In light of the worldwide success of the movie “The Hunger Games,” I felt that comparing the movie’s plot to current events might do us all some good. The basic premise of the movie is that the young citizens of several districts of a nation must compete to the death in an annual game called the Hunger Games. The sport is watched by those members of society “above” the lower class people of the districts, and the entire movie has the feel of a modern day version of the movie “Gladiator.”

I felt the movie had another, much more current plot based on the elders of a society allowing the young to “eat” or kill themselves in order to maintain a peaceful society and keep everything humming along. To me, this is a very similar thing that often happens in a society, organization or community. The elders refuse to give up positions of authority or wealth and force the young to fight amongst themselves for the scraps left over by those in charge.

The result is a collection of resources at the top and a desperate attempt by the younger members of society to enter the circle. This is in stark contrast to early America, when Thomas Jefferson penned the Declaration of Independence at the youthful age of 33.

If we are to maintain competitiveness as a community, state or nation in a world filled with globally minded citizens and organizations, we must include the youth in all that we do. Their energy, ideas and obvious desire to create a better world for themselves demands their inclusion in the decisions that shape our world.

Today’s youth are globally connected, fast and understand that you must quickly adapt in this world if you are to thrive. This adaptability alone is an asset that would immensely improve the current stagnation affecting organizations of all types in a America.

Unless we desire a young population that is unable climb the ladder of our society due to being locked out of resources, connections and opportunities, we must bring them into the fold, unleash their energy and allow them to envision a better future for all of us.

The last bite…

I ate one of the best homemade cheesecakes this Easter Sunday. The cheesecake was the perfect texture and the presentation was something you would see on the Food Network. Nevertheless, the best part was the crust! It was made out of cookies and tasted like a desert all by itself! I made a special trip to get a slice of this cheesecake and it was worth every mile! I give homemade cheesecake with a cookie crust 5 (out of 5) crumbs!

Buddy Boe, a resident of Garyville, owns a public relations and program management company and is well known on the local political (and food) scenes. His column appears Wednesdays in L’Observateur.