Hi,

The teenagers of Naples are making out on the rocks by the sea, as the afternoon sun sparkles on the water. They hug and kiss hello and make jokes about having to wash their hands or else they may die. Many don’t wear face masks (I guess it’s impractical to make out while wearing one) and get together in large groups. It’s a mix of hormones and the warmth of spring that drives them, combined with  

I look at them as I walk around Naples after a full seven weeks in lockdown. To be honest, I am as desperate as they are to take my mask off, and I fantasise about being as carefree as a teenager.

But their apparent recklessness also makes me angry. Don’t they know they could catch the coronavirus and pass it on to their grandparents? Have they not been watching the news? Italy has a sad record: the country currently ranks third in the world when it comes to deaths caused by the coronavirus.

And at the same time, I feel that these particular teenagers, here in Naples, are awfully reckless.

It may seem ironic and contradictory, but these two elements are actually two sides of the same coin.

Sarah-Jayne Blakemore, professor of psychology and cognitive neuroscience at the University of Cambridge, explains it really well in this Ted Talk.

YouTube
Find out all about the mysterious workings of the developing brain.

If you don’t have time to watch the video, Blakemore basically says that certain crucial elements of our brain are still developing until we are well in to our twenties. This means that these adolescents I see sharing fluids in the open air in Naples are basically brains under construction.

This makes them more prone to risk and peer pressure, and makes them more emotional. But there’s a flip side to this, which is what I explore in my piece.

Illustration of children climbing up boxes, a stage with a microphone on top
This beautiful illustration by Monica Garwood accompanies my piece.

Why should we take children seriously?

There are some scientific reasons that explain why children are more politically aware than we like to think and much more clear-headed about the fights we should be fighting.

Children: 

  • Ask hundreds of good questions, even when they’re embarrassing or uncomfortable
  • Have an unusual eye for essence (just think of the naked emperor)
  • Are incredibly creative
  • Have a deep love for nature

Under-18s represent close to a third of the world’s population. Are we going to pretend that they are empty vessels that we need to fill up until they become proper human beings (ie adults), or can we just stop for a moment and pay attention to their wisdom?

This is why, together with conversation editor Nabeelah Shabbir, we invited under-18 activists from around the world to participate in a conversation below my article. We want to hear from them directly.

The importance of asking questions

There’s nobody better than Mafalda to illustrate children’s wisdom. – the creation of Quino, a brilliant illustrator. Despite being drawn up in the 1960s, Mafalda’s words remain very relevant. (The black-and-white pencil-drawn strips were translated into many European languages, but very few are available in English.)

Two comic strips. In the first one there is a girl, Mafalda, reading a book. She reads out a passage that says: Life begins at forty. She then says "And so why the devil did they make us arrive so early?" The second one shows Mafalda looking at her dad listening to football on the radio and her mother getting her hair ready. She then thinks to herself: Sometimes I wonder if I am really in good hands.
I found these two English translations here: http://websterschoolofenglish.blogspot.com/2009/07/mafalda.html

Mafalda makes fun of adults and is constantly worried about world peace and inequality. Just look at this poignant moment when she realises how the southern hemisphere is depicted in the globe. 

This is a comic strip in which Mafalda and her father look at a globe. Mafalda discovers that Argentina is in the southern hemisphere and screams: We live upside-down! The comic then looks upside-down, with Mafalda saying: My word! I think from now on I’ll feel more attached to this ground!
I found this English translation here: https://www.quora.com/Which-is-better-Mafalda-or-Calvin-and-Hobbes

There’s pretty much a Mafalda comic to tackle any issue.

For example, children’s natural ability to ask questions, and why that is revolutionary. (Here she talks to her baby brother Guille.)

In this comic strip, Mafalda is with her younger brother Guille who is asking questions. When Mafalda tells him that their father is away because he is at work, and Guille asks why, Mafalda answers: Because it’s how this world works, Guille! Guille responds by asking Why? once more. Mafalda replies: One and a half and already a candidate for tear gas.
I found this English translation here: https://globalmelange.com/en/2019/12/29/mafalda-in-buenos-aires/

So, you know that questions are welcome here. Feel free to come ask them below the piece. I will be there to answer them, as will be a great number of interesting people.

Here are some of the guests – I hope you can sign in and ask your question!

  • Lucy Gray, 13, climate activist from New Zealand who has met with Jacinda Ardern
  • Kamogelo, 17, writer and activist from South Africa
  • Haneen Amir, 15, Sudanese girl who took part in all the year-long independence protests and appeared on TV criticising the military council and demanding a civilian government
  • James Marten, professor specialised in histories of children and youth, Marquette University
  • Victor Sande-Aneiros, writer at Child Rights International Network, a think tank focussing on children’s rights

Until next week, happy questioning!

Irene

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