Beyond the Grave Looking back at: Energy Crisis For the week which passed (17/7/21-14) when I was alive on Planet Earth.
Youth is wasted on the young observed Bernard Shaw a long time ago. It is no doubt an energy crisis. Youth are young people often without a compass whose lives resemble a ship tossing on a stormy sea. Mine was similar - an almost sinking ship. What society can do to a young mind is sometimes almost beyond description. And, along with a big cast of characters full of good intentions - ancestors, teachers, priests and governments - a child is often doomed from the start. The adults are all in competition with one another to install their particular brand of software into small and young brains so they can control the next generation or at least own them in the name of community, religion or whatever- and not only in name - but much more if possible. The Jesuits said it best when they claimed they could control a child for life if he or she was given to them prior to the age of seven. The digit, strangely enough, rhymes with heaven - and for the Jesuits it certainly was the case. Today, of course, the competition has grown much more severe, with every adult a participant and also one more - electronic media - a major influence in the control of young minds and hearts. No sooner is the child born do people of good will and good intentions go into action to inject their particular traditional variety of truth into the child’s young and impressionable brain. Of course all are convinced they are right! The child hardly understands what is going on but is made into a Christian, Hindu, Muslim or some other denomination into which he is born. He is taught he has the truth - no need to search. The details vary, the game and goal is the same. While the Jesuits certainly provided a quality education even by today’s standards, they went to work on a young child’s mind and emotions with the fervour only a doggedly committed fanatic can muster and which did not leave much room for the natural development and spontaneity of the child. He was never allowed to discover himself or given enough space to search for truth. They already had the truth. Other religions were (and are) no different. All roads led to Rome, and all good things and conclusions always ended up as originating in the Bible or Jesus. It was a comfort zone for anyone who did not want to think for himself and who did not criticise what had been taught. The Jesuits projected a liberal image allowing for criticism of the superficial but no one dare question the fundamentals. They were politicians in the realm of religion. And, they were good at it, too. The carrot and the stick was background music much before karaoke became known globally, and anyone who rebelled was nicely ostracised - often looked at as the property of the devil. As a child grows up (s/he) continues to be dependent on parents for food, shelter and education until the day the offspring is economically independent. That can take years in the modern world. I-day (independence day) varies depending on the wealth and educational aspirations of the parents and children. Now, this is true even today unless the state steps in as has been the case in communists countries where the government provides the basics of food, shelter, and education for a price: it is the state’s right to control and brainwash the child. Over the years, the mind and emotions of the child in any kind of society has been purchased and is no longer his or her personal possession. Girls, of course, are often perceived as a inferior human being and have special gender issues which the boys do not - and have to suffer for it. Children unfortunately cannot organize a movement similar to Women’s Liberation and so are at the mercy of adults - both men and women. On reaching maturity and becoming a member of the working social community the education and conditioning of the child is complete. It is, however, an important window to see how the child has been conditioned, and also much too late for the child - for by now he or she receives the support of family, caste, community, religion and wealth - all for a price. His goose is cooked. If the adult is a thinking person it can start a conflict but this is a case by case scenario of a small percentage who still possess intelligence and courage. Advantages received in previous years whose roots are in wealth, caste and power can offer a bright future which makes an adult want to close his eyes to a lot that is wrong in society. By now, most young people are interested in moving up the ladder of success and have learned to play the game and pay lip service to God and country and other forms of respectability. Education nowadays has more to do with computer literacy than anything else and although most of the young use these gadgets deftly - can they think independently? Universities, a place where students need to be encouraged to think in terms of the universal are today the picking ground of politicians who never are able to have their thirst for power quenched. Sadly, lot of jobs don’t need people who can think critically and what is needed is little more than computer skills. Is it for this reason parents gift cell phones to their young, and very young children? Never too young to learn and join in the race for success? Is this a smart move?
