Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan participated in an online event organized by Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University. Speaking under the title ‘Changing World Changing Youth,’ Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that youth are paying the first price of the changing world, emphasizing that one must clearly define their ideals while realizing themselves. Tarhan gave advice to young people about the future at the event, saying; “Whatever you place at the center of your strategic goal, your future will be shaped accordingly.”
The event, which attracted great interest from students and academic staff, was moderated by Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University Rector's Advisor Prof. Dr. Ali Murat Alparslan.
“Youth are paying the first price of the changing world”
Emphasizing that whoever manages big data will be in a position to govern the world, Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that an evolution is taking place in science. Tarhan said; “Big data essentially means that science is evolving. In this situation, science is developing and changing very rapidly. We are living in an age of speed, and along with speed, an age of pleasure. In such a situation, the impact is so rapid… Because everything is changing quickly, our youth are the ones most affected by this speed. During this pandemic, we expected the elderly to be the most victimized. The ministry implemented restrictions and policies aimed at protecting them. This was done not only in Turkey but globally, but currently we have seen that young people aged seventeen and under, dealing with events and problems during adolescence, have started to become advanced patients requiring hospitalization. Here, youth are paying the first price of the changing world. They are paying it during adolescence. This is a fact, and we need to know it.” he stated.
“Its roots will be in the past, it will build the future”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan emphasized the need to preserve the essence of our traditions, underlining that what is needed is renovation, not reform. Tarhan said; “There is no need for reform because our truths are already correct. We have no issues regarding faith, but there is a serious need for re-evaluation and renewal concerning other matters. There is a need for a new approach. One must go from tradition to the future and examine the conditions of the present time. Hz. Ali has a saying; ‘Raise your children not according to your time, but according to the time they will live in.’ We are currently trying to raise our children not according to our own time, but according to past eras. On the contrary, we are at the other extreme. It is necessary to raise them according to the era they will live in in the future. This is where young people break the mold. There is a need to build some things in a new way, while preserving the main lines of our culture. Innovative, entrepreneurial, assertive, but with an ego ideal, meaning its roots will be from the past, and it will build the future. Generation Z will be such a youth.” he said.
“We must be good role models for youth and set good goals”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that social media's influence agents are bringing young people under the sway of voluntary imperialism, emphasizing that young people need to protect themselves. Tarhan said; “We must be good role models for youth and set good goals. Currently, there are influence agents on social media. Through these influence agents, social media is bringing youth under the sway of voluntary imperialism. If our youth protect themselves from voluntary imperialism now, the future will be theirs. Since we are now in a free world, the state and parents will not show good and evil; our youth will discover it themselves. For this, they should set high goals and ideals that surpass themselves, and compete with them. They should not compare themselves to anyone. For this reason, I believe that young people who act this way will win, but those who do not, and instead let themselves be carried by the flow of time, will be thrown into the trash bins of history.” he stated.
“Happiness is like a colorful shadow…”
Prof. Dr. Tarhan stated that trust is built as one becomes useful to others; “Happiness is like a colorful shadow; if you try to catch it, it runs away, but if you do your work, it follows you. Therefore, as you become useful to people, trust forms unknowingly. People will naturally come and find you. That’s why one should not place self-interest, gain, or money at the center of their life strategy. If one does, they will remain like a cat trying to catch its own tail. We will place the ideals of being a good, righteous person at the center of our life strategy. First, we need to change the program in our brains.” he stated.
“People with the ideal of doing something for the society they live in can produce good things”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, noting that every life event has two dimensions when experiencing stress; “One is a threat dimension, the other is an opportunity dimension. If we approach this pandemic with its threat dimension, we will withdraw into ourselves. This is where what we call the 'bad world syndrome' emerges. The bad world syndrome has three pillars. First, the person becomes depressed, withdraws, collapses. Second, they become aggressive, attacking left and right, and third, some of these individuals become indifferent, give up, let everything go, abandoning life as if in neutral gear. For example, when a flood comes, there are three types of behavior. The first is to complain, to approach with grievances, saying ‘Why did this flood come? Why did it rain?’ This is unfortunately very common in our culture. It's the easy way out, you blame others and feel relieved. The second approach is, the flood has come, what's done is done, to give oneself up to the flood and drown. The third approach is to look for a log, hold onto it, and try to save yourself from the direction of the current. You will focus on how to turn this situation into an opportunity, but not to satisfy your ego. I should not do it just for myself, to achieve my high goals. A person who only works for themselves is bad. People who have the ideal of doing something for the society they live in, for humanity, existence, and creation, can produce good things.” he said.
