We live in a society that is plagued by negativity, death, and evil. Living in an age of social media and expansive digital literacy, we constantly consume content that makes us romanticize the past. We feel like there is always a cloud of impending doom lurking, ready to envelop us every time we doomscroll and come across a video of yet another incident of tragedy or strife that reminds us of society’s ills.
We, as a global community, too often forget that goodness exists just beyond the murkiness of the cloud. In 1962, John F. Kennedy shared a Thanksgiving message that the world needs to hear once more. A message reminding us that in times of hardship, we must remember love, hope, and persistence to make the world a better place. While members of my generation may perceive this statement as antiquated and outdated, it is arguably more applicable today than it was six decades ago.
A little over a week ago, 23,000 documents in relation to sex offender and disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein were released. The moment felt historical. News outlets began reporting furiously, as several of the emails contained information about President Trump’s involvement in the scandal, which had been debated for some time. The release of the truth about the involvement of many public figures in Epstein’s sex-trafficking ring had been in an ongoing conflict over the role of transparency in the government, and this mass release acted as a catalyst to bolster the public cry for action.
Just six days later, Congress passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act with a 427-1 vote in the House of Representatives and a unanimous vote in the Senate, sending the bill directly to the president’s desk. Under immense public pressure, President Trump signed the bill into law, meaning that all unclassified files in relation to the case must be released by the Justice Department within the next month.
The efforts to release the files have been ongoing for a decade, with over a hundred lawsuits filed against Epstein and his co-conspirators. The release of the files has caused government officials to cross party lines and, overall, has fostered a sense of unity and collaboration in a time of strife and conflict.
These current events are a direct application of JFK’s message: As a society, we came together to support the betterment of our nation in the face of vice and adversity because we held on to hope.
During my sophomore year of high school, I noticed people complaining about the behavior of preteen boys. Most people chalk up this immaturity to outdated sentiments such as “boys will be boys” or assume it’s a phase or somewhat of a rite of passage. However, I reject such ideals that are rooted in sexist beliefs and enduring harmful stereotypes.
I determined there must be a root cause to this behavior, and in my examination, I noticed a pattern. This behavior was not only becoming increasingly popular among middle school boys but among all middle schoolers. And there it was–the answer. Growing up with unlimited access to the internet is harmful for any child, but unrestricted access in the age of social media is much, much worse.
Thankfully, my graduating class of 2027 missed the iPad-kid breed by an inch, and I was banned from social media until I was 13. Unfortunately, our middle school friends were not so lucky. That does not go to say that my age group’s attention spans are not being obliterated; they most definitely are, but at least we made it to high school before the addiction set in. Thus, I set out on a mission to try and reverse the damage before these kids hit high school and grades started to really matter.
I decided to start an after-school homework club for middle school students. After getting my club form approved, I put up some posters, and just like that, I had set up my very own tutoring program for struggling middle schoolers, motivated by the hope that I could make a real change in their academic careers.
Running the club proved to be much more difficult than I had initially believed. Some of the students may not appreciate my mission and constantly repeat “6-7” and “shut up, you’re chopped” like a broken record. But no matter how many times I had to hear “skibidi toilet” or tell them to stop playing Clash of Clans, I held on to my hope that I would influence these students’ lives for the better.
Time and time again, students in the club rejected my help; nonetheless, I knew that eventually things would change. I’ve now officially had my club for two years, and kids keep returning every Wednesday without fail. One of my former tutees has even become a tutor. Today, I am so glad I never gave up and that I upheld JFK’s message of love and hope in the face of adversity.
Now that I have studied President Kennedy’s 1962 message, I can see its applications all around me. Last year in English, I read a book that I can only describe (at the risk of sounding overdramatic) as “life-changing.” When I chose The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky, as my independent reading book, I assumed it would be a quick read and easier to analyze than the graphic novel option. Instead, my eyes were opened to a story of trauma and grief, but also of complexity, love, and the feeling of being “infinite.” That was the first time I ever cried reading a book since I was seven.
The book follows the story of 15-year-old Charlie Kelmeckis and his experience entering high school, as well as his struggle with his mental health and making friends. Although it is truly heartbreaking, the book does not only focus on the element of sadness, but also freedom and “accepting the love we think we deserve.” Despite Charlie’s struggle with his depression and PTSD from being abused as a child, he manages to find a supportive community; the relationships he forms alter the course of his life. Charlie’s story is a representation of the beauty of finding one’s identity and a sense of belonging, and it is a message of inspiration that accepting your past allows you to heal, and there is joy in life if you look for it.
This novel is extremely relevant not only in pop culture but also in society today, in accordance with JFK’s belief that in times of hardship, we must carry with us hope and love to persevere and come out of our struggles as better people. I learned, and I know, that we all can learn from Charlie, that no matter how hopeless we feel, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel, and we must keep walking in order to reach it.
To those who live in a constant state of negativity and pessimism about the world, I pity you, but understand that I used to be you. I would read the news every morning, and I still do, but I used to focus on all the horrifying and depressing headlines that fostered within me a sense of despair in the world.
It is so easy to get stuck in a loop of bleakness and believe that everything is awful, but I’d like to call your attention to something ever so slightly ridiculous that helped me break the cycle. I am an avid Ted-Ed watcher. I love learning about everything, from the history of cheese to the solution to the infamous Hat Riddle.
One day, I chose a video at random about the meaning of the Yin and Yang symbol. In the video, it explained that while there is some bad in good, there is also some good in bad. The video used the analogy of Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker. In Star Wars, there is a Light and a Dark Side, but many viewers fail to recognize the nuance that no one can be purely good or evil; we contain both.
I began to look for the good in everything, and suddenly I noticed there was good all around me. I had been blinded by the cloud, but now I saw clear skies. I picked up on every act of kindness, no matter how small, whether it was someone holding the door open for me, a smile from a stranger on a particularly rough day, or my mom buying my favorite yogurt without me asking.
I urge others to be like Darth Vader and listen to JFK’s 1962 Thanksgiving message. (Yes, I know how ridiculous that sounds.) What I mean is, no matter how tough things get, know that there is a sliver of good waiting to be found, and when things get hard, recognize the joy, hope, and positivity, and use it to motivate you to bring goodness to others.
So, the next time it starts to get dark, and you notice storm clouds overhead, please stop the doomscrolling and remember that the sun is still there, and if you look for it, you will find it. While you’re at it, shine a little brighter; you can be someone else’s sun on their cloudy day, too.
Why let yourself or others be bogged down by all that is bad when, hiding somewhere, there is good waiting for you to notice it?