How do you feel about the information age?  We started out as an agricultural society.  Then we moved into the industrial age.  Now we are in the information age.  Our society is overwhelmed with information from radio, newspapers, magazines, TV, and computers which are constantly bombarding us with data.

In spite of all of the knowledge available, our educational system is in crisis because young people are not being prepared for life.  The basic skills of survival are reading, writing, math, speaking, and listening.  Have you observed some young people lately?  My observation is that most young people are thirsty for learning.  Let me give you an example.

I once gave a  Self-Esteem speech to a group of Vocational students.  Before I spoke, there was a student meeting.  Some of the students were talking and some were indifferent.  Some teachers were writing and doing other work, and one teacher had his head down.  Meanwhile, the meeting continued.  Not one faculty member was sensitive to what was happening.  They offered nothing to help silence the group which would have given their elected fellow student their undivided attention.

When I was introduced, I asked the student body president about the behavior of his fellow students.  He said, “They were talking and were indifferent to the activities.”  Then I asked students to define “success”.  One said, “rich”, another said, “fulfillment”.  I then asked, “How many of you have a guaranteed job upon graduation?”  Only a handful indicated they would go to work immediately.

The point is this:  the first ingredient to meaningful relationships and career success is to build a young person’s Self-Esteem.  You, as a taxpayer, deserve well prepared, skilled students who take charge of their lives.  Parents, students, and faculty need to be accountable for creating an intact Self-Esteem environment where we, as a society, can thrive during the information age.  We all need to model the behavior of intact Self-Esteem so young people know and experience their own dignity and respect.  Children, as well as adults, can only give what has been given to them, nothing more.  They cannot give what they do not have.  Their behavior is an indication of how we adults, and our present society, values children.

Encourage your community to create an intact Self-Esteem educational and societal environment where people can thrive and then, watch what happens!

McGrane Global Centers