Üsküdar Üniversitesi Young Brains Academy (GBA), in collaboration with Hatay Governorship and the Black Sea Confederation of Civil Society Organizations (KASTOB), held a Youth Webinar with Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan titled 'Hope for Youth, Life for Hatay' within the scope of the Ministry of Youth and Sports' 'Support Program for Empowering Youth Affected by Disaster'. Young people showed great interest in the online seminar. Tarhan stated that civil society activities are those where young people collect memories in their lives, and that projects with spiritual value are very precious. Tarhan also stated that young people should not fall into despair and pessimism, and that those with high hope will endure. Emphasizing that social media acts as a mask when it should be a mirror, Tarhan compared social media to nuclear energy.
Attendees of the online seminar included Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, Young Brains Academy Application and Research Center (GBA) Director Dr. Nebiye Yaşar, Türkiye Bayburtlular Federation Board Chairman Hasan Saka, İstanbul Chamber of Commerce Council Member İshak Koçoğlu, as well as confederation members, academics, and students from Hatay.
Journalist Şaban Özdemir moderated the organized discussion.
“Civil society activities are those where young people collect memories in their lives”
Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan emphasized the importance of spiritual investments in the 'Hope for Youth, Life for Hatay' program. Tarhan said; “Civil society activities are those where young people collect memories in their lives. In other words, young people share experiences, collect memories, and record life events through these activities. These become seeds sown in their developing souls. They become seeds that will bear fruit in 10, 20 years. Therefore, projects like these do not immediately appear as investments made in stone and soil. Investments made to develop strong character emerge in later years. There is a Chinese proverb that says, 'If you want a yield for a year, plant grain; if you want a yield for ten years, plant trees; but if you want a yield for a hundred years, cultivate people.' These are activities that cultivate people. These are beautiful projects, especially those that are invisible, not immediately paid for, but have immense spiritual value and are medium to long-term. I especially thank our Minister of Youth and Sports for supporting such projects and for his sensitivity in providing support.”
The “Flood-Log” metaphor for the impact of artificial intelligence…
Tarhan explained digitalization and its current state using the metaphor of a flood; “For example, when it rains heavily, there's a flood, the river overflows, and logs float on the river. There are three attitudes here. The first curses, saying, 'Where did this rain come from, why did it flood?' and can do nothing. They only increase their own stress. The second group tries to grab and save a log in this flood. This is also useful, but there is a third group that is much more important. They try to guide the logs in the flood. They act not just for their own benefit but considering the benefit of everything there, the future, and others. They approach it this way. Now, artificial intelligence is like this too. Just like the change the printing press brought to humans. It will make huge changes in human life. In other words, the change in artificial intelligence is much different from others, it will greatly break the mold.”
The Right Position Must Be Taken Against Artificial Intelligence
Tarhan stated that artificial intelligence should be used in a goal-oriented manner; “Technology itself is neutral. Humans have a goal and a strategy. If you have a goal and a strategy, technology becomes an opportunity. Artificial intelligence becomes an opportunity. If you don't have a goal and a strategy, you're like a ship that has left the harbor. You have no destination, no compass, you'll drift, be used, sink, but if you have a goal and a strategy, you can use artificial intelligence like a wind. It is said that the wind makes the kite fly. In fact, the wind doesn't make the kite fly. The positions taken against the wind make it fly. If we take the right position against artificial intelligence now, AI will rapidly take us towards our goal. Here, young people fall into pleasure traps. They let themselves be carried away by artificial intelligence. Someone without a goal cannot say no to it. They fall into pleasure traps. Young people are struggling with this. Currently, these generations are somewhat at risk. When the internet first emerged, we drifted for a while, then we started using the internet beneficially. Now artificial intelligence has emerged, and there will again be those who drift, but those who take the right position will use AI like a wind, and they will approach their goals better.”
“Those with high hope will endure”
Tarhan stated that young people should not fall into despair and pessimism; “The leadership of NGOs is very important for young people. We are also trying to do this in our own capacity and field. Those who govern the country are aware of this and are trying to do it. Global winds will blow, they will come. Therefore, young people should not fall into despair or pessimism at all. With this beautiful project, we said 'Hope for Youth, Life for Hatay'. The feeling of despair and pessimism is currently what affects young people the most. There is no need for young people to be pessimistic. If the current youth potential is guided well, the feeling of despair and pessimism will decrease. Difficulties can be experienced, economic difficulties can be experienced, social difficulties can be experienced, generational conflicts can be high. A young person who does not fall into despair against this will seize the future. The critical concept here is hope. Those with high hope will endure and rule the future.”
