...continued from last week
If we take into view the Indian situation, we can say, in general terms, that the youth are restless and disappointed because their abilities have not been provided enough channels for self expression and fulfillment. Today most of them have a complaint against the society in general and against those who are in the seats of authority in particular. They say that their energies- both mental and physical - are not being used in wider spheres of national development because the older generation denies them adequate participation, thinking that the youth are inexperienced and immature. Against this thinking, the youth argue that what the elders call “experience” and “maturity” is, in fact, a hindrance in breaking new grounds and what is in fact required at present is new initiatives, new ideas and adventures and innovativeness which is a characteristic that’s mainly present in youth. An impartial analysis of the present Indian conditions would lead us to the conclusion that, at least to some extent, both sides are true. The question now is: How can this GAP be bridged? Who will work as the link between the two generations?
All would agree that, in order to bridge the ever-widening gap of emotional estrangement between the older and the younger generations and to stop further erosion in values, whosoever may have been responsible for it until now, is to have such formal and informal educational centres and institutions which can inspire the youth to some higher principles and ideals and can fire their imagination with a new paradigm of society where there will be no violence and where all would live peacefully as loving members of the family of mankind. These institutions should have persons of ennobling character, pleasing manners, and loving demeanour who can awaken the potentialities of the youth for social reconstruction and can also bring change in the older generation and enable them to play a useful role in the work of nation building. Remember! unless the youth are given this new vision and also the help and co-operation to work towards the realisation of this worthy goal, the society will remain to be split by various divisive forces and by acts of violence and the youth will continue to be exploited by various sections of the society for their parochial ends and narrow objectives. Let us, therefore, be wiser to consider our youths to be our present working strength, and our prospective nation-builders, for, “the youth are not only the leaders of tomorrow but also the partners of today”.
The writer is a spiritual educator & popular columnist for publications across India,Nepal & UK. He can be contacted at nikunjji@gmail.com / www.brahmakumaris.com
