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The Child Today - The Collective Product of the Societal Values



Friday, September 28, 2012


The Child Today - The Collective Product of the Societal Values


Whenever I think of people like Adolf Hitler, Osama Bin Laden and other extremists - the thought that strikes my mind is "How can one be so inhuman?" At the other end the people like Gandhi,  Mandela and other progressive people the question I get is "How can one endure so much pain?". The central question I face are many. How can two individuals be so different? What if the Mahatma had taken the path of Hitler and vice versa? How can Adolf Hitler and Charlie Chaplin, belonging to the same country, the same stature deal so differently to the adversities? The world was tough to both of them but the former decided to avenge the world by making it laugh and the latter - to cry to death.

All I can understand is the difference is in the choices one makes, in the way one thinks which shapes one's attitude. The profound fact is that, though few, they have made marked difference in the world. The Earth would have been a much better place if Hitler was made a Mandela and the worst otherwise. This means simple - one individual can change the way the world thinks and lives. Every person is a product of his/her time. Societal values, people one meets in life, experiences one comes across, models set to him and the leaders of one's time greatly determine how qualitative will be one's life. So, each and everyone should be taken care of. We have learnt from history this people emerged from nowhere.

Now I come the context of India, It is shocking to know the crime rate among the youth in India is rising like never before. Indiscipline has become the order of the day. Bribing, violating traffic rules, ragging in education institutions, rash driving, sexual abuse, alcoholism, suicidal and murdering tendencies are on rise. Even more worrying fact is that there is no remorse on the part of these criminals. No respect for laws. Now look again over these issues, we realize how casually we have considered these issues. Societal contempt towards laws and growing apathy towards these sensitive issues are the prime causes for the increase in such crimes.

The double standards in educating the child is another worth noting reason. Parents, teachers and society tells and expects all ideal things from the youth but for their own part act the other way around. One should remember, children learn more from watching elders and learn the least by listening. Tragically, Indian Education has largely nurtured the culture of lecturing and neglected the idea of modelling behaviors.

Lack of respect for our young citizenry, lack of appreciation of good deeds, favoritism in society (parents and teachers are not an exception in this case) are equally to be blamed. It has become part of culture to put down the thoughts of the young by calling it "childish". As a result of this culture, our children are made handicapped, their ability to think has been murdered - I think we have taken away from them all the thrill of their childhood. They are made heavily dependent on elders, find themselves incapable of finding a job for themselves. In other words we are living their lives. Give their lives back to them for they have fresh thoughts that can shoot every problem our society is facing.

They become idle as a result. Remember "An Idle mind is a devil's workshop". The evil thoughts I mentioned above come to their mind only when their mind is idle, it motivates them to take unfair means for only thing they want is to be recognized. Society would be disastrous.

You know what, young minds like to think, they like to work, they like to be aggressive, they like to be respected and appreciated, they like to contribute for larger good, they like logic, they want to be identified for their unique ways. If we are able to channelize these traits in a desirable way we would have great days in future otherwise await the Second Coming not of Jesus Christ this time but tens of .......I doubt hundreds of Hitlers. It is wise to act before it is too late.

 Let us set our attitudes right. Then teach a bit or two for our kids. Let us reach out to children and make them assets to India in particular and the World at large. Let commonsense prevail.






































































































































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