They Called Them Cockroaches… But They Forgot Who Builds Nations

There are moments in history when a single statement creates more noise than a thousand actions. Recently, a remark comparing young people to “cockroaches” spread across conversations, discussions, and social media. Some laughed. Some got angry. And many felt something deeper — a quiet disappointment. But beyond reactions, there is a bigger question that needs to be asked. Is this really how we see our youth? Or is it how we misunderstand them? A few days after hearing that statement, I sat in a small café and observed the people around me. At one table, a young boy was working on his laptop, probably trying to learn a new skill. At another, a group of students were discussing their future, their dreams, and their fears. In the corner, a delivery rider checked his phone, waiting for the next order that would help him earn enough for the day. None of them looked like “cockroaches.” They looked like people trying. Trying to survive. Trying to grow. Trying to become something better. The truth is, today’s youth are living in a time that is very different from the past. They are expected to succeed in a world that is more competitive, more expensive, and more uncertain than ever before. They face pressure not only from society but also from within — the pressure to prove themselves, to achieve something meaningful, and to not fall behind. And yet, instead of understanding this pressure, we often label them. Lazy. Careless. Irresponsible. Or worse… something less than human. But labels are easy. Understanding is difficult. Let’s take a step back. Every generation has been misunderstood by the one before it. There was a time when people said the same things about those who are now called “experienced” and “wise.” The difference is, they were given time. Time to fail. Time to learn. Time to grow. Today’s youth deserve the same. Not labels. Not insults. But opportunities. There is a story of a boy who failed multiple times in his studies. People around him started calling him useless. Some even said he would never succeed. But instead of accepting those words, he changed his approach. He started learning differently. Thinking differently. Working differently. Years later, he built something of his own — something that not only changed his life but also helped others. What changed? Not his ability. But his belief. This is the reality of youth. They are not defined by what they are called. They are defined by what they choose to become. Calling them names does not reduce their potential. It only shows our inability to understand them. Because if you look closely, you will see something powerful. You will see students studying late at night, even when they are tired. You will see young people learning skills online without any guidance. You will see individuals starting small businesses with almost nothing. You will see resilience. And resilience is not weakness. It is strength. The youth of today are not perfect. They make mistakes. They get distracted. They sometimes lose direction. But that does not make them worthless. It makes them human. And humans grow. The real question is not what they are today. The real question is what they can become tomorrow. History has shown us again and again that the same people who are doubted today become the ones who change the future. The same voices that are ignored today become the ones that lead tomorrow. So instead of calling them “cockroaches,” maybe we should ask: What are we doing to guide them? What are we doing to support them? What are we doing to understand them? Because a nation is not built by criticism. It is built by belief. And if we truly want progress, we must stop reducing our youth to labels and start recognizing their potential. Because the truth is simple: You can call them anything you want. But you cannot stop what they are capable of becoming.

In the end, the problem is not that the youth lack ability. The problem is that they are often seen through the wrong lens. When we judge them without understanding their struggles, we fail to see their true potential. Every generation carries its own challenges, and today’s youth are no different. They are adapting, learning, and evolving in ways that are not always visible at first glance. What they need is not labels, but trust. Not criticism, but guidance. Because when given the right direction, they are capable of achieving far more than what we expect from them.maybe the problem was never the youth. Maybe the problem was the way we chose to see them. Because when you reduce a generation to a label, you stop seeing their effort, their struggle, and their potential. And when you stop seeing that, you stop guiding them. The truth is simple: today’s youth are not asking to be praised — they are asking to be understood. And if we fail to understand them now, we may one day realize that we didn’t just misjudge a generation… we failed to support the very people who were meant to build our future.