One of the keywords to describe the 20s is “passion.” Under the name of passion, the 20s merge into reckless adventures, try something unexpected, or aim for a goal so unrealistic that everyone thinks it as a fantasy, not even a dream. The power of this young passion is more noticeable when looking into what the 20s actually do. When fueled by passion, people tend to express their wills through their actions, not just words. Carrying out one’s conviction through real action is something that should be accredited for, and it is often seen as a sign of the society’s progress. Like our parents’ generation who brought the democracy revolution in Korea by the passion in their 20s, us who are living in this era as 20s also have a potential to make such development through our passion-driven actions. However, there is one thing that can be neglected easily when this passion dominates - rationality.
Nobody can say whether the passion is more important than the rationality and vice versa; both are important qualities to maintain throughout one’s life. The youths are often skewed to passionate status; so energetic and determined to make “deeds” that they think it is right to do so. What the 20s needs to consider is that behind one’s passion to act, and the reasons  behind one’s decision are rooted in his/her perspective solely. Simply put, it is not an absolute truth, but an opinion that can be criticized. It is a common sense that everything made by man has defects. But when a strong passion takes place, people tend to miss out this point.
The current hot issues in Korea such as the ratification of  Korea-U.S. free trade agreement (FTA), the demonstration requiring half-price college tuition fees and so on are also some things that should be judged under the proper balance between the passion and the rationality. Many posters around the campus provoke students’ passion describing the issue as “the crisis of the nation.” Extreme examples brought up in the front to urge the students’ participation can be easily noticed as well.
Like the saying, “More haste, less speed,” the youths need to be more prudent when making action. I’m not saying that I agree with Korea-U.S FTA or that I am against the half-price tuition fees agenda. My message is that the youths should cool down their spirit a bit and try to reconsider the issues, and go back to the basics. Opening one’s mind to weigh both sides and checking what people are asking for is something that can be achieved throughout the  history or soon; all these trials are the very basics needed in making decisions. It is ironic that when students talk about their future plans like career paths, they are very careful, considering every option and sometimes think too much. But in terms of the social issues, most of the students express their ideas strongly and passionately, show their acute skepticism in an instant.
My worries behind this youth-spirited actions are “I am right in whatever the situation is,” kind of attitudes, not trying to listen to different opinions. Some might argue that too much thinking slow down the progress and take away the energy of the 20s. But what if our actions were based on the wrong information? How can we compensate the damages caused by rash actions? Balancing one’s passion and rationality will be considered more importantly when we start to think about the responsibility that each one of us carries. When thinking of the responsibility following the actions, choosing what to demand to the society, and to the school authority is an issue to be handled attentively.
It is true that “actions speak louder than words.” However, loud actions are not the keys to successful achievements; meaningful actions make unforgettable changes in history.
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