Skip to main content

In defence of youthful deviations: Dismantle old hangovers in new bottles of power


By Bhabani Shankar Nayak*
The blaming of young people as ‘lazy, deviants, drug abusers, materialists, selfish, directionless, apolitical and other stereotypes continue to dominate public narratives. The objectives of these borderless narratives are designed to weaken young people’s ability to challenge and transform the society in which they live. The blame culture and negative portrayals are control mechanisms of old and established social, political, cultural and economic order to tame the youth power. It is a mechanism to create hopelessness and domesticate youth to normalise the crisis faced by the young people. Each generation of young people face their own problems of their times, but some problems are inherited from their predecessors. However, the challenges faced by the youth today are neither created by the young people nor promoted by them. The issues of inequality based on gender, class, race, sexuality, religious and regional backgrounds are not created by the young people. The denial of accessibility and availability of opportunities for a dignified living condition is not created by the young people.
From the ‘Greatest generation’ to the ‘Silent generation’, the old people categorised the young as baby boomers and the baby boomers categorised the young as Generation-X. The meaningless categorisation continues. The young people are categorised today as ‘Generation Z-ers, millennials, iGeneration, or post-millennials’ without any rhyme or reason. These fancy terms are designed to describe young people as ‘useless and youthful idiots’ to hide the prevalent predicaments created and established by the previous generations. The young people don’t need categorisation. The young people are defined by their idealism and commitment to the greater causes of life and their contributions in the making of the world, states, societies, families and communities all over the world. All the challenges faced by the youth today are inherited from the social, economic, political, religious, and cultural conditions established by reactionary geriatrics called ‘authority’ represented by various institutions, processes and traditions in local, national, regional and international level.
The pre-pandemic World Youth Report (2018) published by the United Nations outlines the complex challenges faced by the 1.2 billion young people aged 15 to 24 years, accounting for 16% of the global population. The issues of inequality, unemployment, poverty, hunger, migration, conflict and lack of access to quality education, health, housing, air and water continue grow in an enormous scale during the last two years of the Coronavirus led pandemic. A recent report by the Swiss bank UBS found that the number of billionaires and their wealth increased to $10.2 trillion amidst the deaths and destitutions of the pandemic. Such an unequal life experience created by capitalism is neither sustainable nor healthy for the present and future of people and planet.
The capitalism as a political, economic, social and cultural system has failed to promote an egalitarian society focusing on people’s wellbeing. In order to avoid its internal contradictions, capitalism is promoting war, regional and religious conflicts to sustain itself. It also works as patron of the right-wing and reactionary politics around to globe to promote itself as only alternative and outsource its problems as social and political instabilities. The young people are the net victims of capitalism and its geriatric culture which is intolerant of the beauties of youthful creativity and deviations.
The capitalist priests in the World Economic Forum believe that young people are only facing three biggest challenges. It considers that young people staying with parents, declining life expectancy among working age and lack of home ownership among young are three major problems. It does not outline the conditions that caused these problems. The capitalist confession is an amoral religious strategy of the capitalism as a system, where accountability is outsources to an unknown power called ‘god’.
The world is facing five major challenges today i.e., modern wars, climate change, religious conflicts, reactionary and authoritarian politics, capitalist alienation. These challenges are not created by the young people but annihilating for them. The young people are victims of a capitalist system that manufactures such challenges to hide its own problems. The capitalist ruling classes are putting guns, globalised market led consumerism, god, nationalist and religious glory on the shoulders of the young people to dismantle the creative power and common experiences that unites the youth all over the world. The young people are being branded merely as anonymise social media handles or a self-seeking number in the Excel spreadsheets of either government agencies or corporate shop floors. The young people are losing their identity as idealist and creative communities due to the capitalist conditions in which they experience their lives. The commodification of life experience by the capitalist culture of consumerism is destroying the diverse world of youths and their power to change the course of history.
All the progressive and democratic upheavals of history are the products of young people and their sacrifices. The idealist young people have led the struggle against colonialism, imperialism, apartheid and defeated feudalism, fascism and dictatorships. The young people can face the challenges of war, capitalism, religious fundamentalism, reactionary politics, global pandemic and climate crisis and rise above as a borderless community. The youthful feelings of love is more common than the territorial, cultural and religious differences.
The struggle for peace, equality, freedom and climate actions are common battles that the youth of the world can win. The young people don’t need the perverted geriatric analysis based on blame culture that domesticates young people within a narrow silo of market, religion and nation states. The future of the world depends on the future of the young people and their ability to dismantle the old hangovers within new bottles of power. The young people will find their deviant ways to subvert all obstacles on their way of establishing a diverse, progressive and peaceful world devoid of hunger, homelessness, inequalities and exploitations. Therefore, it is important to dream and work in defence of youthful deviations.

