Advice on Education for Youth – Part 2

ADVICE ON EDUCATION FOR YOUTH (2)

Dear readers! A long article awaits you. My aim is to address the issue in a multifaceted and multidimensional way, and to better define the desired goal.

In my previous article, I summarized the predicament of youth in general terms, and left the question of how to "stop" the dire situation for this article. I would like to give a few examples from the past, hoping that they will make my thoughts and suggestions more effective.

THE '78 GENERATION AND SOCIAL REVOLUTION

I belong to the 1978 generation; that is, I was a university student in those years. Youth was divided into right and left, and the left itself was further divided into dozens of different factions (political movements) that harbored ruthless and meaningless hatred and enmity towards each other. Some leftists took the Soviet Union, some China, some Albania, and some Cuba as models for the socialist revolution (!) to be carried out. There were frequent persuasive discussions, which often ended with sticks flying and guns firing. 

Universities were held captive as "liberated zones" by either right-wing or left-wing groups. Youth's interest in education was at its lowest level. Especially the right-left murders dominated the agenda, and most of our time was spent in street marches and rallies. The idealism and right to education of the youth had been destroyed by hidden hands. Unfortunately, this hidden hand was the state itself. The intellectuals of the period blamed "American Imperialism" for this situation, taking the easy way out. We would learn years later that this assessment was not correct. As you can understand, we, the young people studying with our fathers' money, were expected to save the country; it was implied that we had such a duty, and we were put forward as pawns in the hands of an amateur chess player.

The state, with its divide-and-rule policy, had taken the youth into its hands like puppets, and thus, the attention of society was drawn to another point through the games played on the youth. In this way, governments hoped to conceal their failed administrations and escape responsibility. While the leftist youth chanted "Down with American Imperialism" in the streets, the rightist youth responded with the slogan "Down with Communists." When the September 12, 1980 Military Coup occurred, neither the slogan "Down with American Imperialism" nor "Down with Communists" remained. The youth were used as scapegoats for failed administrations, and as a reward, they were either sent to the gallows or thrown into prisons.

THE 2000S GENERATION

Many years passed between 1978 and 2000. Youth underwent a transformation within itself. While the youth of '78 were closely involved in national politics, this time they had completely turned their backs on it. Especially with the collapse of the Soviet Union, the right-left division or polarization lost its meaning, and this reckoning was, in a sense, thrown into the dustbin of history.

A new generation of youth had emerged. Religious communities (cemaatler) reached out to the youth. A race began in Turkey to gain positions in the civilian and military bureaucracy. FETÖ was the most successful. It received support from governments and, with boundless audacity, placed whomever it wanted wherever it wanted. Not content with Turkey, it spread throughout the world with the support of Turkish Embassies, weaving a secret empire network. Unfortunately, those who govern the country today undertook sacred duties within this network in those years and supported the strengthening of the community. It was not FETÖ that was guilty, but those who opened their hearts and doors to it in due time.

In short, from the 1990s onwards, youth was handed over to religious communities. There was silence in universities. The existing situation was praised, saying, "This is how youth should be; they should only focus on education." Of course, it would be understood years later that fraud was committed in exams and that those close to the community were hired. This injustice would disappoint young people, and they would be saddened by their wasted efforts and pushed into despair. Since the avenues for expressing their anger towards the state and society were also closed, they had no choice but to accept their situation with a "fatalistic" understanding.

2020 AND THE INDIVIDUAL REVOLUTION OF YOUTH

After briefly summarizing the past, I will address the question of what youth should do today. First and foremost, I believe we need to get rid of the following prejudices imposed on our minds:

PREJUDICE_1: "American imperialism and Zionism are responsible for the current situation of youth."

Of course, this is an absurd suggestion and assessment. In international relations, every country has an imperialist approach based on military power or economic products. The word imperialist means "to gain political and economic influence in favor of one's own country at the expense of other nations."

