The Lazy Youth? Rethinking Perceptions of Young Volunteers
Boris Johnson recently suggested that young unemployed Britons “lack energy and appetite” compared to their foreign counterparts. This statement raises a question: Is a hard worker born or nurtured?
Reflecting on this, I turned to my father, a Turkish immigrant who moved to London in the 1980s with little more than a dream. He has worked as a laborer ever since and seemed the perfect person to discuss this topic with.
Initially, he agreed with Boris, recounting his own struggles to find work, knocking on doors and offering labor just to survive. He also mentioned a friend from Italy working two jobs in London to support her children. But how many people would do that, he wondered aloud.
This conversation made me question my own work ethic. Could I endure such hardships?
Our discussion revealed that it’s not about foreign workers being inherently harder working than their British peers. Instead, it’s about differing perceptions of work, pay, and job satisfaction. My father, like many, adapted to improved living standards in Britain. Similarly, young Brits today have grown up seeing their parents prosper.
As the UK faces economic challenges, it’s crucial for leaders like Boris to show empathy towards a generation needing to redefine success. Young people are not lazy; they are navigating new realities shaped by societal and media-driven expectations.
Perhaps it’s time to give young volunteers a chance to adapt to their new circumstances. After all, humans have an incredible ability to adapt, but it doesn’t happen overnight.
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