Dubai: Tackling materialistic attitudes of the youth calls for bridging the widening gap between youngsters and their parents, believes former UAE footballer, Hassan Murad.
Murad, 40, believes it is important for Emirati youths to attune themselves, mentally, socially, professionally and environmentally to catch up with the rapid development of their nation. The message needs to come from the older generation in a form the youth can relate to, he feels.
"The government is doing its best to promote opportunities and productivity amongst the country's youth but we also need frank and open communication from the parents," Murad said. "We are a small nation with a conservative culture but we have seen our country modernise very quickly and I'm afraid our youths think they are modern only because they live in it."
He added that a section of Emirati youth have yet to adopt the right attitude that would help them be part of a nation at the forefront of the region's development.
"This country has developed for their personal development and for them to upgrade their knowledge through education as well as their behavioural attitudes," he said.
"[But] they are missing many of these positive traits because of a lack of awareness from their parents who are working too hard to spend quality time with them."
Unnerving exposure
Closing the generation gap calls for Emirati elders to try to understand the youth and comprehend the world they live in and what they are exposed to, Murad said.
"Today's young generation is exposed to everything and we need to accept that," he said. "There is nothing to hide anymore because the youth see everything."
Murad has been a involved with football his entire life. He played for the UAE national football team for six years from the age of 25. All the while, the father of five was working his way up the ranks in the Dubai Municipality where he is now head of planning.
He also recently graduated with an MBA from Murdoch University Dubai and a year ago set up his own sports marketing business, Professional Links.
"What I see happening today is youths' sleeping half the day away because they think everything is easy," he said. "[But] the truth is, it was people's hard work that built what they are now taking for granted and it is the youths' job to carry this development even further."
For the majority of Emirati youths to grasp this fact they need to be constantly challenged in various ways and be burdened with responsibility, he added.
"If technology was to collapse what would they do?" he asks.
"I'd like to ask this new and young generation that if the petrol money was to run out tomorrow and there were no more iPads or flashy cars, who is it they would be?"
