that interfere with hormones and can impact fertility, metabolism, and development. Microplastics have been detected in our blood, lungs, and even placentas. While researchers are still learning what this means long-term, early evidence suggests possible links to inflammation, immune dysfunction, and chronic disease.

Even things we’ve been told are “healthy” can get confusing. Sunscreen is a perfect example. On one hand, protecting against UV rays is essential — we know sunburns and overexposure increase the risk of skin cancer. On the other, some sunscreens contain chemicals like oxybenzone, which may disrupt hormones and harm marine life. Hearing one person say “never use sunscreen” while another warns “never skip it” can leave you feeling like no matter what you do, you’re at risk. I’ve felt that way myself — like everything is going to kill us eventually, so what’s the point?

But that’s where perspective matters. The truth isn’t to live in fear of every product or to throw up our hands and give up. It’s about balance and awareness. For sunscreen, that might mean choosing mineral-based options with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide — ingredients shown to be safer for people and the planet — while still protecting against skin damage. For cleaning, it might mean swapping out harsh chemicals for simple alternatives like vinegar, baking soda, or lemon. For food, it’s about reducing processed items where possible and returning to whole, nutrient-rich meals.

In many ways, the solutions aren’t futuristic at all — they’re ancient. It’s about going back to living more simply, the way our grandparents and great-grandparents did. Growing food in our own yards, cooking from scratch, making our own bread, using natural remedies, cleaning with ingredients we already have in the kitchen. These “old-fashioned” habits are turning out to be some of the healthiest, most sustainable choices we can make.

Younger generations are beginning to rediscover this. They’re planting gardens, shopping secondhand, rejecting single-use plastics, and questioning what’s in their food and skincare. And while it can feel overwhelming to change everything at once, the truth is small shifts matter. Awareness gives us power, and simplicity gives us freedom.

Because when it comes down to it, maybe the future of health isn’t about inventing something brand new — maybe it’s about remembering the wisdom of the past.

AI and the Future of Work

Every new technology sparks fear. When electricity spread, people worried it would burn down cities. When cars appeared, critics said they were too dangerous compared to horses. And now, with artificial intelligence, we’re hearing the same story: it’s risky, it’s scary, it’s going to replace us.

But what if, instead of fearing it, we learned to work with it? AI isn’t some distant science fiction idea — it’s already here. From chatbots that help with customer service, to algorithms that recommend music, to tools that write, design, or even analyze medical scans, AI is already shaping how we live. And research shows it can make a real difference: one Stanford study found that workers who used AI tools increased their productivity by 14%, with the biggest boost going to newer employees who needed extra support.

The promise of AI is huge. Imagine a world where the repetitive, soul-draining tasks are handled by machines, freeing us to spend more time with family, create art, explore passions, or simply rest. AI has the potential to give us back the one resource we can never replace: time. For generations who have watched work consume their parents’ and grandparents’ lives, the idea that technology could give us balance instead of burnout is exciting.

Of course, the concerns are real. People fear losing their jobs, being replaced by machines, or living in a world where everything feels controlled by algorithms. There are also big questions about bias, privacy, and surveillance. If AI is used irresponsibly, it could deepen inequality and strip away human dignity. That’s why guidance, ethics, and accountability matter just as much as innovation.

But here’s the reality: AI isn’t going away. The choice we face isn’t whether it will exist, but how we’ll use it. Those who embrace it as a tool, rather than resist it out of fear, will likely find themselves ahead — not just financially, but in freedom. If we get it right, AI won’t replace humans, it will elevate us. It won’t take away meaning, it will give us the space to discover it.

Younger generations already see this. For them, AI isn’t something to fear, it’s something to adapt to. They know that resisting technology has never stopped progress — but learning to shape it has always changed the world for the better.

Families and Childhood

I saved this section for last because it may be the most important system of all — and the one we’ve neglected the most. When you strip everything else away — money, politics, work, status — what really matters at the end of a life? Not your job title, not your bank account, not the hours you spent in meetings. What matters is family. Who sat at your table. Who held your hand. Who you loved and who loved you back.

And yet, in today’s world, family itself is treated like an afterthought. Parenting is outsourced to daycares and babysitters. Elders are tucked away in nursing homes. Generations live apart instead of together. We’ve built systems that keep us working, consuming, and “busy,” but disconnected from the people who should matter most. Parenting has become something squeezed in after a long day at work instead of being honored as the most important job in the world. Caring for aging parents is seen as a burden rather than a sacred responsibility. And the result is heartbreaking: children growing up without presence, and elders growing old without love.

