Lindsay Johns

Columnist and youth worker Lindsay Johns argues that we should stop listening to the young, in a talk recorded Radio 3's Free Thinking Festival.

In many ways Britain's youth is in crisis, trapped by rising debt and unemployment. And yet youth culture has never been more influential or all-pervasive.

Lindsay Johns argues that we need to stop pandering to young people, and that all too often we tell them only what they want to hear. John's a writer and broadcaster, runs a youth mentoring scheme in South London.

Controversially, he believes we are "genuflecting at the altar of youth".

This event was recorded earlier in November at The Sage Gateshead, at Radio 3's Free Thinking Festival. The presenter is Rana Mitter.

Producer: Laura Thomas.