--- On Wed, 2/25/09, Venita Coelho <venitacoelho at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> I remember sitting in the college canteen in Calcutta and
> listening to a wild haired
> student explain exactly how to make a Molotov cocktail.
> 'But isn't all this
> dangerous?' The student looked at me with blazing eyes
> 'I am in the right. This is
> my land. I will do anything for it.'
--------------------------------------------------------
>If Goan youth are more concerned about getting jobs and a girlfriend, rather
>than making Molotov cocktails, I'd say they've learnt the lessons of life
>well.
Interestingly there was a brief survey done on European countries. The students
of Italy, Greece and Spain are most likely to riot, while British students were
least likely to riot and protest. Their concerns were staying on in school,
getting good grades and finding jobs after they finish. Interestingly, Italy,
Greece and Spain are also the most dysfunctional countries in Europe.
When we say we want youth to be involved in activism, we mean our brand of
activism. How much praise would we have for youth who show keen interest in
joining the RSS and Ram Sene?
My young cousins who are dentists are always off on some camp or the other
offering free dental to remote villages, educating the young on dental hygiene,
etc. This too is activism. It may not fit into our perception of fire-brand,
filling the streets, molotov cocktail type of activism, but I would say it is
far more productive to themselves as individuals and as a society.
Let the young of our country prepare for their future lives as they should;
stay in school, get good grades, find good jobs. Their time to grow old will
come soon enough.
Best,
>Selma
It is very tough choices for today's youth. One has to make a living as
well as one has to have social concerns. Two diametrically opposite paths --
can the two be reconciled ?
When I was growing up, I went to IIT, chose the career option. I remember
Roland, Sabina ditched possibilities of a good career and plunged into social
work. It must have been very tough for them. What do social
activists get other than only trouble, meagre to live on, and beatings and
jail ? How can this be sold to any youth, when the other options are much
rosier --- a girlfriend, a bike and good money ?
The point is --- is there a middle ground ? Can we lure the youth by helping
him/ her advance his career by say offering a job and at the same time
inculcate a sense of social well being ? Not easy. I work with a lot of
students here; forget social work, the moment they get a big MNC offering them
a good job, they just forget you.
But the compromises that they do are long term. Politics is everywhere even in
jobs, and inablity to speak up even in jobs stunts one's personality,
and even though one may have an apartment, i think many of these only-career
seeking people hardly have a life worth envying at least in India.
regards,
Samir