Family is supposed to be the foundation of society — the place where we learn love, stability, and resilience. But right now, that foundation is cracking. Parents are drowning in work and debt, barely able to keep up with bills, let alone spend meaningful time with their kids. Childcare costs are so high that one parent’s entire paycheck often goes straight to daycare, leaving families stressed and exhausted. At the other end of life, elders are being placed in nursing homes, often lonely and disconnected, when studies show that staying close to family and community can increase both happiness and lifespan. Harvard’s Study of Adult Development — one of the longest studies on human health and happiness — has found again and again that strong family and social connections are the single most powerful predictor of long life and well-being. Yet we push our elders aside, treating them as burdens instead of wisdom keepers.

This is the crisis: children are growing up without the full presence of their parents, and grandparents are growing old without the comfort of their families. We’ve outsourced care to babysitters, daycares, and nursing homes — not because families don’t love each other, but because the systems around us make it nearly impossible to do otherwise. But what is the cost of this? Generations growing up isolated from one another, with less love, less guidance, and less community.

And here’s the hard truth: part of fixing this means going back to the way things used to be. Families thrived when one parent could work and the other could be home raising children — and that needs to be valued again. Not treated as laziness, but as one of the most important jobs in the world. Instead of hiring babysitters to fill in the gaps, we need to make family time the priority. Parents need to relearn how to love spending time with their children — not see them as exhausting burdens at the end of a long day. And we need to honor our elders again by bringing them back into the center of family life, instead of leaving them to fade away in institutions.

The solutions aren’t futuristic, they’re simple: families need to be put back at the center of life. Workplaces need to respect family time. Communities need to function like villages again — where neighbors, relatives, and friends support one another instead of everyone struggling alone. And children need their childhoods back: time in nature, space to imagine, freedom to create, and adults who are truly present with them.

Because at the end of the day, family is what matters most. Not your job title, not your bank account, not your social media following. Love is what lasts. And if we don’t fix families and childhood, none of the other systems we’ve talked about will matter — because the very people who could rebuild the world will never be given the foundation they need to do it.

Kids don’t get a second childhood. Parents don’t get a second chance at raising them. Elders don’t get a second lifetime. Family is now. And if we truly want to heal the world, it starts here — by choosing to love and care for one another across every generation.

The Urgency of Change

Change is good. It’s not something to fear — it’s something to embrace. And it blows my mind that so many people still act like it isn’t obvious that the systems we live under no longer work. Look around: debt is normal, families are breaking down, the planet is suffering, healthcare is profit-driven, politics is a circus, and most people are miserable. It is SO OBVIOUS. So why the fuck are we still following them? Why do we keep obeying rules written in the 1800s as if they’re sacred, when they’re destroying the very future we claim to care about?

Younger generations see it clearly, and that’s why older ones get so defensive. We’re not lazy, we’re not entitled — we’re awake. We’re done pretending that working 40+ hours a week until retirement is a “life.” We’re done pretending that choosing between two political parties that both have deep flaws is real freedom. We’re done trusting corporations and governments that profit when we stay sick, overworked, and distracted.

The answers aren’t complicated. Teach children real skills that matter: how to grow food, build, create, communicate, and love. Consume less, simplify, and stop thinking the next shiny object will finally make you happy. Trust your gut instead of the nonstop fear the news pumps out. And stop wasting time on political drama that divides us while nothing actually changes. Imagine new ways for the government and community to work — because the system we’ve got now is broken, and pretending otherwise is just denial.

The scary part is this: if we keep waiting for disaster to force change, what if the disaster we get isn’t fixable? What if the collapse comes in the form of climate destruction so severe that our planet can’t recover? What if it’s political weakness that leaves us open to attack? What if it’s a financial crash so deep that no bailout can patch it? Bad things can happen when people cling to broken systems out of habit, fear, or blind loyalty.

I refuse to accept that. One day I want to have six children, and I will not raise them to quietly suffer through outdated systems that are collapsing around them. I will raise them to be stronger, smarter, freer — to grow their own food, to think critically, to value love and community over money and status, to see through the lies and illusions. I will teach them that change is not only possible but necessary.

Because the truth is, the future isn’t going to be saved by those clinging to the past. It’s going to be built by those bold enough to break the cycle. Those willing to say: enough. Those ready to build something new — simpler, healthier, freer, more human.

So again I ask: why the fuck are we still following systems we all know don’t work? Maybe the better question is: when are we going to stop?

Because if not now, then when? And if not us, then who?