“One of the biggest issues today is our disconnect from nature—a trend that alarmingly extends even to younger generations.” Robin Nguyen
Part Six: Materialistic Values Are Slowly Eroding the Wonder of Childhood.
I often see middle school students selling snacks and trinkets—parents even encourage it, believing early exposure to business is beneficial. While entrepreneurial skills can be valuable, this trend too often shifts students’ focus from genuine learning and self-discovery to mere profit-making, stunting the growth of deeper personal and social values.
Our consumerist culture has recalibrated our priorities: we prize wealth over integrity, success over compassion, and victory over honesty. A generation raised on these ideals risk fostering unhealthy competition, chronic stress, and even conflict. Too many young people today forget that every choice leaves an indelible mark; they neglect to sow the “good seeds” that will one day bear fruit. Their school years would be better spent volunteering, doing charity work, and investing in character development—activities that lay the true foundation for a meaningful future.
Societies like South Korea, which glorify outward appearance, top grades, and acceptance into elite schools or universities, have deepened social divides—leaving younger generations overwhelmed by stress, depression, and an overall imbalance. In Thailand, an economy driven by entertainment tourism has fostered a culture of instant gratification, superficial relationships, and growing health challenges among youth.
Traditional, nature-rooted norms—such as sharing, putting genuine values first, and cherishing the beauty of the soul—have all but disappeared in those societies.
Author: Robin Nguyen
