Wake up. Half an hour on Instagram or TikTok. New parts of the Epstein Files have been published, Friedrich Merz says that too many people are working part-time, an AI video in which a dog does funny dance moves to Indian music, and a 19-year-old has become a multimillionaire thanks to AI. Good morning. We immediately forget most of it, but a noise remains, settling on our souls like tar in a smoker’s lungs.
At the same time, we want to discover who we are and what we can do in this world. I feel a great energy that wants to rebel. When we talk about our hopes, it’s not about making as much money as possible but about doing something that would be really beautiful, something that would benefit many people. We dream about places we could create where other people would have the opportunity to try their hand at crafts, creativity, and social interaction. A studio with art supplies that anyone can use, a cultural center where young people feel at home, where they can learn crafts. My younger brother said recently, “I’d love to spend some time with my friends somewhere where there’s no internet. Where we could be outside all day and really relax.”
We are tired of consuming. We are tired of fearing wars and disasters. We are motivated to counter this world with beauty and warmth. In order not to be overwhelmed, we dream of creating something wonderful. But how? Finding that out is the difficult task of the younger generation. It is also their source of power.
Translation Laura Liska
Image Youth Initiative Program (YIP) in Järna, Sweden
