--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As a general observation, I think our…" description: "\"“As a general observation, I think our high school and college-age students are wonderful, that they’re striving collectively, I think, to be as fine a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fe/jeffrey-r-holland-1190_high-school_as-a-general-observation-i-think-our-hig_1844384.png" --- # As a general observation, I think our high school and… ![“As a general observation, I think our high school and college-age students are wonderful, that they’re striving collectively, I think, to be as fine a generation of young people as we have ever had in this Church. But even as I say that, I am quick to acknowledge--and I don’t want to minimize that…” quote by Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fe/jeffrey-r-holland-1190_high-school_as-a-general-observation-i-think-our-hig_1844384.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fe/jeffrey-r-holland-1190_high-school_as-a-general-observation-i-think-our-hig_1844384.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fe/jeffrey-r-holland-1190_high-school_as-a-general-observation-i-think-our-hig_1844384.png) > ““As a general observation, I think our high school and college-age students are wonderful, that they’re striving collectively, I think, to be as fine a generation of young people as we have ever had in this Church. But even as I say that, I am quick to acknowledge--and I don’t want to minimize that compliment, but I am quick to acknowledge what you already know--that exceptions to that rule are too many and often far too serious. When our youth sin now, they can do so in such flagrantly offensive ways with ever more serious consequences in their lives. That is the world we are in and it is, by scriptural definition, a world that is getting progressively more wicked. So over time we will continue to see a steady deterioration of what is acceptable in movies, on television, in pop music (which, in the case of rap lyrics, isn’t even music at all), and, perhaps in our most dangerous contemporary foe, abuse of the Internet. I have learned what you have learned--that the door to permissiveness, the door to promiscuity and lewdness, swings only one way. It only opens farther and farther; it never swings back. Individuals can choose to close it, but it is quite certain, historically speaking, that public appetite and public policy will never close it.”” [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Youth culture is increasingly permissive, leading to moral decline and societal issues. **In simple terms:** Youth are facing more moral challenges. Key Takeaway Promote values and personal responsibility. Themes culture morality media influence Mood concerned hopeful Type religious inspirational When to use this quote - schools - families - churches - online platforms Key Concepts permissiveness technology social decay Questions to Reflect On - How can we guide youth toward healthier choices? - What role should institutions play? A Different Perspective Changing norms can be resisted through community effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [High school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-school/) [Pop music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pop-music/) [Rap Lyric](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rap-lyric/) [Rap lyrics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rap-lyrics/) [Young people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-people/) [Youth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/youth/) ## Related quotes > [I love rap lyrics, I love hearing people rap, I love molding a thought or idea into the shape that fits on a rap…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/i-love-rap-lyrics-i-love-hearing-people-rap-i-love-molding-a-thought/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [At 24 I decided that my life is enough for me, and I stopped looking for some other piece to complete it. I also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/at-24-i-decided-that-my-life-is-enough-for-me-and-i-stopped-looking/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [“If you can't tell from my rap lyrics already, yes I am a feminist. And when I'm saying "hoe" or "bitch" I am actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mcgoldrick/if-you-can-t-tell-from-my-rap-lyrics-already-yes-i-am-a-feminist-and/) Scott McGoldrick > [“Growing out of the housing projects and ghettos on the West Coast in the 1980s, gangsta rap made the gritty reality of gangs, violence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/growing-out-of-the-housing-projects-and-ghettos-on-the-west-coast-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You might remember me from Eminem's rap lyrics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-green/you-might-remember-me-from-eminem-s-rap-lyrics/) [Tom Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-green/) > [By no means am I excusing homophobic rap lyrics, but as a product of the same environments that birthed hip-hop, I fully understand why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karamo-brown/by-no-means-am-i-excusing-homophobic-rap-lyrics-but-as-a-product-of/) [Karamo Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karamo-brown/) > [Rap lyrics are really the only thing I've ever written.