The Art of Life

August 12th was International Youth Day, with this year’s theme being “Youth Engagement for Global Action”.
The theme promotes the need for youth inclusivity within local, national and global systems; to increase fairness and promote more sustainable solutions.

How do we expect them to achieve all of this with an algorithm that perpetuates inequality on so many levels and for most can lead to them succumbing to toxic, self-fulfilling prophecies?
To those who have received their A Level results and to those who are yet to receive their GCSE results or any other results, know this.
Your confidence and self-belief is the only thing that will defeat that algorithm.

Your grades (if not top) will make the journey a little bit more difficult, but it will never determine your future. This life, this world, every opportunity, every dream is still yours for the taking.
Your grades (if top) should allow you to celebrate, but don’t get comfortable. Your future is what you make of your present, using your past and the lessons learnt to guide you and ground you.
All of you are worthy of your dreams.
Keep going because the battle is never ending.

This algorithm is not to be taken to heart. It is simply another means of politically, socially and economically perpetuating inequality.
Use the energy you feel now and your status as the next generation, to become the true leaders who, don’t use a computer to tell youngsters that their personal, geographical, social, economical and educational background automatically makes them undeserving of an education that can uplift them and ultimately the nation.

This is the art of life. Sometimes it’s beautiful, other times, ugly. It has texture, tone, presence, clarity and even uncertainty.

But like art, life has value.
Like art, you serve a purpose.
And like art, you can be or represent whatever you make of it.

Take this situation and fill your canvas to your heart’s content.