Turkey is also an imperialist country. I leave it to you to research how many countries Turkish soldiers are deployed in. Similarly, Iran is also an imperialist country. It has military power in Yemen, Syria, Lebanon, and many other places, and has adopted Shiite expansionism as state policy. Russia is also imperialist. It has not only annexed Crimea and eastern Ukraine but also maintains military bases in Syria, Libya, and many other countries. Even Armenia, right next to us, has adopted an imperialist stance by occupying Karabakh.

Some countries have also transformed into imperialist powers through their economic products. Examples include Japan, Germany, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, and many other countries. In short, in international politics, all countries are more or less imperialist; they are after expanding their borders or increasing their economic influence. This is also the case in Africa or South America. Therefore, O Youth, do not take the easy way out by blaming American Imperialism and Zionism for your current situation. This is a deception!

PREJUDICE_2: "The civil war with the PKK is responsible for the current situation of youth."

I have witnessed the following assessment from many of my students: "If there had not been a war against the PKK, billions of dollars spent on this struggle could have been used to create job opportunities for young people, and graduates would not have been unemployed."

There is no doubt that this proposition, which seems logical and understandable at first glance, actually conceals many truths.

The PKK movement can be examined in three periods:

1978-1984: This period marks the emergence of the PKK and its process of establishing itself. Many unjust murders were committed in leftist circles, and the revolutionary Turkish and Kurdish movements were suppressed by force and threats. The PKK, for example, was never in an armed conflict with the ultranationalist or right-wing circles. There is no doubt that the PKK received support from the state's intelligence forces during this period. Abdullah Öcalan himself admits this. In world politics, an invisible hand of intelligence has always been present within secret organizations. This is the state's self-preservation reflex. It is an understandable situation.

In the early years, the Kurdish youth who founded the PKK and contributed to the formation of its core cadres were either high school graduates or university dropouts. For the rapidly growing number of unemployed Kurdish youth who could not pass university entrance exams, the PKK's discourse of "Independent Kurdistan" was undoubtedly seen as a path to salvation. From the 90s onwards, when Kurdish youth with only primary school education and those who had never seen a school also joined the PKK movement, especially as militia forces, the PKK rapidly grew and transformed into a political structure that, in a sense, went out of control.

1984-1992: The Eruh and Şemdinli raids were perceived as a resistance against the military dictatorship led by Kenan Evren. This uprising received great support from the suppressed Turkish and Kurdish left. Turkish and Kurdish revolutionaries embraced this struggle in cooperation. The PKK's past mistakes were forgotten. However, this time, Syrian intelligence took over the PKK from within and began to direct it as it wished. It was impossible to carry out any action without the approval of Syrian intelligence. In a sense, Syria was settling scores with Turkey through the PKK, trying to strengthen its hand in issues that had caused tension between the two countries for years (water sharing). Indeed, when Syria achieved its goals, it expelled Abdullah Öcalan from Syria without batting an eyelid. 

1992-Present: In this period, the PKK transformed into a multidimensional, octopus-like organization guided by international intelligence forces in accordance with the balances in the Middle East. Unemployed Kurdish youth who could not find money for education, and Kurdish girls rebelling against violence and forced marriage within the family, flocked to the mountains. The aim was not so much to establish an independent Kurdistan as to achieve a "free" life. Frustration, pain, and disappointments followed one another. The jargon of "traitor" dominated the agenda. Everyone who was not a PKK member was declared a "traitor," and ruthless executions were carried out. From every house, one person either died in conflict or went to prison. Thus, the Kurdish people, even if unwillingly, were forced to submit to the PKK's strategies and demands. In this process, innocent Kurdish youth and soldiers doing their duty died as martyrs in an endless war, breaking hearts. It is difficult to replace the spilled blood. With each martyr, the Kurdish and Turkish people became more alienated from each other, and hidden chauvinistic feelings were activated. The fault line between the two peoples deepened. Unfortunately, this situation still continues.

