Who shot the Albatross?

As an English literature student, the Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge has been a poem which resonated with me. Its allegory and references to thoughts, action and consequences is a good teaching to all.

The question I pose today however is who shot the albatross? The answer to this is the Ancient Mariner. If we look at it today, could we lay all the blame solely on his feet? I do agree that he did pull the trigger but he was the subject of what we now know today as peer pressure.

When I look across the country, with the rise in knife, gun crime and violence, I can see peer pressure at work I see our youths being drawn into a battle us as adults should protect them from. Yes, if they do stab or shoot someone, they are at fault, yes if they do steal or do all kinds of anti-social behaviour, they are at fault. This fault however cannot solely be placed at their feet as we as a community and people do have an opportunity if not many to intercede.

A wise man once said, “evil prevails when good people do nothing” we cannot sit by and watch our children die or get thrown in jail. We cannot sit by in this false sense of security because it is not happening to you.

If we do nothing and watch everything, we are inherently complicit to the crime and the death of the Albatross will also lay on us. We cannot sit back and watch our nation get turned into a war zone. The government and politicians also need to do more to address this issue. In a couple years’ time, Brexit will be the least of our worries as we will be faced with a scenario which no one will feel safe leaving their homes if nothing is done today. Young people are still learning how to navigate this sea of life and it is up to us to protect them from the art of peer pressure.

The Ancient Mariner lived with his consequences however, for some of those involved, the effect is spread to their friends, families and peers and such consequences are usually long lasting.