*University of Glasgow, UK

Comments

TRENDING

Abrogation of Art 370: Increasing alienation, relentless repression, simmering conflict

One year after the abrogation by the Central Government of Art. 370 in Kashmir, what is the situation in the Valley. Have the promises of peace, normalcy and development been realised? What is the current status in the Valley? Here is a detailed note by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties , “Jammu & Kashmir: One Year after Abrogation of Art. 370: Increasing Alienation, Relentless Repression, Simmering Conflict”:

Repeated failure to appoint Chief, other commissioners undermining RTI Act

By Anjali Bhardwaj, Amrita Johri* The post of the Chief Information Commissioner of the Central Information Commission (CIC) has fallen vacant with the retirement of Bimal Julka with effect from August 27, 2020. This is the fifth time in the last six years that the Commission has been rendered headless. Four posts of information commissioners are also vacant in the CIC. Currently more than 35,000 appeals and complaints are pending in the commission resulting in citizens having to wait for months, even years for their cases to be disposed, thereby frustrating peoples’ right to know. Since May 2014, not a single commissioner of the CIC has been appointed without citizens having to approach courts. The failure of the government to make timely appointments of commissioners is a flagrant violation of the directions of the Supreme Court. In its February 2019 judgment, the apex court had categorically stated that if the CIC does not have a Chief Information Commissioner or required strength

Ultimate champion in crisis, arguably best ever skipper: Created history in Aussie cricket

By Harsh Thakor  In the history of cricket few cricketers knit and propelled a cricket team or had such profound influence on the game as Ian Chappell. Ian Chappell was responsible for converting a bunch of talented individuals into a world beating side, giving a dramatic turn to Australian cricket. Few cricketers ever led such a renaissance.

BSF's unconstitutional, whimsical order violates life, livelihood of Dalits, minorities

Kirity Roy, Secretary, Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM), writes to the Chairman, National Human Rights Commission: *** I want to attract your attention towards the illegitimate restrictions on the life and livelihood of the villagers of Paschim Sahebganj village under Dinhata - II Block and Sahebganj police station in Cooch Behar district of West Bengal by the Border Security Force personnel attached with Dharala Border Out Post under 138 Battalion BSF. The population of Paschim Sahebganj village is around 1480, where almost 75 percent of the villagers belong from Hindu Scheduled Caste (Dalit) and 25 percent from minority Muslim backgrounds.The main occupation of the villagers is agriculture. About 260 acres of cultivable land in the village that belongs to the villagers is located outside the border fencing, which is heavily guarded by the Border Security Force (BSF). The BSF regulates the ingress and egress of the villagers to their fields through the fencing gates that a

Largest democracy in world has become weakest at hands of fascist Hindutva forces

Note on “The Nazification of India”, a report released By Justice For All: *** This report, the Nazification of India, compares how Hindutva ideology not only is inspired by Nazis and Fascists of Europe, but their treatment of the Muslim minority closely follows developments that resulted in pushing Jews to the gas chambers. Situation is indeed quite alarming. The report says that the largest democracy in the world has become the weakest at the hands of the fascist Hindutva ideology. India today is ruled not just by a political party the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), but its mother organization the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Because the BJP’s government policies are linked to extra-legal enforcement by RSS paramilitary street power, this report has coined the term “The BJP-RSS regime” to reflect their intrinsic links and collaborative relationship. The Nazification of India report marks the anniversary of the Gujarat pogroms of 2002 against Muslims which propelled the BJP-RSS

Varanasi social worker who has devoted her life for the ultra-poor and the marginalized

Passion Vista and its partners profile Founder and Managing Trustee Shruti Nagvanshi as  someone whom women leaders look up to: *** Shruti Nagvanshi, a social worker and human rights activist based in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, has devoted her life to reaching out to the ultra-poor and marginalized communities in India. Born in Dashashwmedh, Varanasi on 2 January 1974, she married Dr Lenin Raghuvanshi on 22 February 1992 and has a son, Kabeer Karunik, a Business management Graduate who is also a national level snooker player.

