Native Youth Movement Statement on Social Media

The Native Youth Movement has written an important statement, targeted to other native youths, but a valuable read for everyone. It lays out their vision: "to raise babies who are Independent of other humans and machines, knowing the land & water, how to sustain themselves with real skills, working with the Natural Law, Food Harvesting, Building, Healing, Protecting, Clothing, Making Fire, with good Leadership Qualities, Virtues and all the skills for living on the Land in various seasons and terrains." It examines how civilization went so far off track and how the modern "Tech-No-Logic World" and the Internet have expanded centralized control over our lives. It calls on indigenous people to decolonize and restore mental, physical, and social health, contrasting the narcissism bred and encouraged by "Fed-book" (Facebook) with true self-esteem born of serving one's community with useful skills. The statement asks crucial questions including "Are We Stronger Social Beings because of Fed-book?" and "What type of future Adults are we raising today?"

The final pages examine the ease of federal data mining and infiltration of social media, and the illusion of organizing by clicking to "friend" someone vs developing real world, face to face, long-term relationships.

Download the Native Youth Movement Statement on Social Media (175K - 21 page PDF)