As a Kurdish intellectual, my duty is to call on the PKK, at least, to end its actions within Turkey's borders and to bid farewell to arms. The Turkish and Kurdish peoples should approach each other without weapons, within the framework of the fundamental rules of universal democracy, trust should be re-established, and problems should be resolved democratically. Turkey has the intellectual and cultural accumulation to establish true democracy, but there are no political organizations and discourses to activate it.

CONCLUSION: We cannot ignore this reality: The state watched with satisfaction as Kurdish youth flocked to the mountains because, in a sense, it was thus relieved of the burden of providing education and employment for these young people. Furthermore, since chauvinistic feelings were kept alive, successful Kurdish youth in metropolitan areas lost their career opportunities as they became targets of "mobbing" in universities and workplaces. The bureaucracy, police force, and upper echelons of the army have, in a sense, been handed over to non-Kurdish individuals. In terms of administration, Kurds have been reduced to the level of secondary citizens.

Thanks to the struggle against the PKK, significant investments were made in the military industry in the country, and Turkey gained the power to produce its own weapons. Thanks to this self-confidence, Turkey has the chance to take military action in Syria and other countries. In short, blaming the war with the PKK for the dire situation of the youth in the country means that the state is concealing its own responsibility. The PKK, by inviting unemployed Kurdish youth to the mountains and alienating them from Turkey, has, in a sense, reduced the burden on the state. In my opinion, a strong and intelligent state would have produced solutions to this problem, which has been ongoing for 40 years, many times over. The discourse of "imperialists and external enemies do not leave us alone" is a cheap way to escape responsibility.

I would like to summarize in a few sentences why I brought up the PKK issue: Today, youth seizes every opportunity that comes its way in terms of individual freedom and self-realization, and listens to the call of a new life without much thought. Tired of old and outdated family and feudal structures, youth wanted to live their own freedom. Youth in the most remote Kurdish villages were in the same state of mind. At first, the PKK appeared to be an organization that would meet this desire, becoming a force of attraction. However, Kurdish youth who joined the organization faced a dilemma: either they witnessed unjust practices and distanced themselves from the organization (in which case they were executed) or they experienced disappointment by carrying out orders without speaking up. The PKK, which gained an extraordinary ability to find and punish those who "betrayed" the organization, closed the door for its militants to return to normal life. The Kurdish youth, who dreamed of achieving their freedom and realizing their potential, had their souls dulled and their hopes destroyed by outdated "socialist" ideology and so-called "free woman" discourses for two generations. The state was most pleased with this situation, being relieved of the burden of providing education and employment for these young people, and managed to conceal its administrative failures from the domestic public by pointing to the "PKK threat."

Turkish youth has entered a new phase. It must now be independent and realize its own potential. The youth who acted with an organized or association culture in previous years must now learn to live "individually" and turn this into a way of life.

INDIVIDUALISM / INDIVIDUALITY

Here, there is a need for clarification. Actually, both words mean the same thing. However, in Turkish political jargon, for some reason, "Individualism" has turned into a concept with negative connotations, encompassing selfishness, jealousy, and harming others for one's own benefit. Therefore, I prefer to use the word 'Individuality'. Individuality is about a person encountering their own true self and potential, and building their future on this foundation. Self-confidence and creativity emerge as a natural result of individuality.

I would like to list the social obstacles that tie the hands of youth:

FAMILY: In our country, parents attach excessive importance to their children's education, and in the process, youth are reduced to puppets of their parents. Families make future plans or interfere with the decisions made by young people. Students are, in a sense, reduced to "proxy students" studying on behalf of the family.

First and foremost, I call out to all families: Do not interfere with the choices and decisions of young people! With every interference and discussion, young people feel that their initiative is being taken away, they move away from their own reality and potential, and they turn into "secondary important individuals" who study on behalf of others. Such a student not only has a difficult educational life but also, after graduation, due to a lack of self-confidence and entrepreneurial spirit, withdraws into themselves, missing the chance to compete in market conditions. They involve family and friends to find a job, start work reluctantly due to low work discipline, and when tensions arise at work, they quickly "give up," fall into depression, either quit their job or are fired. In other words, because youth do not plan their own future, they lose their fighting spirit, and their lives continue with a feeling of inferiority and defeat.

