I was inspired to record this video by one of my son’s friends who created a YouTube video that directly addressed me. In short, my son and his friend, who are both in their early teens, made a YouTube video that had a lot of mature content. Obviously I did not approve and neither did my son’s Mother and Step Father. In order to provide guidance and direction for him, his YouTube content creation is being monitored during production and prior to upload. I also, spoke with him and gave him my mentorship and guidance. He and his friend do not fully grasp that what they put on YouTube, or the internet, can and will come back to haunt them in the future when they apply for jobs and their future employer looks through their past internet activity to get an idea of what type of person they are. Your online actions can determine your future.
So, my son’s friend, who has very little life experience or wisdom thinks that he knows best, as many young teenagers do, and decides to upload a YouTube video addressing me. He thinks that their mature content should be allowed because they are having fun and some of their viewership enjoy the content. As you can see, he is not thinking past the present day and what he does now will affect his future. Besides, the video that they have produced that has received the most views was a live stream of my son playing Geometry Dash. So, why does he think that mature content is the way to go?
Anyways, now I am here wanting to provide guidance and mentorship to young men out there. In the opinion of many men, including me, boys are being attacked in our society and we need to stop standing idly by. Men need to stand up for boys, stand our ground, be men, and start investing in them. They need guidance, leaders, and mentorship.
Boys and young men out there. I am speaking from many years of life experience and observation. Limit the amount of time that you spend online. Get out of the house. Get your friends out of the house. Bond with each other…play a game. Put simply, get out and socialize. Humans need direct contact with others. Online contact is not a good substitute. Do it in person. Learn to socialize by trial and error.
On education. Do your best in school, but do not give up on who you are to fit the mold of school. As long as you are doing your best it doesn’t really matter if you get an ‘A’ or a ‘C’. Not everyone learns the same way or is interested in the same subjects. The important thing is that you do not compromise who you are in order to fit a mold. New research shows that ‘A’ students do not exceed in society because they follow the path of fitting in and meeting the status quo. Those who are willing to take risks, push boundaries are the leaders of companies, start business, and stand out from their peers.
Pursue an education in STEM. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. Having a background in STEM will ensure that you will be at the forefront of innovation and almost ensure that you will stay employable for your life.
As with anything that you do, hard work coupled with the drive to not give up will make you successful. Develop the mental toughness to drive on when things get tough. Learn to enjoy a challenge and see it through to the end. The blood and sweat that you will spill while working hard will make your success that much better. Do not be afraid of mental and physical pain and suffering. It is a part of life. Embrace it, learn from it, and push through it. You will grow and get stronger from it.
Respect one another. Learn the skill of debate without getting offended. Not everyone is going to agree with you and you will not be able to change everyone’s mind to meet your own. When this happens, don’t start a yelling match. The loudest person does not win the debate, but looks like an out of control buffoon. Develop the ability to end a debate, shake hands, and leave the conversation on good terms. Never, resort to violence over a verbal disagreement. Respect your parents and adults. The vast majority of parents and adults have the best intentions. They want to give you the knowledge and wisdom that they have gained over the years. Accept their guidance and show gratitude for their love for you.
Make a habit of eating healthy and exercising regularly. That’s it. Having energy and feeling good is that simple. Eat well and exercise.
I could go on and on, but I will stop here. Boys and young men. I, and a lot of men in your life, are in your corner. Men, start standing up for the boys and young men in your lives. Lead them, mentor them, teach them how to be responsible, how to respect Women and others.
