Amirah/ Young People’s Protests Are Easy to Mock- But Ignore Them at Your Own Peril

Do you agree that hardship allows children to mature better? Why?

Yes, i agree that hardships allow children to mature better. When children encounter hardships, they are exposed directly to serious issues. They no longer view issues in a detached and impersonal manner. For example, children who have experienced an actual earthquake would respond and view earthquake-related issues at a completely different level than a child who watches the earthquake on televison. This direct exposure to hardships would shape how children think, causing them to mature at a faster rate. Furthermore, such hardships limits a child from becoming spoilt and pampered, making them more mature than other kids their age who act as so. Thus, children who face hardships mature better as they would be compelled to think and respond maturely to these hardships.

Secondly, children who meet hardships will tend to be more self-reliant and independent. This is a result of losing their parents or being unable to fully count on them, depending on the hardship encountered. For example, if a child loses his or her parents and so happens to be the oldest in the family, then he or she will have to bear major responsibilities such as taking care of the rest of the family. This breeds independence and self-reliance as others now look upon the child as an authorative figure, requiring the child to mature faster.

On the other hand, coming face-to-face with hardship may not necessarily allow children to mature faster. Hardship can either make or break a child. It is entirely possible for children to respond negatively to hardships as they may not be equipped with psychological maturity to deal with hardships. To add on, some children may choose to be ignorant or apathetic towards hardship that they are facing and would rather let their parents solve the problem.

Therefore, i agree that hardship allow children to mature better.

Are Singaporean youths mature? Give at least 2 reasons why you think so.

I think that some Singaporean youths are not mature. Firstly, the youths of Singapore have never encountered 'true hardships' like what their parents and grandparents have gone through. For example, the majority do not know the true meaning of poverty or living in poor conditions. Thus, many youths are sheltered and cannot relate to those who go through hardships. Furthermore, a majority of youths would rather spend their holidays on social websites like facebook and twitter than actively participating in volunteer work. Having such experiences is essential in builiding up one's maturity level and creates an emotional awareness that cannot be developed without going through it. Therefore, singaporean youths may be mature to a certain extent, but not truly mature as they are unable to relate to hardships that people around the globe face daily.

Also, some Singaporean youths are not mature because they do not have the will to venture out of their comfort zone. For example, a vast majority of youths today only socialise and mix with peers of their own circles and calibre. The students from the Junior Colleges, Polytechnics and ITEs are examples of the separate circles that youth tend to stick with. In fact, the issue has become prevalent enough that programmes have to be implemented to act as a platform for youths of the different groups to mix. Hence, some youths are not mature as they are not willing to venture out of their comfort zones.

In conclusions, some youths are not matures as they lack experience and are unable to emphatise with those facing true hardships. Also, they do not have the maturity to be able to venture out of their comfort zones.