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/rap-lyrics-are-really-the-only-thing-i-ve-ever-written/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [I still to this day get the most inspiration from rap lyrics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-koenig/i-still-to-this-day-get-the-most-inspiration-from-rap-lyrics/) [Ezra Koenig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-koenig/) > [Age is not an accomplishment, and youth is not a sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/age-is-not-an-accomplishment-and-youth-is-not-a-sin/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [To love is a pleasure of youth, a sin in old age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/to-love-is-a-pleasure-of-youth-a-sin-in-old-age/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [The god which the vast majority of professing Christians love is looked upon very much like an indulgent old man, who himself has no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-god-which-the-vast-majority-of-professing-christians-love-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm in a very good place to make records. Needing to make money off music is very dangerous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-t/i-m-in-a-very-good-place-to-make-records-needing-to-make-money-off/) [Ice T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-t/) > [Music is dangerous in so many ways. It's the most dangerous thing in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/music-is-dangerous-in-so-many-ways-it-s-the-most-dangerous-thing-in/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [Modern music is as dangerous as narcotics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pietro-mascagni/modern-music-is-as-dangerous-as-narcotics/) [Pietro Mascagni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pietro-mascagni/) > [If you really believe music is dangerous, you should let it go in one ear and out the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-bergam-n/if-you-really-believe-music-is-dangerous-you-should-let-it-go-in-one/) [Jose Bergamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-bergam-n/) ## More by Jeffrey R. Holland > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [The world around us is an increasingly hostile and sinful place. Occasionally that splashes onto us, and perhaps, in the case of a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-world-around-us-is-an-increasingly-hostile-and-sinful-place/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [“The past is to be learned from but not lived in. We look back to claim the embers from glowing experiences but not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-past-is-to-be-learned-from-but-not-lived-in-we-look-back-to-claim/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [I know we can each do something, however small that act may seem to be. We can pay an honest tithe and give our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/i-know-we-can-each-do-something-however-small-that-act-may-seem-to-be/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [“All but a prophetic few must go about God's work in very quiet, very unspectacular ways. And as you labor to know Him, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/all-but-a-prophetic-few-must-go-about-god-s-work-in-very-quiet-very/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [We are infinitely more than our limitations and afflictions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/we-are-infinitely-more-than-our-limitations-and-afflictions/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [“Imperfect people are all God has ever had to work with. This must be terribly frustrating to Him, but He deals with it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/imperfect-people-are-all-god-has-ever-had-to-work-with-this-must-be/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [The work of a mother is hard, too often unheralded work. Please know that it is worth it then, now, and forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-work-of-a-mother-is-hard-too-often-unheralded-work-please-know/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [The size of your faith or the degree of your knowledge is not the issue—it is the integrity you demonstrate toward the faith you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-size-of-your-faith-or-the-degree-of-your-knowledge-is-not-the/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [I ask for a stonger and more devoted voice... a voice for good, a voice for the gospel, a voice for God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/i-ask-for-a-stonger-and-more-devoted-voice-a-voice-for-good-a-voice/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Brothers and sisters, this is a divine work in process, with the manifestations and blessings of it abounding in every direction, so please don’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/brothers-and-sisters-this-is-a-divine-work-in-process-with-the/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [We are making our appearance on the stage of mortality in the greatest dispensation of the gospel ever given to mankind, and we need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/we-are-making-our-appearance-on-the-stage-of-mortality-in-the/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Sadly enough, my young friends, it is a characteristic of our age that if people want any gods at all, they want them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/sadly-enough-my-young-friends-it-is-a-characteristic-of-our-age-that/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Teach your children that many of the blessings of the Church are available to them because you and they give tithes and offerings to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/teach-your-children-that-many-of-the-blessings-of-the-church-are/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Our children take their flight into the future with our thrust and with our aim. And even as we anxiously watch that arrow in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/our-children-take-their-flight-into-the-future-with-our-thrust-and/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) [Explore all 276 Jeffrey R. Holland quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) ## More High school quotes > [High school sucked. It was a universal truth, and whoever said these were supposed to be the best years of your life was probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kami-garcia/high-school-sucked-it-was-a-universal-truth-and-whoever-said-these/) [Kami Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kami-garcia/) > [High school, going into my junior year, I kind of had the idea I was going to be the starting running back. