This photograph was shared online, showing an elderly woman gripping to a pole on a Sydney train as young commuters sat
It’s not often that I say I am ashamed to be a part of anything. I normally pride myself on my inclusivity and my ability to see the best out of situations.
When I saw this snap this morning, my stomach turned. I physically felt sick. Numb, almost. This photo of an elderly woman hunched over and clutching to a pole on a Sydney train made my blood boil. It made me ashamed and disheartened to be included in this generation of young “Millennials”. A generation that is so full of selfish, narrow-minded narcissists.
As a young person, like many of us, I worry about the state of this beautiful country. I worry about the self-obsession, insensitivity and lack of awareness often shown by my generation. I worry that we are running it into the ground - not only by those that disrespect the elderly by refusing to stand on public transport, by not visiting their grandparents or by spitting and littering on the footpath, but by those who import cheap goods online and don’t care about supporting our local markets, buying Australian-made products, or championing our Australian economy.
My heart hurts that a lot of young people don’t watch the news, glance at a paper or ask questions. It makes me sad that there is no balance or compromise. My stomach turns to see incredibly young girls - teenagers - left with such a prominent, unattainable definition of beauty as they continue to get sucked in to The Kardashians and spiral towards plastic surgery, lip injections and racy behaviour. Remember when the ‘Kylie Jenner Lip Challenge’ swept the internet? We saw young people - girls as young as six - suck on shot glasses to blow up their lips, sometimes leaving bruising and swelling. Really?
I just wish there would be a little more compassion. I wish younger people could slow down a little. Smell the roses, give somebody a wave. Talk to a stranger, offer to give somebody help.
Of course I have questions about this photograph - why did the photographer take the photo instead of asking the young people to stand up? Or maybe the elderly lady insisted she stood at the pole? Maybe there were seats behind the photographer? In any case, the photo works as an example of behaviours that are all too common today, and sometimes we need something like this to re-assess where we’re at as a society.
