"Will Literature Be Wasted On The Young?"

I'm sure that everyone my age and younger can recall an instance when they heard their parents, older relatives, or just someone substantially older than them say:

"I really feel sorry for the generations to come. God help them; because I don't know what the world will become under their control."

Okay. So maybe it didn't sound exactly that way; but you get the gist. My point for stating this quote is...well...I am actually inclined to agree to some degree with what they are saying; just in regard to different manner. Literature- especially Poetry -is something that I have the utmost respect for and something that I carry an immense amount of admiration towards. I have to say, however, that while my peers have definitely been doing an exceptional job of upholding that love and respect for this and all the other arts considered, an alarming number of those younger than us have given me- at least -reason to be concerned. I am sure that many have also heard this quote:

"Talent is wasted on the young."

Youth, Beauty, and just about anything that carries vitality and promise have been used in the place of Talent for this quote. I don't necessarily agree with that quote, but recent conversations with a few of my peers and those younger have no doubt helped to supplant it. I am not ruling out the potential to improve and go against the grain of the expectations of that quote, but I am also not ruling out the high possibility that one can improve the talent without improving one's motives. I can recall a day when I was reading some of my favorite poems to some friends of mine. A guy stumbled upon us and sat down to hear a few of the pieces. Since that day, he has taken every opportunity to recite lyrics that he wrote or share with me ideas for videos that he wanted to do when he gets signed to a record label. I was rather honored that he saw fit to inquire about my writing style; so I shared with him my approach to any idea or thought that I chose to compose a piece with. I also informed him of the amount of meticulous detail that I dedicate to what I write. He didn't agree with my methods, however. He explained that taking so much time will take away from his cash flow. He said that while conscious thought is important, he wants to make music that the crowd wants to listen to. At that instant, A Soulja Boy video was all that I could think of. I damn near threw up in disgust. He was talking about how he has been posting videos of himself rapping into his webcam on youtube. He even mentioned coming up with a new dance that he hopes everyone will catch onto once he becomes famous. All I could do was shake my head and continue writing.......

......now I have no problem with people who want to make their money or attain their fame; but I don't consider it to be fair when those who do such shun or disregard the true students of their talent. Few things disgust me more than hearing someone claim to appreciate their talent or skill when the medium or method used to display that talent to the public implies otherwise. Some of the youth that this applies to who claim to love literature can probably only recall Maya Angelou or Langston Hughes; and many of them have never taken the time to study the great literary genius of Nikki Giovanni. That same youth can recite every single lyric from Lil Wayne, do every new dance that comes out nowadays, and have even adopted a copious amount of many of these rapper's ad-libs into their everyday conversing; but mention Rakim, C L Smooth, or even Talib Kweli, among others, and one can all but guarantee confusion in their facial expressions. As far as literature is concerned, I am definitely worried about the future of it as youth claims larger portions of it as day and night pass in today's modern society. I doubt that literature itself will be eradicated; but I am concerned that it may become a conduit or catalyst, if you will, for destructive thinking. Signs of such have already been evident for over a decade; but I fear that things are bound to take a rapid plunge into the darker depths of negative, obscure, malignant, and overtly provocative perversions that may end up being too saturated into this and other arts to rectify over time. Maybe we are to blame for this. Maybe we should have taken it upon ourselves to better educate and positively inspire those younger than us just as we once were. Maybe it's no one's fault. It could just be a contingency based upon one's preference. Whatever the case may be, we should all do what is necessary to preserve the integrity of this art form that we hold so close to our hearts. Literature is supposed to be informative; not destructive. It is a gateway for one to freely express themselves; but that does not mean that responsibility towards the way we allow that expression to be interpreted should be ignored. If there is such a thing as a "Generation X," I believe that all involved should do their best to make sure that "X" becomes a positive "X-Factor."