absolutely. And no a herd mentality, empty actions, acting only out of habit, no not good. But thats because yiddishkeit has lost its chiyus, its excitement, its meaning to so so many. There used to be kids at risk, now there are adults at risk, those not understanding what judaism means for them. Its supposed to be an identity, a way of living, the meaning and purpose behind our actions and life. Instead for many, its the rules that restrict us and nothing more. Maybe in the past generation, following w/o asking was enough, but in this generation we need to understand, want and feel. Maybe there’s a different mindset today thats created a void in our understanding its role or significance in our life. where there wasnt in the past. I dont know. But judaism is who we are, it defines us. You are a male by birth, an american by birth, a brunette by birth, a Jew by birth. And all of those are part of our identity. Its not a hair style you can change, not an address you can move away from. Its the fiber of your being.
Judaism’s not meant to be a herd mentality, and the rainbow of jews, the various types in personality, practice, beliefs, etc shows that. But we all have the same goals. Serve Hashem as best as we can and improve ourselves. The halachos are the guidebook to living productively. A society without laws would be disaster, and a life without direction would be too.
Why should it be any less of a loss for an adult than a child? Is it less troubling when a 25 yr old starts drugs, hurting himself, or lives on the street than when a 15 yr old does? No, but there’s noone else responsible for his actions, its harder to help and impossible to control. Its only your decision though. But if i can be rude (and you can choose to not answer), why? There are answers to the questions. There is excitement and meaning to be found. There is tremendous return in the meaning and direction and purpose gained. Why throw it away? Why if you were born a prince, would you join the commoners?