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saquon-barkley/high-school-going-into-my-junior-year-i-kind-of-had-the-idea-i-was/) [Saquon Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saquon-barkley/) > [I was in high school and I had an independent album out, and we kept sending that out, and I was doing shows. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-hilton/i-was-in-high-school-and-i-had-an-independent-album-out-and-we-kept/) [Tyler Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-hilton/) > [I grew up in Synagogue in the boys' choir. We didn't listen to music in the house; only at temple. Then I went to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/i-grew-up-in-synagogue-in-the-boys-choir-we-didn-t-listen-to-music-in/) [Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/) > [“This was going to be worse than the time I table danced in the diner in high school!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-bryson/this-was-going-to-be-worse-than-the-time-i-table-danced-in-the-diner/) [Kathy Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-bryson/) > [I remember throughout middle school and high school how excited my mom, sister and I would be when a UNC game was on TV.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-barnes/i-remember-throughout-middle-school-and-high-school-how-excited-my/) [Harrison Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-barnes/) > [Nothing teaches great writing like the very best books do. Yet, good teachers often help students cross that bridge, and I have to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-glass/nothing-teaches-great-writing-like-the-very-best-books-do-yet-good/) [Julia Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-glass/) > [In high school, I did some musicals, but I never took acting until college. I was studying opera, classical voice, and a speech teacher…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/in-high-school-i-did-some-musicals-but-i-never-took-acting-until/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [I have wrestled in almost every tournament in the world. I've won the Olympics, NCAAs, and World Championships, but none of those can truly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-burroughs/i-have-wrestled-in-almost-every-tournament-in-the-world-i-ve-won-the/) [Jordan Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-burroughs/) > [My mother worked in the white world, but I lived almost exclusively in a black world. I don't think I had ever seen a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-p-jones/my-mother-worked-in-the-white-world-but-i-lived-almost-exclusively-in/) [Edward P. Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-p-jones/) > [I was born in Cuba. At the age of 14 years of age I was involved in a revolution. We were suffering from a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/i-was-born-in-cuba-at-the-age-of-14-years-of-age-i-was-involved-in-a/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [“I swear that I will never cause trouble for anybody, as long as I live!! So please! Nobody cause any trouble for me, either!!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minoru-furuya/i-swear-that-i-will-never-cause-trouble-for-anybody-as-long-as-i-live/) Minoru Furuya > [I was just putting way too much pressure on myself. I was just trying to get that validation from my dad. It got so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-griffey-jr/i-was-just-putting-way-too-much-pressure-on-myself-i-was-just-trying/) [Ken Griffey Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-griffey-jr/) > [“I’ve had boyfriends before, and frankly, each one was a disappointment. There was nothing horribly wrong with these boys. It was my fault. I’m…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/candace-bushnell/i-ve-had-boyfriends-before-and-frankly-each-one-was-a-disappointment/) [Candace Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/candace-bushnell/) > [I was so shy. Instead of waiting in line with other kids at lunch, I'd go to a corner and buy a pretzel and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-facinelli/i-was-so-shy-instead-of-waiting-in-line-with-other-kids-at-lunch-i-d/) [Peter Facinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-facinelli/) [Browse all 7,108 High school quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-school/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“As a general observation, I think our high school and college-age students are wonderful, that they’re striving collectively, I think, to be as fine a generation of young people as we have ever had in this Church. But even as I say that, I am quick to acknowledge--and I don’t want to minimize that compliment, but I am quick to acknowledge what you already know--that exceptions to that rule are too many and often far too serious. When our youth sin now, they can do so in such flagrantly offensive ways with ever more serious consequences in their lives. That is the world we are in and it is, by scriptural definition, a world that is getting progressively more wicked. So over time we will continue to see a steady deterioration of what is acceptable in movies, on television, in pop music (which, in the case of rap lyrics, isn’t even music at all), and, perhaps in our most dangerous contemporary foe, abuse of the Internet. I have learned what you have learned--that the door to permissiveness, the door to promiscuity and lewdness, swings only one way. It only opens farther and farther; it never swings back. Individuals can choose to close it, but it is quite certain, historically speaking, that public appetite and public policy will never close it.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jeffrey R. 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