Why aren’t young people allowed to be naïve?

by Ryan Deluchi

Image by Ellen Kompatscher

Naivety (noun) na·​ive·​ty: lack of experience, wisdom, or judgement. 

By definition, youth and naivety go hand in hand.

How can a young person be anything but? What’s more – why is this a bad thing?

Naivety is about learning from mistakes. It’s about curiosity. It’s about trying things on for size; finding a voice and getting to grips with the world around us. Without naivety, growth cannot happen.

Unfortunately, in 2022 it seems that many young people are rarely given the space or permission to be naïve – particularly those in the public eye.

There have been plenty of hot takes on Molly-Mae Hague’s recent comments on the Diary of a CEO podcast – with ‘naïve’ being one of the kinder accusations levelled at the influencer.

The irony is that her comments would have barely registered had they come from those ‘old enough to know better’ (the Conservative party is practically built on the notion that hard work leads to individual success).

So why such a backlash towards a 22-year old former Love Island contestant when they’re merely pointing out what a lot of others are already thinking?

The public pile-on is indicative of a wider trend towards young people in the public eye being expected to have it all figured out; of fame and fortune being equated to experience and judgment in the minds of many.

The shaming of unvaccinated Premier League footballers is another example of the hypocrisy at play when it comes to the young and famous. Recent numbers showed that 68% of Premier League players were fully vaccinated – exactly the same proportion as all 20-30 year old men in the UK. Yet for some reason, the fact these young men get paid vast sums to kick a ball around for our entertainment means they must be held to a greater standard than their non-footballer peers when it comes to vaccinations. Do these young men not have the same concerns and doubts as the rest of us?

And so the young and famous find themselves in a paradoxical situation – keep quiet and risk having your silence taken as indifference, or – god forbid – have an actual opinion and face the wrath of every troll, journalist and cultural commentator out there that disagrees.

Never before has there been so much pressure to say the right thing – and never before has it been so hard to know what that thing is.

Many young people up and down the country will find themselves agreeing with Hague’s comments. Some of those will do so silently for fear of being ridiculed themselves. Others will simply become more entrenched in their views, doubling down against pervasive wokeness.

Neither is particularly healthy or constructive. Unless young people are afforded the freedom to express their opinions and explore the opinions of others, it seems culture wars are here to stay.