What do we think of our World today? What do we think of the future? What or how do we imagine ourselves, say, in 10 years time, in 20 years time, in 30 years time even? Do these issues arrest us with urgency or reformation?
Its not easy being a Youth these days, not that things were easier for others before but some issues are arresting and that means more things to deal with on our plate. In a way it is as if the regressions of society, mingled with the regression of our legacy or our roots have somehow accumulated into a huge lump making what is before us- our Present and even our reality too. I see that the Youth seem to have a little more than just conflicts and societal issues to deal with and that could perhaps define a good amount of their confusion, lethargy or rebellion against Responsibility. ‘Outside influence’ is something that is inevitable and bound to come because of so many factors in our present world today and also with the broadening of our minds. The youth can be susceptible and sometimes more than often, be at the receiving of these elements. Addressing them is an issue we may need to work on to see a result, whether it is a positive or negative reward. Some, are perplexed while others alarmed by it too. The Youth are a confounded lot who have to juggle ‘dual’ identities while dealing with a frustrated society that rarely have opportunities or space for them.
One can call it Globalization and its effects, or perhaps its ‘after-effects’ for I’m sure there will be after-effects for any reformations in history. Taking a cue from Globalization I’d like to delve in and try to gain more insight on where and how we look at our society of today. Very few times the issue of “Ethnocide”- loss of culture of an ethnic group, is addressed in a world’s view. Globalization is critiqued from a market’s point of view, society’s class division, employment etc., but very rarely on “Ethnocide”. In fact there are those who embrace it or may consider it as a boon to society, especially for a developing country like India. Its influence should be a positive one looking from India’s class divide, poverty rate and restrictions on the Private Sector which have contributed to its stagnancy. Yes perhaps, but I would not need to buy in every opinion that comes my way. Nor would I need to blame someone’s opinion upon me, when in the first place our views come from completely different ends. “Ethnocide” from an indigenous people’s point of view could have a stronger effect or seem more personal. And although each one of us are considered ‘ethnic’ and ‘indigenous’ to their origin Globalization has inadvertently influenced and effected a world’s point of view too.
The effects of the outside world streams into our society from different angles and infiltrations, sometimes unconscious or unassuming to our mind’s eye. And yet to assume something otherwise would perhaps be denial on our part. A more recognizable feature or example is perhaps ‘Korean Influence’ in Nagaland in recent times. The Korean Culture is something quite popular among the youth right now. This may also be in light of recent Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) between South Korea and India for Defence or ‘political and security cooperation’, while also not forgetting that South Korea is one of India’s largest FDI contributor and its influence in India. How does it influence Nagaland? When we observe the Korean Pop culture, their obsession with beauty and plastic surgeries (South Korea has the second largest plastic surgery operations in the world) or their loss of traditional and cultural heritage which has lead to status-obsession and material acquisition among them, just how of that could infiltrate into Nagaland? Among the Youth? Korean culture is not the first example of how ‘outside influence’ is among us and has been for a good part of our history now. In which way would we like to address the issue at hand?
Educated unemployed among us in 2006 (almost 5 and half years ago now) was 31,277. We will soon bear responsibilities in society when the generations before us retire or grow too old to work anymore who may take up jobs, society’s function and responsibilities even in their absence? Whichever way, the burden would fall upon us sooner or later.
Do we look for an alternative besides ‘government jobs’? Although it offers security, an equal opportunity for people from different backgrounds in society and even stagnancy, that has not quite benefitted India even after 65 years of independence. In unfortunate cases incidents of Corruption, Nepotism, lack of innovation has even hindered India’s economic and political growth even. Yet, government institutions and employment is there for a reason in the construction and constitution of a nation and one would need to assess before counting its drawbacks. However, with a literacy rate of 83% in Nagaland, and education having being one of the state’s biggest achievements, will we just be confined to ‘government jobs’? Can we expand, elevate ourselves from that stagnancy, or its security even? Or is it an imposition deriving from a fascination of government jobs among us? Even an insistence by our parents who could unconsciously be imposing their notion of their generation and society on our generation and our society? Being a youth myself, I have not found a consistent answer as to why one should only rely on a government job as ‘security’.
Youth of today are you oppressed, unheard, rejected, ignored, misunderstood, underestimated, overestimated? Are you struggling with their past, our present and your future? Are you coddled by your parents? Are you given everything you want or even feared? Are you overreaching yourself? Do you think too kindly, too sternly of yourself?
Youth of Today, are you:
- Lazy?
- Present tensed everything around you for now?
- Small- minded and confined to that
- Unreasonable
- Frustrated
- Irresponsive
- Numbed