“There is an artificial wave of despair in Türkiye”
Tarhan stated that the feeling of despair and pessimism is demotivating; “This generation is conformist, hasty, and impatient. These characteristics push them towards despair and pessimism. They have a tendency to fall into pessimism, thinking, 'What will I do when I enter business life someday, when I graduate from university?' These tendencies break their motivation. Normally, the rate of going abroad is high in foreign high schools, but even in our national high schools, nearly 100% of final-year students want to go abroad. This is a serious brain drain. Currently, there is an artificial wave of despair in Türkiye. Türkiye has made significant infrastructure investments over the past 20 years. If there is no Plan A, there is a Plan B, a Plan C. Young people will do that. Falling into despair and pessimism is demotivating. Because it is demotivating, it pushes individuals towards laziness and avoidance.”
“The method of conquest for this era is to conquer hearts”
Tarhan explained the importance of the power of ideas; “The method of this era should not be to conquer castles, to conquer cities, but to conquer minds, to conquer hearts. The method of conquest for this era is to conquer hearts and minds. In other words, we will not see our strength in economic power, in monetary power. We will see our strength in the power of ideas. A person who trusts their ideas is not afraid of debate.”
“Social Media Becomes a Mask When It Should Be a Mirror”
Tarhan, comparing social media to nuclear energy, said; “Social media becomes a mask when it should be a mirror. Someone dealing with human psychology should be a mirror to their patient. The right therapist becomes a mirror to that person. That person finds themselves in you. They get to know themselves, embark on a journey of self-discovery. The person discovers themselves. If we do this, we become telepathically beneficial to that person. Here, social media gives people false masks. It makes them fall into pleasure traps. It leads to shortcuts and, as a result, does not encourage medium-to-long-term thinking. Here, someone with a goal worth tiring for, working for, sweating for, will not fall into the trap of social media. They use social media like nuclear energy. If you misuse nuclear energy, it becomes an atomic bomb and explodes. If you use it well, it illuminates your city. Therefore, let's not see social media as a threat, but as an opportunity. Principled people can do this. And principled people are those who pursue purpose and meaning.”
“Earn with your labor, let it be with your values, live with your honor”
Tarhan gave advice to young people on their life's journey; “I have a three-sentence motto I can tell young people. 'Earn with your labor, let it be with your values, live with your honor.' They should make this their life motto. Sweat, get tired, earn with your labor. There is nothing more beautiful than walking with your head held high. Therefore, live with your honor. To live with this honor, one must have values. Values accumulate treasure, capital. These are the traffic signs on the road of life. You might have learned them from your mother and father in childhood. You might have also learned wrong things. It is in your hands to change them. We will have an ideal, we will have meaning. This is vision. A young person with such a vision is the Conqueror of this era. In other words, if we want a young person like Fatih Sultan Mehmet, let's give them an ego ideal. A young person with an ego ideal will now find their own path.”
“On one side of the scale is freedom, on the other is responsibility”
Tarhan explained the importance of the balance between freedom and responsibility; “Maintaining the balance between freedom and responsibility is very important for both parents and young people. On one side of the scale is freedom, on the other is responsibility. In other words, if there is too little responsibility and too much freedom, you will go off track. Life is like riding a bicycle. If you ride too fast, you'll tumble. If you ride with excessive fear, with the fear of not making mistakes, you still won't progress. In fact, if you stop, you will fall. Both are toxic. Excessive freedom is toxic, and excessive responsibility is also toxic. It makes a person lose their way. That's why there is a wise Stoic prayer between these two toxic traits. This is a very beautiful expression. A prayer that philosophy makes and that is also suitable for our belief system. It says, 'My God, give me patience to endure and persevere in the face of difficulties. Give me hope to work in this direction. And give me wisdom to discern this.' Let them use this prayer and not lose their hope…”
Dr. Nebiye Yaşar: “I hope our program leads to good things”
Young Brains Academy (GBA) Director Dr. Nebiye Yaşar delivered her speech at the organized program. Yaşar said; “I am proud to be with you all here today. I hope this project takes us on many beautiful journeys. I especially thank the Ministry of Youth and Sports for supporting our project. I hope our program leads to good things.”
Hasan Saka: “‘Hope for Youth, Life for Hatay’ is a very important project”
Within the scope of the program, Türkiye Bayburtlular Federation Board Chairman Hasan Saka delivered his speech. Saka said; “‘Hope for Youth, Life for Hatay’ is a very important project. I sincerely thank Üsküdar Üniversitesi. With the wish that projects continue to increase…”
İshak Koçoğlu: “Very valuable in terms of extending a hand of hope”
İstanbul Chamber of Commerce Council Member İshak Koçoğlu also spoke within the scope of the program. Koçoğlu said; “I find this project of ours very valuable in terms of extending a hand of hope to young people.”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan also answered young people's questions in the program, which garnered significant interest.