It does not matter what department the student chooses of their own free will. The secret to success is for the student to activate their own will, to plan their own future as an individual and independent force, and to take their place in society in this way. The understanding and culture that "youth is solely and exclusively responsible for their own lives" must now take root in society. Pity and emotional exploitation fundamentally shake the self-confidence of youth, making them feel worthless by thinking they are a burden on society and family.

LOVE, SEXUALITY, AND MARRIAGE: Under the influence of TV series or popular culture, youth find themselves struggling in a sea of love and sexuality. Love relationships are destructive, not constructive. The feeling of "Kara Sevda" (dark love), which is not found in Western culture, meaning sacrificing oneself for the beloved, unfortunately spreads like an epidemic in Turkey, deeply affecting young people. Youth, who have not yet achieved individual freedom, lose their way and life goals with the chaotic emotions they experience in the field of love and sexuality, wasting their energy and time on empty messaging and relationships. When depression from family is added to depression from love and sexuality, youth continue their education and work life hollowed out and soulless, pinning their hopes, in a sense, on miracles.

The institution of marriage is completely collapsed. The divorce rate may be low, but tensions and unrest within families are at their peak. Disappointment is experienced in marriages, and since divorce is difficult due to social pressures, unwilling unions are forcibly continued, and children grow up in this tense environment without the opportunity to develop their personalities.

THE STATE: Unfortunately, the state has nothing to offer young people. A psychological dictatorship currently prevails in our country. Everyone lives in fear of being slandered or wronged at any moment. Especially after the FETÖ military coup attempt and the implementation of the Decree-Law authority, universities, which were already not autonomous, have completely turned into toys at the command of the state. Education policy has collapsed and gone out of control. Universities have, in a sense, been reduced to centers for concealing unemployment. More universities mean less unemployment. How long this situation will continue is unknown. Young people working in workplaces also live in fear of psychological dictatorship, worrying that their duties will be taken away by slander.

FROM SOCIAL REVOLUTION TO INDIVIDUAL REVOLUTION

In the 1960s and 1970s, youth committed themselves to social revolution and struggled in that direction. It was believed that every problem would be overcome with the establishment of a Socialist Turkey. However, the era of social revolutions has now closed. New Gezi events are both meaningless and unnecessary. Youth will never achieve their goals by burning and destroying. In fact, such actions turn into a means of directing the anger and hatred energy within youth towards the state, providing psychological relief. What is important is not to change the external system (the state), but to create a new revolution within yourself. You do not need anyone's help for this.

ADVICE FOR INDIVIDUAL TRANSFORMATION:

• Decide on your profession yourself. Money should never be the criterion.
• Whatever your profession, practice it with love.
• You must believe that those who do their job correctly and properly will always advance in their careers.
• Do not plan a career relying on connections, political power, or help from friends and family.
• Do not center your life around sexuality, love, or passion.
• Do not escape your responsibilities by reducing wars, earthquakes, or similar situations in the country to a "tragic" essence and adopting an approach like "the world is empty." Americans fighting on the front lines in the Vietnam War did not put down their preparation books for university entrance, as if they would return to the country tomorrow. This is the power of individuality.
• Develop empathy, the ability to understand the troubles of others.
• Acquire the ability to think positively. Think that tomorrow will be better.
• Eliminate the feeling of jealousy from within you and do not care about the jealousy of others towards you.
• Do not get caught up in the idea of easy money. Especially stay away from modern gambling methods like stocks and Bitcoin.
• Accept the tensions and difficulties of work and school life with understanding.
• Try to get to know other cities or countries whenever you have the opportunity.
• See every exam not as a competition but as an opportunity to develop knowledge.
• Even if your exam score is low, never turn it into a proposition like "others are smarter and more successful."
• End the habit of watching TV series. Be selective in watching movies. Have enough philosophy of art to appreciate film, theater, and opera.
• Support a team, but do not be a fanatic.
• Stay away from cigarettes, alcohol, and other addictive substances. If you have such a problem, definitely seek help.
• Think twice about violence and swearing, but do not remain silent when forced. One of the most dangerous perceptions is perceiving and seeing yourself as "cowardly." Never allow this.
• Give importance to your personal development in terms of improving foreign language or professional knowledge.
• Turn friendship or marriage into a force of solidarity. Avoid arguments and stubbornness with your girlfriend/boyfriend or spouse.
• Try to develop new talents and hobbies.
• Give importance to animal and nature love.
• Be interested in all kinds of sports, but adopt one as a hobby.
• Minimize phone calls and messaging.
• Be with your friends in situations like funerals and illnesses.
• Avoid forming a sharp political view. Do not join parties. When voting, only listen to the voice of your conscience.
• Be interested in art, literature, painting, or photography.
• Do not blame family, society, or the state for your failures.
• Chauvinism, prejudices, sectarianism, religious communities, and parties have filled the air. Do not take them seriously and do not take sides.

