Growing Up In A Toxic Society

It’s easy for many people to say many things people do these days are non problematic. Everybody drinks. Marijuana is “the harmless drug” and should be legal in all states right? Practically every song on the radio glorifies drugs, alcohol, and sex. After all, Post Malone is number one on the charts right now. So what’s the problem? It’s normal. It’s our society.

It’s easy to say everything is okay until you watch somebody you love fall too far.

It’s easy to say marijuana is harmless until that high isn’t enough anymore. You either stop or you don’t.

It’s easy to say it’s okay to constantly drink and get high until you’re the parent that has to watch your own child be cuffed and put in the back of a cop car.

We are living in a toxic society.

What happened to being the child who could find joy in the simplest things like running around outside, or playing pretend? When did it not become enough to ride a bike or just talk with friends to have fun? When did we all stop finding joy in reading books and start to finding our phones more interesting?

Sometimes, I’m glad I wasn’t one of the kids in school that got invited to social events and parties. While I often felt like I was failing to fit in and conform to somebody that people would accept, I now realize I didn’t need the approval of others. Many aren't as lucky. Unfortunately, If you’re not taking shots, smoking weed, and having sex at 15, you don’t fit in.

Some people grow out of these behaviors, and some people get worse. Why would a teenager want to stop when they are constantly told that drugs, alcohol, and sex are the ultimate ways to have a good time?

I have come to realize that we are living in a society that does not encourage us to be good people or lead meaningful lives. We are surrounded by messages whether it be in popular songs or on TV, that the most important things in life are partying and sex.

When did we fall so far?

Your Steem Buddy,
@nickjon