Assalamualaikum, may Peace and Allah
swt’s Blessings be Upon You.
Young Muslims Project (YMP) conducts bi-weekly open
circles where we spontaneously discuss pertinent issues that relate to our
daily lives, and how we young Muslims can, should, and have been grappling with
them. We draw from literature, our favorite texts, quotes, talks and lectures
from local and international scholars, motivational speakers, personalities and
comedians. We keep our discussions alive, fresh, critical, and kicking, with
minimal restrictions or subscription to particular schools of thought, but are
also mindful to not decide on Fiqh and Jurisprudence issues without
consultation. It is our aspiration that these discussions will benefit the
members and the readers of this humble site of ours, in our efforts to provide
a platform for discourse and sharing of ideas, in the hope of a better ummah in
sha Allah.
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Generation-Y, or Gen-Y, has lately been
a very popular term coined by business schools, HR practitioners and marketing
industry to refer to the demographic cohort following generation-X. Perhaps initially
used for commercial purposes, it has now evolved to colloquially refer to
“youngsters these days”. There has been no clear definition to truly ascertain
who Gen-Ys are, but the rule of thumb is that Gen-Y refers to those born
between 1980 and early 2000.
This open circle was prompted by an
article about Lucy, shared by one of our members. Our discussion first attempted to define the characteristics of Gen-Y, using our
own experiences and observations. While we were able to draw many opinions as
to what should be defined as Gen-Y, we also gathered some ideas of the
circumstantial aspects of being in our 20s and early 30s in the 21st
Century, that brought about these characteristics.
One of the major characteristics that
define Gen-Y arising from our discussions is instability. This characteristic
refers to the dynamism, or a constant state of moving from one condition to the
other. This also means that Gen-Ys tend to be hungry and crave for challenge, often
unlikely to patiently stay through in each endeavor, thereby under-appreciating
experience and wisdom that typically comes about with permanence and stability.
How did this characteristic come about?
The discussion has proposed that instability had arisen from upbringing and
exposure from parents, teachers, and familial surroundings. While previous
generations work within class or status-based boundaries- or “in their place”-
majority of Gen-Y has had the benefit of confidence and morale boost, arising
from precedence, inspirational successful figures from other parts of the
world, “rags to riches” stories, and most commonly, supportive parents who have
done the hard work of providing and sustenance, constantly pushing their
children to make “more” of themselves.
This brings us to a second
characteristic of Gen-Ys, which is the financial ability to not to have to
think about “bread and butter” issues. While Gen-X and Baby Boomers - who were
in their 20’s and 30’s in the 80’s and the 90’s - are driven by success defined
in an economic sense, Gen-Ys in general seem to thrive on bigger ideals, such
as activism, making a change, and defining success beyond monetary terms.
Perhaps this is partly because they generally believe they have their parents
and families to fall back to, or perhaps it is also because they simply have
never imagined a situation where their basic physical needs for living could be
compromised. Does this necessarily mean that those left with no choice but to
be preoccupied with “bread and butter” issues, are not Gen-Y? This is still up
for discussion.
Another distinct characterization of
Gen-Ys still has to do with instability, in that they are “Jack of All Trades”.
As we know, “Jacks of All Trades” are typically “Masters of None”, and this has
largely to do with being easily satiated with high-level knowledge. The
discussion considered whether it is true that Gen-Ys are satisfied with instant
gratification; that is knowing only a bit of everything, being able to discuss
about things on the surface level, using anecdotes, quotes, tweets, Facebook
statuses, and micro blogs as sources of references. There is a blur now between
information and knowledge. At the same time, there is less and less
appreciation for hierarchy and authority in knowledge. While some positive
ideals today suggest that no authority should limit rights to learning and
democratization of knowledge and its appreciation, some regard to authority are
needed to keep the learner at least equipped with the fundamental philosophy
and tenets of the knowledge itself. Of course, we consider this still up for
discussion.
While social media tools are extremely
helpful in intriguing Gen-Ys and to pique interest, we think Gen-Ys should take
the time to follow through a body of knowledge, study in depth, and appreciate
knowledge in the deeper sense. Not only does this build credibility and
expertise for the Gen-Y individual him or herself, it also contributes to the
expounding and expansion of ideas and the knowledge (‘ilm) itself; undoubtedly,
something that can contribute to the world in sha Allah.
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While they may sound discouraging, the
characteristics of Gen-Ys stipulated above can actually be capitalized on and
converted into positive outcomes. Our discussion thus progressed to solutions.
As predominantly Gen-Ys ourselves, we think about ways for us to endogenously and
proactively think and act, to better place ourselves in the era of the 21st
century.
One of the considerations that were
suggested during the discussion was going back to appreciating what Asian and
Islamic cultures have to offer. Western values and ideals have very much shaped
the idea of progress that Gen-Ys on this side of the world have today. While
some are perfectly positive, and can be emulated, we considered whether or not
we have embraced these values prematurely.
The west saw incredible movements for
emancipation from traditional values earlier on in the mid 20th
century, and it has built on a progressive path accompanied and complemented by
political, governmental, legal and social ecosystem to support them. But for
Gen-Ys in the east to automatically subscribe to them in a haphazard manner, derived
from bits and pieces picked from the Internet, we risk diluting these ideals in
their true forms as well as sacrificing the beautiful values that the Islamic
culture would propose. It is true that the older generations have now no choice
but to recognize Gen-Ys as a formidable force to reckon with and that some of
their “old ways” have got to go. However, it is more productive if Gen-Ys were
to propose change and ideals that are concrete, beneficial and ultimately
applicable in bettering our lives and the community at large.
The discussion also proposed that Gen-Ys
be careful not to have the same expectations of the Gen-X on our next
generation. The circumstances, challenges and hopes of our offspring and the
next generation will not be the same as ours, just as ours are not the same as
those of our parents. Seek to recognize and appreciate these differences, just
as we hope to be recognized and appreciated today.
Being Gen-Y in multi-ethnic and
multi-religious Malaysia also calls for us to achieve greater empathy. Love for
the human race and humanity in general should be genuine, refreshed and
revisited. That is what Islam propogates after all. Multiculturalism is
undeniable. If Gen-Y happens to have inherited a lack of mutual understanding that
transcends ethnicity, class, and religious differences from our parents or the
previous generations, the goal should be to furnish that lack, rather than to
perpetuate the gap in the name of relevance or superiority.
Inter-religio-ethnic understanding should be made a reality, not left merely as
an ideal, and there is no better generation to undertake this challenge, other
than the zealous and exuberant Gen-Ys that we are. In fact, true love for
fellow human beings can be the seeds for honest and effective da’wah, In sha
Allah.
In all the issues we face with education
and the quality of the teachers educating our future generations, Gen-Ys should
seek to be teachers ourselves, for our own children. Be that teacher you want
for your child, as it is no longer sufficient to educate in a one-directional
manner. We Gen-Y ourselves would know better ;)
Finally, ACT. Just act. Your ideals and
hopes are those that drive you and shape this vibrant, beautiful, searching,
zealous, productive, aspirational Generation-Y that you are a part of.
2:35 AM
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