The years have showed one and all a few things. Obviously some more than others.

My folks saw JFK being shot, the height of the cold war, the Moon landing and the end of the Vietnam war. I saw the end of the cold war, the Berlin wall coming down, the invasion of Iraq AND the protest against it. That global 1 million strong march even if ultimately ineffective was still a ray of hope.

Since 2000 everyone born in the west has only ever heard of the war on terror as a constant on the world stage.

I even got to witness the good Friday agreement and the disarming of the IRA. Hardly a massive event of the world stage but it is where I grew up.

This current terror ‘inspired’ populist movement is making the Troubles of old raise their ugly heads again. The decline in religion has declined. More people are holding onto their faith more as they lose faith in reality.

The advent of younger access to the internet… the news used to be that annoying program on telly that got the volume turned down while everyone sat and ate and argued about daft things. Or threw food at each other and maybe got skelped for it. Before heading out to build a ramp for the bmx bikes or making a tree house. But we had direct interaction on a constant basis with our siblings the kids on our block – not a news feed.

When I was 10 we got our first home computer. We could play one of three games. That one loaded by putting a cassette tape into it and loading the program… while making cheese on toast for oneself and a cuppa for the parental. If it was raining, otherwise there was a world to conquer.

Now the news is in our feeds. Available 24/7 from family dinner time to being in the loo or bed it’s there. With one constant message. The war on terror.

It’s not ALL noise. There is always one or two constant messages in the news for any generation.

For me it was the cessation of war. Berlin wall coming down, end of the cold war, march against the war on Iraq. My folks witnessed the worst of the cold war but also the Moon landing. There was hope under a cloud of gloom.

Then Sept 11 happened in 2001.

For this generation it’s about being successful in the war on terror. And all sides’ warriors geniuely believe they are righteously fighting for social justice on a world stage – with violence against each others ilk.

What exactly are we expecting our youth to do with this as their prospects for the future? What view of reality is being hocked to our young ones? What’s it’s consequence?

My daughter says she’s joining the RAF. When asked what her job would be, she happily informed me from a cute 16 year old voice turning 17 with immense pride and almost a sense of enthusiasm she retorted ‘I get to push the button to kill the fuckers.’

Being at war is a choice. Whether individual or national. It’s chosen. Even if conscripted one can still opt to be support staff or serve time as a political pacifist. There is always a choice.

Pick a war on hate, prejudice, intolerance and ignorance.

The stars await. Anti-gravity. Clean energy. Environmental improvement. Social sciences advancement. Medicine.

A massive PRO to our youth being online so much is a heightened sense of social improvement on a grander scale than before. Our view of the world has been more exposed to our young at a much younger age now.

But it’s a twin edged blade and we can guide our youth towards one or t’other . While governments send out more means to more violence to placate their sponsors in the arms industries, we as a people must reject this as a way of life.

There is no doubt self interested parties are in power or hold sway of those in power who benefit from war. It makes them richer.

We live in a world now where that does not have to be the norm. We can antiquate it as much as we have family dinners around the table.

There is no honour in violence and death only violence and death await down that road.

The road to healing is fueled with trust.