Let us not trivialize them! By San, The author of Too Bitter to swallow

Immense hopes are pinned upon the youth of today. By whom? No need of guessing! Who else other than their parents! Even though Christ advises what the right-hand does the left hand should not know, none can resist that urge to expect because if to desire is human, then to expect is also human as both emotional processes are inextricably linked. The nation too expects a lot from them as they are its future on whom hangs its very existence.

Undoubtedly, the parents have the right to do so because of the amount of love, affection and care showered upon their beloved (read sons and daughters) and the proper guidance,  imparted by way of education. In fact, this generation is luckier than mine for the sole reason that today’s parents are more understanding and take special attention to ensure that their beloved do not face the hardships they had in their young days. That is the most important thing in human life. Getting somebody who can understand you as your parents is the most fortunate thing. As the saying goes, all that begins well ends well.  

That’s what has happened. This generation or the youth of today has turned out to be more responsible, matured, disciplined, persevering or exact in their judgements and conclusions and realizes their potential to the fullest, much to their and parents’ happiness. How? Because they grew up experiencing the complete and devoted love and guidance of their parents. 

According to experts, parents contribute 40 per cent in character-formation of man. The rest is left to the individual and the society he lives in. Parents’ contribution is the most crucial as its shortage or excess can tilt the balance in the wrong way, culminating in complete disaster. The slightest distortion is followed by deviation from the right path and this ensures nothing but disaster. 

Notwithstanding these good tidings, experts have detected psychological defects like inferiority complex, sense of isolation, depression, criminal tendencies etc., etc., etc., in this generation, which they claim to have broken the backbone of their natural confidence and weakened the ability to perform! ( Observe the pure and uninhibited confidence that children exhibit in their blooming days! ) I do not deny the authenticity of these findings. And some of these victims even take refuge in liquor, drugs and women. 

At the same time, generalizing these defects as those of the whole generation is absurd. I beg to differ on that count. Such developments and such groups are in minority. One cannot hold up the features in minority and analyse or assess a generation. Taking up features prevalent in the majority and assessing a particular group makes sense. That is the usual norm followed and accepted by one and all, including experts concerned.  

Of course, to quote Victor Hugo, ideal or perfect should be the model. Invariably, there is nothing perfect in this world. Even scientific gadgets or devices, based on scrupulous precision, are vulnerable because nothing in this world is error-proof. 

Surely, these deviated souls are not children of lesser Gods. How do these anomalies happen? As I said earlier, shortage or excess in parental love, care, guidance etc., etc., etc. That is the crux of the matter and authorities are duty-bound to erase these minor or major aberrations. Policy-makers, experts, teachers, parents and all sorts of officials and guides, capable and capacitated to reform, have to sharpen their preventive and curative strategies so as to salvage these hapless souls from the edge of an abyss. 

Let us not generalised defects, follies, mistakes and other negative factors, instead try our level best to nullify and erase so as to shape up a generation, worthy to be emulated by the succeeding one.   

By SAN, The author of Too Bitter to swallow