There is a shift going on right now that I've been trying to put my finger on. My awareness of it was sparked a couple of weeks ago with this story of close to 40% of Stanford undergrads now claiming some form of disability in order to qualify for better housing. Somehow, we refuse to believe that young adults are also subject to the same impossible equation that has paralyzed the entire middle class: a huge rise in cost-of-living, healthcare, education, and even basic necessities like food and housing, while salaries are stagnant and possibly even moving in the wrong direction. No one is thriving. We're just trying not to die. And yet:

One of the most prestigious universities in the US offers perks to those who say they have ADHD, night terrors, even gluten intolerance. You’d be stupid not to game the system

We somehow find ourselves in the very real situation where the incentives that are out there just don't align with what should be the larger goals for a society. Do we really think we can encourage undergrads at one of our most elite universities to "game the system" and not pay the price for that collectively when those very students take positions of power?

Along with that, we also see the rise in pop music of a general "get it while you can" mentality. Somehow we expect the youngest generation to navigate this with perfect selflessness and integrity, even as the current president will stop at nothing to put someone else's money in his pocket. The cultural cognitive dissonance right now is really at an all-time high. And sweet baby Jesus, the gaslighting. We should be talking about the Dow Jones index passing 50,000, I guess. My bad. All that does is alienate those of us who are observant enough to see the disconnect. Which is to say, it is a dangerous path we are on when we willingly release our children into a society that feels chaotic at best, if not completely and criminally misaligned.

Gaza. Iran. Minnesota. I could go on.

Against that canvas, emerges the inspirational role model that is Alysa Liu. She plays by her own rules, she doesn't take shit from anybody, she has a very unique sense of style that she is not afraid to celebrate, and most importantly, she elevates the act of self expression above the win. You would be hard pressed to hand-craft a better message for our young people. This is a powerful antidote to the fragmentation of modern society via the isolation of social media, the burgeoning police state, and the convenience of conformity. When personal voice is encouraged, when originality is a virtue and not a liability, that's when we need each other. That's what encourages community, and collective effort. It's only when one subgroup lifts themselves above the rest that we become uncomfortable. That is, of course, where we are right now.

Winning isn't all that and neither is losing. It's just something that happens, it's the outcome, but what matters is input and the journey. I would say take a break if you are stuck in something for so long it's not that good, that's why I like I literally retired and it was the best thing I could have done for myself.

And through retirement I realized that I am a little bit like of a creative person, I have these ideas. I have my my own sense of fashion. I'm a little bit stubborn with it and so I came back to share all of my art. I love I love to dance, I love choreography, moving to music, and I do it ... on my own terms. No one tells me what to do and I take breaks even now and I think that's the way to do it. – Alysa Liu

Agreed. That's the way to do it.

Congralutations, Alysa. You are a true original and the world loves you for it.

An entire generation of creatives now feels empowered to be themselves.