International Youth Day: Who is a Youth and What Defines Youthfulness?

Kokcha News Agency: Youthfulness is not merely defined by age. A youth is someone whose thoughts have matured, who can make independent decisions, and who takes responsibility for their actions. Age is only a part of youthfulness, but what truly matters is the growth of the mind and a profound understanding of life, which makes someone truly youthful.

The great philosopher Avicenna (Ibn Sina) had an interesting perspective on youth. He referred to those who have grown in age but lack the wisdom and understanding appropriate for their age as “adult children.” According to him, true intellectual maturity is more important than physical growth. Thus, a youth is someone who has achieved intellectual growth and is not confined to a specific age range.

The Enlightenment philosopher Immanuel Kant defined true maturity as the ability to think independently without relying on others. He believed that someone who avoids using their reason out of fear or comfort is immature. Youthfulness and intellectualism, according to Kant, mean the courage to think and take responsibility for one’s thoughts. This view is echoed in both Western philosophy and Eastern mystical traditions. For Kant, true youthfulness means having an independent, free, and responsible perspective on the world and taking steps toward intellectual and moral growth.

In Persian literature, the poet Hafez also touches on this theme, saying:

“Forty years of your precious life have passed,
Yet your temperament has not left childhood behind.”

This verse aptly describes those who, despite the passage of years, remain childlike, trapped in prejudice and blind imitation. For Hafez, age is just a number, and the true measure of youthfulness is mental and moral growth that leads to intellectual independence and responsibility. Youthfulness means having the courage to think, act, and make an impact on society.

In a short piece by Abdul Shahid Saqib, a young Afghan writer and researcher, he discusses the Afghan youth, stating that many have not yet achieved individuality and remain more like tribal beings. The tribal person, like a child, sees themselves as merely a part of a group and their primary affiliations—such as race, tribe, religion, or birthplace—which, despite their problems, provide them with a sense of psychological security.

Saqib, referencing Erich Fromm’s book Escape from Freedom, explains that these dependencies are signs of fear of loneliness and clinging to the group, much like a child afraid of being alone. Today, many of our youth remain confined within these ethnic and religious frameworks, which is the biggest obstacle to true intellectual growth.

Indeed, Afghanistan has had and still has many youths, but unfortunately, a large portion of them have not been able to play a positive or impactful role. Instead of being innovators, they have become imitators who follow the old leaders—the very ones who led the country into crisis and this current state.

The Afghan youths, who should have been agents of change, mostly followed the old politicians and lacked the courage to think independently, take a critical perspective, or make bold decisions.

Instead of being a hopeful and constructive force for the country’s future, many Afghan youths have become entangled in local issues and unhealthy competitions. Their level of political awareness was low, and contrary to expectations, they displayed naive and thoughtless behavior.

They sold the values and ideals of youth for short-term and insignificant gains, which not only blocked their own progress but also pushed society toward collapse. This approach gradually led to the disintegration of Afghanistan, forcing many of these aimless youths to leave their homeland and become refugees. This harsh reality shows that the lack of purpose and planning among the youth can severely impact the destiny of a nation.

If youthfulness means responsibility, independent thinking, and striving for change, then it must be said that we have not yet become youthful. Our bodies have grown, but our minds remain closed and enslaved to old habits.

Today, our society needs its youths to be rebuilt and to grow more than ever before. We should not merely celebrate Youth Day and forget the true meaning of youthfulness.

As mentioned above, youthfulness goes beyond the number of years; a youth is someone who has reached intellectual maturity, can think for themselves, is responsible, and plays an active role in societal transformations.

Great thinkers like Avicenna, Kant, and Hafez have beautifully expressed this concept. Unfortunately, many Afghan youths remain trapped in tribal dependencies and limited perspectives, which hinder their true growth. Today, more than ever, we need to rebuild the minds and spirits of our youths to have a bright future ahead.