“A pessimist cannot manage their future”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan also offered advice to young people regarding future anxiety, emphasizing that a pessimist cannot manage their future. Tarhan said; “The first fundamental need to manage the future is the feeling of hope. If there is an expectation of recovery and a feeling of hope, there is nothing a person cannot solve. Everything has a remedy except death. Everything has a solution, an exit. There can be a Plan A, a Plan B, and a Plan C. Someone with goals performs sustainable work. Therefore, my greatest advice to young people is to have an ego ideal for which you will labor, suffer, sweat, and get tired. Have high ideals related to humanity. Currently, there is a success-oriented life philosophy. However, success is total success. It becomes clear at the end of life. No one can say 'I am successful' or 'I am unsuccessful'. A person successful today can be the opposite tomorrow. Therefore, total success becomes clear at the end of life. Just like total quality in a factory.” he said.
“A world is emerging where the number of people who want the world to revolve around themselves is rapidly increasing”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan noted that one must clearly define their ideals while realizing themselves; “We need to clearly define our social and cultural ideals. California Syndrome has four main symptoms. First is hedonism, a life philosophy that considers pleasure as the ego ideal. Second is narcissism, that is, egocentrism. A world is emerging where the number of people who want the world to revolve around themselves is rapidly increasing. Third, loneliness arises from these people because the biggest organ of the narcissistic system is the ego. These individuals see everyone else as second-class, as 'the other'. When their spouse is sick, they don't care, saying, ‘I came to this world once, I will live my life.’ It comes to that point. The word 'sacrifice' is not in their vocabulary; if they do make sacrifices, it is purely for self-interest. In other words, a self-interest-centered life philosophy has emerged. And fourth, unhappiness and depression have now emerged.” he said.
“The magic concept: Self-development”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that true freedom is being able to free oneself from the malevolent emotions within; “True freedom is not ‘Tear down your walls, break your chains, live your life!’ True freedom is being able to free oneself from the malevolent emotions within. True freedom is being able to free oneself from desires and ambitions. For this, there will be an ideal; purpose creates need, need creates desire, and desire creates motivation, so you activate yourself. Therefore, the magic concept here is self-realization; you will draw a roadmap with a high goal, a high purpose, and whatever you place at the center of your strategy, that is your value. If you put money at the center of your strategy, that's what you are, but if you put virtuousness, that's what you are. That is why human free will exists.” he stated.
“Whatever you place at the center of your strategic goal, your future will be shaped accordingly”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that while past generations matured through difficulties, new generations now have to mature amidst abundance; “Currently, maturing amidst abundance is more difficult. Despite all precautions, suicide and addiction cases are increasing globally, geometrically. In such a situation, the most important thing to do is for the person to succeed in protecting their mental health. This is referred to as psychological resilience training, the phenomenon called psychological flexibility. You will be like rubber. A sponge absorbs stress, a Teflon pan burns whatever touches it without being affected itself; narcissistic people are like that, but they end up alone. There is also a rubber-type person in stress management, who stretches and then returns to their original state. Be flexible in the face of events, learn something, and then return to your original state. Therefore, do not be afraid of difficulty; seek out challenges. The most important thing I say is to seek out challenges and act by considering the opportunity dimension of every event that comes your way. There is a hidden psychological law: when good things are programmed into the human brain, it perceives good things more, events actually form good connections, good options appear before them, and people make good decisions. If one acts with fear, they attract what they fear more. If one acts with hatred, they attract what they hate more. Humankind is made up of a mixture of negative and positive emotions. Do not ignore your negative emotions. Sadness is also peculiar to humans, as are pain, sorrow, and grief… We will experience these, but then we will learn something from them. That is, we will prepare for winter, but we will not wait for winter. After preparing for winter, we will wait for summer. If we can do this, we can shape our future better. Whatever you place at the center of your strategic goal, your future will be shaped accordingly.” he stated.
At the end of the organized online event, it was stated that 72 saplings would be planted in various areas of Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University on behalf of Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan.
The online event concluded after a group photo session.