A surreal scene took place over the weekend in Budapest, around Deák tér: thousands of young people trampled over each other to catch the thousands thrown from the roof.
A company that produces phone cases, Mobilfox, has announced that they will scatter two million forints on the streets. All this was announced by a popular influencer among teenagers, and a lot of people gathered at his call. Several people in the crowd got sick as the young people pushed each other. But what does this sequence show? Christian psychologist Zsófia Schindler answers.
I look at the pictures and at first I think I see an open-air worship service. Eyes fixed on the sky, faces expressing anticipation, raised hands. Then, in one of the photos, I notice something blue in the air, which swings from the roof of a nearby building to the crowd, which is mostly young people. I quickly realize that I was wrong: the enthusiastic teenagers did not gather to praise God, nor were they driven by community spirit, but by the promise that thousands of banknotes would fall from the sky that day.
An influencer announced that if everything goes according to his plans, his followers can count on a little pocket money. So it was.
Let's make two things clear before trying to make sense of what happened. One is that we were all teenagers. We know what it's like to want something without having the financial resources to own it. The other is that a little fun never hurt anyone. There is nothing wrong with doing something that would make no sense as an adult. But the question is:
did we witness this over the weekend? For a little harmless fun? According to the news, no one was injured, although I think that can only be attributed to luck. Why do I still feel that the rain of money has little use?
Let me put what happened in a wider context. Years ago, when I was working with high school students, most of the class wanted to be the flu. They listened disinterestedly to the speakers of the career orientation day, saying that they already have a fixed vision for the future: as soon as they finish their studies, they will go to YouTube and TikTok.
You don't need thousands to fall from the sky for young people to believe that money comes easily. The influencer culture has been conveying this message for years.
You can have money even if you sleep until noon. You can drive a good car without a degree. In fact! People who work 8-4 will never vacation in the Bahamas. Why would anyone want a job when you can earn an amazing amount of money with a few TikTok videos? And let's face it: it's true. The standard of living of a mason, salesman, doctor, teacher or carpenter is not comparable to that of social media stars.
WHAT IS THE MESSAGE HERE AND WHERE DID IT GO?
Let's face it, nothing fell from the sky over the weekend that we couldn't get to otherwise. We can have money even if mother Holle doesn't shake her pillow full of bills. Namely, by working for it. And if this is not possible for the time being due to age, then the good old piggy bank can also help. Of course, I don't know what proportion of the young people stretching in the crowd are squatting for their Christmas money or doing some sort of student work. Maybe a lot of people, but they came nonetheless. But what did they experience in the crowded Deák square?
That if they get placed, the money literally falls into their laps. That it's no problem if they step over three other people, as long as they own the thousand.
That they don't have to grit their teeth and hold on to a job, because they can grow without it. But before we rush to condemn the next generation, we should take a hard look at ourselves. Have we, the adult society, done everything to make them think differently? Have we said enough that finding your calling is one of the best things in life? That not only money matters when we choose a career, but also that we can fulfill ourselves in it? How can we serve others with our work? That service and entertainment are not the same thing? That the former is more valuable than the latter?
Unfortunately, there is much more talk about how work is suffering.
That working 8-4 is equivalent to a punishment. That the boss is a tyrant. That colleagues are unbearable. Don't get me wrong: the workplace conditions and the way we relate to each other could be improved. Those who do their work honestly, conscientiously and to the best of their ability deserve more respect. But that still makes it good to work and be active. It gives us the opportunity to live independently, to provide for our needs, to experience small or large successes, to develop and shape ourselves.
It would be time to talk about the beauty of work and profession.
And if we do this, the next money shower will probably be a much smaller attraction.
Featured image: ncl
