What goes wrong when young people engage in violent behavior when resolving conflicts?
The answer to this question explains the episodes of physical aggression that have had a negative impact on our society.
The wounds that these types of acts leave in a family multiply when the death of someone who has barely begun to live occurs as a result.
It hurts more in a nation that has achieved a high level of education and is not characterized by environments of insecurity; on the contrary, it hurts even more.
No one is safe from the consequences of the economic crisis, which hinders the solid ethical, civic, and moral formation of Cuban citizens. Young people are not immune to the human misery that is beginning to proliferate; on the contrary, they are among the most vulnerable.
We are not doing enough to protect our young pines. Beside each of them must be a sturdy trunk in which to find shade and shelter; they walk on difficult paths.
Aware of the harmful effects of bad habits, such as drug use, that are vying for the upper hand, the state, through its competent institutions, has taken on the fight against this scourge with zero tolerance, and preventive actions have increased.
But these measures must be made more intensive, involving the family, encouraging the spontaneous participation of community members, and fostering frank and open exchanges with children and adolescents on topics that interest them. This must be a conscious effort, carried out by those motivated by love and humanism.
Control over those disconnected from school or work must be strengthened, and concrete actions must be generated to encourage their participation in these activities, which, in turn, offer a perspective in which young people’s interests for progress are reflected.
Recreational activities must be revived; cultural and sports activities must be able to attract a large audience, without the promise of benefits being the consumption of alcohol, for example.
It is urgent to create more spaces for healthy enjoyment and collective recreation. There is so much potential in the neighborhoods waiting for a space to unleash their initiatives.
Are we paying the price for an education that fails to develop moral values? And I’m talking about a comprehensive education where the family must lead the learning of habits of camaraderie, respect, tolerance, civility…
No, those old mechanisms where physical and psychological punishment abounded no longer work, but we must ensure that our children hear more kind and sweet words, so that they grow up with affection so that humane treatment flourishes more in their hearts and prevails over the wild nature they claim to have.
We must re-adjust the social environment poisoned by the consumption of pseudo-cultural products such as certain music with obscene content and aggressive appeal, amplified in public spaces, without any regulations.
