How do we make 'ethics' for example, cool?

A thought on my mind is: how do we get kids, the new generation to better understand the importance of integrity, staying true to yourself, being resilient, working hard and consistently, being responsible... Once you get it, maybe when you're in your 20s, 30s, at some point in your life, you get it. No matter how far you stray from your path, it is still a beaconing lighthouse. Like that typical analogy, a bicycle you haven't ridden in years, you will remember it. Kinda.

I remember in primary school, 'the keys to success'. There were many moments like this in my time in the education system, primary, secondary and tertiary where I felt so polarised from these concepts. Thankfully to my readings of Van Der Kolk, I can understand that I was always building up my identity largely around being different. I surrounded myself with those who tried to be 'harder' and rougher than they were. Our problems were huge and we were not understood. A large irony was, many of us had the same problems as everyone else. But you need to arrive to that conclusion yourself. Perhaps that's the answer to my own question.

Looking at the kids I teach today, things have amplified. Social media influences have heightened, it's all about who stands out the most in a way that makes sense. Standing out alone isn't enough, it's about doing it in a way that makes sense, with a purpose. Now 'what makes sense' is incredibly arbitrary. Especially to a young, inexperienced, naive mind. Young minds are like fish, grabbing at any bait that is lured into the water. Of course, the greater macrocosm is, grabbing any kind of bait, even if its plated in diamonds, is a bait and you will pulled off water and gasping for dear life.

I believe it is the POSITIONING of the message that matters to kids. They need more people who they can see a bit of themselves. And the speaker of that message cannot be saying "hey guys, I'm like you." The kids need to see it first. As role models, teachers, mentors, whatever you call yourself, you need to unlock the real person within that child. We need to be needs based, and we need to be intelligent with how we do this. Kids are not guinea pigs. Further, kids sense when teachers, the guides, the role models are also not doing quite right. Very young kids, 5 or 6 years old even, may tell when something is up. They need stability, they also need disruption. Hormesis, a fine line!

Personally, I show through example, that grinding through sweat and tears is cool. To push through and do the routine without complaining will get you where you are trying to go. Complaining, looking disengaged, mindless rap culture about external possessions like hot whips, iced out drip, none of that is cool. And trust me, I have thought that was cool for a large period of my life. And since I've discarded as much as I could so far, I've felt so much more free and myself. Kids need the support to feel that it's okay to be them, especially if someone, or even a random social media post has made them feel that it's not okay to be who they really are.