An approach to lake/pond restoration by Ramveer Tanvar, Pond Man of India

By Monami Bhattacharya*, Mansee Bal Bhargava**  Lakes/ ponds are often referred to as an elixir of life, a living ecosystem that adds incremental value to the larger biota. Across the tropical landscape of the country lakes/ ponds are a common sight. Lakes/ponds have always shaped the life and livelihood of those dwelling in and around it. The dependence of the local population on these natural resources of water is noticeable since time immemorial. However, they are fading fast in both rural and urbanscapes from the popular parlance with the advance of humanity. It has been a popular notion to value land more than the waterscape and hence these nurturers of life are under stress in several areas. In many instances, these once beautiful waterscapes referred as the ‘Eye of the Earth’ are mostly now only dilapidated garbage dump yards emitting foul smell with no sign of a healthy ecosystem.

Urban crisis: Impact of erosion of democratic framework on Indian cities

By IMPRI Team  On 13th February, 2023, IMPRI Impact and Policy Research Institute, New Delhi in collaboration with ActionAid Association India arranged a book launch followed by lecture series under the title “India’s G20 Presidency & the Urban Agenda for the Developing Countries”. The event was held in Indian International Centre (IIC) Annex, New Delhi. The event began with the book inauguration session, under the honorary presence of Mr Sitaram Yechury, former Rajya Sabha member and General Secretary, CPI (M), accompanied by Mr Sandeep Chachra, executive director, ActionAid Association India. Session 1 | Book Launch: ‘Cities in Transition’ by Mr Tikender Singh Panwar The book launched was “Cities in Transition”, written by Mr Tikender Singh Panwar, former Deputy Mayor, Shimla and a Senior Fellow at IMPRI. Beginning with brief remarks on his book, Mr Panwar outlined the basic subject matter and the purpose behind writing the book, which he considers as a by-product of his experien

Panchayat funds defrauded: Roads without potholes a fundamental right but not here

Kirity Roy, Secretary Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM), and National Convenor (PACTI) Programme Against Custodial Torture & Impunity, writes to the chairman, National Human Rights Commission: *** Through this complaint, I want to draw your attention to the plight of the villagers of Nawdapara in the District of North 24 Parganas. The village is situated under the Bagdah Police Station, Bagdah Block and Mama Bhagina Post Office respectively. Nawdapara is a Muslim minority populated village. Indo Bangladesh Border Road (IBBR) passes through the middle of the village. There is a naka checking post of the BSF inside the village and BSF associated with Mama Bhagina Border Out Post, 68 Battalion, ‘B’ Company guard 24 hours in that check post. People have lived in this village since the independence of India. The market is about three to four kilometres away from Nawdapara village. One primary school is situated within the village but the high school is about five to six kilo

Riverscapes: mythology, iconography, folklore and origins amidst rising water problems

By Proshakha Maitra*, Mansee Bal Bhargava** Rivers are not just bodies of water and resources flowing across a landscape, but they are flows supporting a variety of cultural beliefs, values, and ways of life by linking people, places, and other forms of life (Anderson, et al., 2019). Since ancient times, rivers have been the ‘cradle of civilizations’ where the major civilizations of the world developed along the banks of the rivers. Even the earliest known urban culture of the Indian subcontinent, the Harappan (Indus Valley) Civilization developed along the banks of the Indus River that flows from the mountains of Tibet through India and Pakistan. Every river has its tales of mythology, iconography, folklore and origins which are worth knowing, especially in the current times when they are under severe distress of development. Since knowing these intangible aspects of the tangible resource/heritage is crucial to instigate emotional and spiritual connect which may in turn make people an