Acharya Prashant addresses the alarming rise in depression, anxiety, and declining IQ levels among teenagers and young adults, noting that suicide has become a leading cause of death in the 15-24 age group. He attributes this crisis primarily to the negative influence of social media, where young people are exposed to glorified, fake images that shatter their self-esteem when they face reality. He explains that the youth are increasingly following mediocre and toxic social media influencers who promote vulgarity and cheap success, rather than looking up to historical icons or genuine experts. This constant exposure to low-quality content acts as a 'poison' entering through their gadgets, replacing the guidance that once came from family and community. He contrasts the current generation's behavior with the profound maturity and sacrifice of young historical figures like Shri Khudiram Bose, Shri Bhagat Singh, and Shri Vinay Basu, who achieved greatness in their teens and early twenties. He also cites examples from science and spirituality, such as Blaise Pascal, Shri Swami Vivekananda, and Shri Adi Shankaracharya, to show that youth is a time for immense depth and achievement. Acharya Prashant warns that when teenagers adopt 'hooligans' and 'celebrities' with low character as role models, they inevitably inherit their vices, leading to issues like substance abuse and severe depression. He urges parents and guardians to be vigilant about who their children follow online and to actively inspire them toward higher ideals and noble company to prevent the destruction of the nation's future strength.
