The Youth Culture Today
Youth of India are the heirs-apparent of this vast and diverse nation. They have contributed effectively towards the process of economic development and social transformation. They are the people with hot blood, high ambitions and amazing abilities. Today, in the twenty-first century, they promise to transform their nation (and the world) with their new thought, actions and passios. Let us take a look into their exclusive den that has myriads of shocks and thunderclaps in store for us.
A young person is restless, keen to learn, willing to try new flavours of life and finally, aggressive in behaviour. These four characteristics lead to the creation of a cocoon around the individual. Young people are gregarious. They interact with other boys and girls who are of their owr) age groups. Their cocoons interact with one another. After some conflicts and adjustments, a few young people from their cliques, gangs or groups, which have a common culture. This happen only when their cocoons are able to accommodate those of others and all these cocoons are in perfect tuning with one another. Thus, the similar types of cocoons lead to distinct culture of each clique. It has its own norms; if a member of the group breaks, these norms, he is either punished or is thrown out of the group. These distinct groups in every city, locality or region form larger groups of associations.
These associations, which may or may not have official support are able to create a distinct culture, which is the sum total of the cultural influences of all the groups that form these associations. So, youth develop a distinctive and quite strange culture. It is different from the cultural norms of the society. This culture contains many good features; hard work. dedication, zeal to achieve coverted goals, career building, adventurous spirit and physical fitness are some of them.
This culture also contains some bad features; drug addiction, violence in college and university campuses, free sex, eve-teasing, casual approach towards life and career, lack of direction, ficklemindedness, inability to achieve concrete results in academics or in a job, strained relationships with parents and siblings and finally, working (or enjoying) under the Western influences are some of them.
We must praise those youths who are treading the right paths. They make their parents proud of them. They also excel in academics and bring glory to the society or the nation in which, they work or study. On the other hand, we cannot blame those youths who are treading the wrong paths. They are misguided individuals. Their teachers, parents and friends are squarely responsible for their moral decay. Moral decay invariably leads to physical decay. Thus, these young boys and girls become mental and physical wrecks. They have to be brought on the right tracks so that they may be able to contribute effectively towards the growth of their families, society and nation. However, it is easier said than done. we cannot dissuade the young damsels and dudes from dancing in the pubs and discotheques. We cannot even request them to quit their addiction to drugs; if we use coercive measures, they will retaliate in violent manners. We can rectify them only through proper education and training. We should also range meaningful employment opportunities for them. The resent culture of our youths supports the Western norms. We will have to tell them about the benefits of our own cultural values and ethics. We should not try to eliminate the e Western thoughts from their minds, if they can help them grow in mental and economic terms. Many young boys and girls are going abroad for studying and taking up jobs. Many of them are successful entrepreneurs, engineers, managers, doctors and programmers. After all, there are positive effects of the western culture as well. We must tell the youths to imbibe them. But they must not become slaves of the western culture.
Violence, free sex and drug addiction are the chief characteristics of our youth culture. Together, these can destroy the bedrock of the great edifice that we know as Yuva Shakti. Lack of proper guidance and indulgence in the pleasure of life have made them weak and prone to maladies of serious nature.
