It is so easy to sit here and judge the youth of today and label them as violent, reckless and a number of other things without really taking the time to explore some of the contributory factors to their wild and crazy lives.
We are all aware of the problems of drugs and gang violence, even if the media likes to paint the picture that it is a problem that on plagues the black community, which any individual of above average intelligence will know is a lie.
There is one element that is rarely discussed and that is the element of fear. Fear plays a major role in why a significant proportion of young people are drawn into the violent lifestyles we see today. The fear of being a victim, the fear of not fitting in, the fear of being labelled and ridiculed, the fear of being alone, the fear of not belonging etc.
I experienced this fear as a teenager and this fear was crippling. You did your best to carry on and pretend as though you were not afraid but the reality was that fear dictated your movements, your words, your actions and almost everything that you did. Growing up in South London has not changed much, the violence remains the same but the tools of violence have changed. The volume of deaths have increased because the young people have become overwhelmed by the fear and embraced the darkness that fear brings.
On this episode I talk about my experiences growing up in South London, what led me to carrying a knife and air pistol, how I overcame it and managed to live a life free of violence and fear, my experience of robbery and attempted robbery, both of which could have had fatal outcomes.
Our youth are facing a pandemic of violence and I can guarantee you that many of them are thankful for this lockdown because the don’t have to go outside and deal with the dangers of the streets and their fears.
Listen in as I share my experience on the Daley Perspective Podcast.
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E-Mail: david@daleyperspective.co.uk
The Daley Perspective Podcast is #13 in Feedspot’s Top 25 Christian Men Podcasts.
