Decline of the Youth in the Bahamas

The youth in the Bahamas seem to be on a destructive path. They have ventured further away from the values that this country has been based on for many generations. Many have lost their ambition and focus. What will the future hold for a country whose younger generation is languishing? The result seems to be low test scores and increased criminal activity especially in the government school system. The crime wave is spilling over into the general community. The negative influences introduced through the media and such have contributed to the destructive behavior we are experiencing.
Generally, children acquire their ideas, beliefs, and values from what their parents and family instill in them in their youth. This socialization is crucial to every society. Growing up in the Bahamas in the time that I did, we were in a way isolated from the rest of the world. The outdoor lifestyle here in Nassau and on the rest of the out islands in the Bahamas is very alluring. We have beautiful clear waters and mostly sunny clear days. Boating, snorkeling, and fishing are extremely popular daily activities. Before Nassau became so overpopulated and modernized houses were more scattered and there were plenty bushy areas to go exploring in. Children used their imaginations for play in place of the toys of today. Although only an hour plane ride away from Florida and American soil, here we were in a world of our own. During my childhood, kids spent the majority of their time outside. It was so much safer then, and the media had very little impact on the choices and decisions children made. Cable was non- existent then and the very expensive satellite systems were not in the majority of homes. Our parent’s aspirations for us helped shape our future goals. Nowadays technology has further developed and crime is worse than ever before, and kids now stay indoors more. Children have become more interested in new shows on television, as well as other entertainment systems (i.e. play station, x-box, PSP). Their ideas and values have also been altered to match those that are observed through the media and they are less reliant on their parent’s views. They have adopted these “popular” values as their own. In some cases the gross materialism seen on television has resulted in children and teens acting out in criminal ways to obtain these things.
Another area where this change in behavior is seen is in our communication to one another. Here we have our own version of “pigeon.” Although it is English, it is so hard for most foreigners to understand. It sounds as if it is our own spoken language. I’ve noticed that our “pigeon” used to connect us to each other more. In the past, Bahamians of all races could rely on communication as a source of respect and acceptance. It used to be that where ever one was it was our distinct “pigeon” that would unite us all even across racial lines. In a crowd of people, a Bahamian, especially a minority Bahamian such as myself (i.e. Caucasian and Asian Bahamians) could depend on the use of our language to receive that friendly local to local interaction. Today our youth have lost some of their sense of national pride and their respect of other individuals has dissipated. Our people used to be protective over each other, and during these rough times kids are turning on each other. I think crime has affected our symbolic Interaction, because our “pigeon” and other cultural norms don’t unite us to each other as strongly as they used to.

Sources:

Parrillo, V. (2008). Understanding Race and Ethnic Relations (3ed). Pearsons Education, Inc.

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