If you missed it earlier, I gave you a chance to stand up and speak.
Feel free to get on your “box” and let it go.
I feel in someway I might come off as a whinny 20 something, but it is fair that I have said that I am on a soap box, so don’t knock me down. Lets get this party started.
20 somethings have been trained to be cogs instead of leaders.
A Cog is something that Seth Godin describes as “a faceless cog in the machinery of capitalism.” Those seem like heavy words and yet very applicable to what the word “cog” conveys. I feel like 20 somethings are constantly being thrust into the system and left there until they hit 33 (you know, Jesus age). And to be honest I am getting sick and tired of being a cog. From every 20 something that I talk to online or in person I hear one thing—>I want to learn. Whether that be in school, from culture, or more specifically from a person, 20 somethings want to learn and experience. Unfortunately, the common response is get in line and wait your turn. I hate that. You can see why the line that is forming looks more like robots going in for training on how to do and say the right thing instead of a line that is filled with dreamers and leaders looking to change the world.
I have been in several “mentoring/intern” roles that seem to be an opportunity to grow and learn and instead turned into a chance for me to do all the work that no one wants to do. I get that feeling of a dog waiting for scraps to fall on the floor instead of a member of the family sitting at the table conversating. Sure I might be naive, dumb, and idealistic, but it is better then pessimistic, haughty and uncaring. It seems like the idea is that you have to wait your turn to do something. Why? Because we (the 30 and 40 somethings) had to, and so should you. The problem with this, is that time we spend waiting we tend to learn to be reliant on the teat of others instead of leading others. Maybe that is why Hebrews 5:12 is very relevant to this discussion. The apostle Paul lays down the challenge of craving meat over milk. Sometimes I think we are told the only option is milk.
There needs to be a time learning, experience, and proving yourself of the calling that you are after. This time of training is invaluable, and needed to be a leader. It just seems that you cannot do anything until you hit a certain age because you have no experience. What a shame. I guess I am ready to do something now, not wait until I am 33 and old (that was a shot at all you 30 year olds).
/rant off/
*kyle
