Don’t Grow Up Too Fast
In this day and age, it is not unusual to see young kids sporting crop tops and miniskirts, with their faces covered in heaps of makeup, making them appear more “mature” than they really are. There is a growing sentiment that the current youth is simply “growing up too fast,” succumbing to online trends and caging themselves into popular stereotypes they see on the web, all in an attempt to seek validation from strangers behind a screen instead of forging their own pathways to self-discovery.
Clearly, today’s youth puts great value on their physical appearance, placing uncharacteristic emphasis on how they look and how they dress. For instance, young girls known as “Sephora kids” are heavily influenced by skincare routines or makeup tutorials found on TikTok. Footage has shown them walking into Sephora or makeup stores and unknowingly asking for products that are not fit for their age in an attempt to keep up with the trends. While to others, this might merely come off as a display of vanity, in truth, these are all manifestations of the phenomenon of projection, wherein young, impressionable minds blindly imitate what they see online and deem as “cool,” all while hiding behind the characters they want to associate themselves with.
It must, however, first be clarified that this pattern is not confined to the current youth. Rather, it simply evolved. The reason why Sephora kids and clout chasers exist is the same reason why we, as human beings, forge friendships, establish connections, and form bonds: the desire for belonging. We create cliques for us and our friends to be the “in-group” and thus separate ourselves from the “out-group.” This is why those pegged as “class clowns” or the “responsible kids” would often stick to these titles and live up to them until they graduate high school, even if their true natures deviate from such stereotypes. In the pursuit of self-discovery, we will do anything to fit in with others. However, in an age of globalization and internet-centricity, such “in-groups” can extend far beyond the confines of the classroom, city, or even nation. As such, today’s youth often seek validation not just from their family and barkada at school, but from the wider digital “in-crowd” as well.
Still, such connectedness is not conducive to personality formation. This constant act of projection leaves little room for introspection and personal reflection, which are key to identity formation. Knowing one’s true identity is important, as it gives one a sense of purpose and confidence, anchoring one’s actions, choices, and thoughts.
However, reflection can only transpire after coming to terms with the fact that we are all different and that being different is normal. There is no need to conform to society’s standards and follow every online trend. After all, to base our identities and sense of worth on fleeting trends will not give us the security we’re all looking for.
Thus, in an age where imitation is the name of the game, it is vital that we all embark on our own journeys of self-discovery by celebrating uniqueness, individuality, and authenticity. We may all be created differently, with varying personalities, strengths, and weaknesses, yet perfectly in God's eyes, so there is no need to be ashamed of who we are. At the end of the day, we must remember that our identities are rooted in Christ. Christ died and shed His blood on the cross to save all of us from eternal death, proving just how valuable we are to Him. Thus, we should not be afraid to face who we are, let go of the masks we have created for ourselves, and see ourselves through the eyes of the One who created us.