STUDY ABROAD

I have a lot to write about studying abroad. However, I will be brief and concise within the scope of an article. Every young person should definitely have an international experience in terms of undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and post-doctoral studies. You should always carry such a goal in your heart and do what is necessary. Before moving on to the main topic, I would like to share my views on some student exchange programs:

ERASMUS: The Erasmus Program is a European Union project that encourages cooperation among higher education institutions and enables students and academics to gain experience in different countries and universities within the framework of this cooperation for short periods. Students study in one of the European Union countries for a semester or a year and then return to their home country. I strongly advise you to avoid the ERASMUS program for the following reasons.

• The original reason for the creation of the ERASMUS program was to bring together and integrate German and French youth, who caused two major world wars in the 20th century. However, the project failed in this sense. Today, there is not a single French student in Germany, nor a single German student in France... There are currently 28 European Union countries. The ERASMUS program is mostly utilized by EU countries with relatively weak economies, such as Bulgaria, Greece, Hungary, and Poland. Since there is no residence permit problem, for example, a Polish young person who goes to Germany for a year of education finds a job there and never returns to Poland. Since Turkey is not an EU country, young people do not have the chance to obtain a residence permit, so they have to return to their country.
• Students who return to Turkey after living for a year in a country like Germany, the Netherlands, or France experience adaptation problems, and in a sense, depression-like conditions occur. Therefore, my advice is to stay away from the ERASMUS program and complete your undergraduate program in Turkey without interruption.
• In the third year of your undergraduate program, you should plan to do your graduate or doctoral studies abroad and prepare for the necessary exams.
• For studying abroad, I only recommend America. Because what is important is not getting a diploma, but gaining work experience by staying in that country after getting a diploma. Let's say you graduated from the best university in Germany and got your diploma. Since Germany will not give you a residence and work permit, you will have to return to Turkey. The bitter truth is that you will think that you will easily find a job in Turkey because you got a diploma from Germany, but unfortunately, the "jealousy" factor comes into play, and workplaces perceive you as a threat. Many of my students experienced this situation. In the end, they found the solution in going to America.
• Students who want to go to America need to prepare for exams such as TOEFL, GRE, or GMAT, depending on their departments, and get the required scores. You should prepare for these exams in your third year.
• American universities consider the following criteria in order when admitting international students:
  • SOP (Statement of Purpose): A two-page essay written by the student summarizing their life goals.
  • LOR (Letter of Recommendation): Recommendation letters.
  • CL (Cover Letter): A one-page essay summarizing why you are applying.
  • GRE/GMAT/TOEFL scores.
  • CV (Curriculum Vitae): Resume.
  • Work experience, i.e., internships.
  • GPA: Your university grade point average.

There is much to write about studying abroad! However, it does not seem possible to fit it all here. I hope I have informed you, even if briefly. Strengthen your individual identity and try to seize the opportunity to study abroad!

Good luck!