Adolescence - the big 'A'

Where is the defining boundary line when we stop acting like children? Is it, as popularly stereotyped, the moment we turn thirteen? One moment, we are still in a world of fantasy and make believe; the next, we get involved in the intricacies of life – careers, relationships, stress, even substance abuse. All the while, there is the constant feeling of being misunderstood all the time, the paranoia that everyone is out to deride us, the anxiety of having to live up to countless different expectations from countless different sources. Being an adolescent, especially in present times, is a challenge – this fact has become a cliché, perhaps an exaggeration, courtesy all the unrealistic sitcoms and movies that make a mockery out of the essence of adolescence (Mean Girls? 10 Things I Hate About You? Never Been Kissed? - need I elaborate?).

This, for want of a better word, problem, is relatively new to India. In a land where, until recently, the word of the Family Elder used to be law, where people rarely intermingled with members of the opposite sex before marriage, where partying meant formal dinners or festivals, it is no wonder that issues like drugs, premarital sex, underage drinking are still incomprehensible to most, especially those of the previous generation. No matter what distortions are made by popular TV channels broadcasting pseudo-modernity, the fact remains that a majority of us middle-class adolescents find it difficult to openly share all that we go through; there is a sense of taboo, of unwarranted guilt, of a need for someone we can unburden ourselves on.

          The first and foremost problem that every Indian adolescent faces is, (as we all know, as we have all been told through cinematic gems like Taare Zameen Par, but still choose to conveniently ignore) the pressure to excel academically. This manages to choke our thinking faculties in those very years when they are supposed to blossom. Creativity – in music, in sport, in drama, in any field – takes a huge backseat as we get suctioned into a rat race. Agreed, we churn out results, and exceptional ones at that, drawing praise from the likes of Barack Obama. But at what price? We sacrifice potential soccer superstars, unique photographers, extraordinary actors, perhaps even Nobel Prize winners, and in place we substitute them with mediocre, disinterested professionals. No wonder then, that the frustration levels are so high.

          Again, peer pressure has maybe never been as brutal as it is now. Superficialities of dressing, of speaking, of walking, of talking, of acting, of pretenses, of false friendships: these are no longer confined to the pages of teen magazines, but exist very much in real life. Attractiveness sells, and in this bid to be attractive – in the eyes of peers, at that - we tend to lose out on a lot of things that actually matter in life. And some of us, in increasing numbers, sadly take to alcohol, drugs and smoking. (“It’s cool!”; “It’s only one sip!”; “I need it to socialize.”; “It’s the way things are now!”)

          Being an adolescent myself, I cannot dole out sanctimonious advice as to what should and should not be done. What I can do is send out an honest appeal. What we need is our own space, our own time to think our own thoughts. We need love, we need guidance, we need to be taught to take our own decisions, to handle our problems. We need to know where to draw the line between enjoying life and hedonism. But ultimately, all we really do need is someone who will listen to us without passing judgment, without accusation; with empathy toward our life and problems.

          These are the best years of our life, when we discover who we really are, and form bonds of friendship and affection that last all our lives. We deserve to live these years to the fullest, getti ng the most out of them. After all, we are the future of this country, and the way we are will ultimately reflect what the country will grow to be. So, let us go ahead to seize the day – Carpe Diem! 

When it rained in Pakistan...

An image that haunts...

The child that you see sucking at an empty bottle is two-year old Reza Khan. He draws at empty air, while swarms of flies cover nearly every inch of his tender, infant skin. What is alarming is: he makes no attempt to swat away the flies; he is resigned as it were to his discomfort. Disturbing as it is, this is an image that needs to be put up before the world - it is the face of the flood crisis in Pakistan.

    In July 2010, heavy rains in different parts of Pakistan gave birth to devastating floods, with overwhelming statistics: 2000 dead, a million homes destroyed, and 21 million people rendered homeless. Even as the Pakistan pleads for aid from agencies across the world, the toll from diseases like cholera, malnutrition, sanitation problems, continues to mount. The infrastructure has been heavily damaged, and there is en extreme crisis of food still prevalent in the stricken areas.

   Floods are natural calamities, and there is, to my knowledge, no human power that can yet perfectly predict or stop a flood from occurring. What needs to be asked is - how can a flood have an impact so negative that even a month later, the crisis remains unsolved? This is a nation where the government reeks of inefficiency, corruption and political gimmickry. The government's response to the crisis has been disappointing and slow, to say the least. In face of humanitarian crisis, it did not make an attempt to sort out the problem as fast as possible; instead it delayed, even rejecting India's offer for aid initially before accepting it some two weeks later. Doubts have also been expressed as to whether the funds would actually reach the victims, or be drained away without a trace through the complicated web of corruption.

   A government's basic job is to look after the welfare of its people in the most efficient possible way. The government in this case would do well to remember this simplistic definition. In face of this crisis, the most immediate measures that could have been taken were instant evacuation, setting up refugee camps with appropriate sanitation and food supply to meet at least the basic calorie requirements. But perhaps to expect even this is utopia.

   Governments in developing countries across the world should best view these floods as an uneasy example of what goes wrong when disasters are not managed competently. Proper precautionary and post-disaster measures need to be prepared. Otherwise, every instance of heavy rain, drought, earthquake, fire, famine would create chaos.

    Meanwhile, Reza's bottle remain's empty...

Making Sense from NOISE

NOISE includes everything that defines the way we are today. It has become an inherent part of our lifestyle, our culture, our attitudes, US as a race.

Why exactly do we need to be so utterly indifferent and impatient about everything important, and so concerned about baseless, senseless bits of life that neither help us nor make us happy?

NOISE:

·                     In India: Oh yes, without doubt the noisiest nation in the entire globe. A country that creates riots for religion, caste, creed, language, but remains deafeningly silent when it comes to things that actually need to be addressed. Let's shout about Taslima Nasreen and M.F. Hussain, but remain dumb about Irom Sharmila.

·                     In Music: This is a field where we can talk about noise literally! Melodies and harmonies, symphonies and rhythm are fast becoming a thing of the past. All we have is harsh, raucous sounds invading our ears. Bye, bye originality, hello distorted remixes.

·                     In Entertainment: The pointless flashy mess that includes modern serials, news, movies, et al leave an unpleasant aftertaste. These shows seem to be getting more mindless and more pointless by the day, while the entire segment of viewers has become an ugly monster with a mind like a sponge - which only absorbs, and never selects or reflects.

·                     In LIFE: Why is there so little to look up to nowadays? Why are there so few sparks of creativity and intensity to look up to? Why is there so much noise, but little clarity? Why do we blindly follow what is dictated by the flow of this noise? 

There are many, many questions that can be raised. But it needs thinking, logical MINDS to address them.

This blog is for those who have a voice and their own thoughts.

It's for people who refuse to be a part of cacophony.

It is for those who have a VOICE and want it heard above NOISE.