The New Generation or Degeneration

By Irina Pino

HAVANA TIMES — Young people having folders full of pornography, which they don’t even hide with subtle names, explicitly calling them: XXX, is nothing new. And of course, we know what’s inside them.

I don’t usually open my son’s folders, I know well enough that him and his friends pass on content to each other regularly; although they also copy manga series, cartoons and comedies; it’s like a mix of innocence and the forbidden. In my youth, we used to watch these films anxiously and hidden away. Now, it’s normal to have them, as if they were just collecting stamps, or something similar.

Girls put photos of themselves half-naked on their Facebook accounts so that their friends, and friends of friends, can see them. It makes them “proud” that anyone can see their asses and breasts. When I was their age, we used to take artistic nude photographs of ourselves, and we would prepare a whole set for them, as if we were about to make a film. Now, all you need is a basic selfie and then upload it to the internet.

The other day, I was speaking to my son and I found out that it’s the same person – as when I first arrived in this neighborhood – who continues to sell “Maria” and that certain kids smoke it to have a good time.

Nothing changes too much, but in some ways they do. Ways of entertaining ourselves have changed, videogames, football, TV series, bad music are all their hobbies. They often shout: Farewell books, you’re not among my favorites!

They also do sketchy deals with young professors who sell them exam papers, without any kind of shame; there’s no more serious studying, they often joke about the guy who fails the exam, and blame him for not having enough money to buy his grade.

Platonic love? Nope, nothing of the sort, there are no longer any anonymous love notes left under doors, candor has vanished; surprise has lost its true essence. There’s no more beating around the bush when you want to have sex, everything is more direct, without cheek.

For them, a brand is more important, a cell phone is a synonym of their status. Fame is a sign of power, their idols are people who are financially successful, and who are almost always on social media, even though they are only in the blandest headlines.

At least hippies had style. But these kids? What do they want? What are they looking for?