Are we putting an end to our innocence?

Dhaar Mehak

A compassionate look—that I took at the giggles from behind, I found a bunch of my lil’buzzing mosquito cousins: whispering, smiling and laughing! I had good thoughts at it—for I thought: the family is bound in beautiful ties, and our future generation has the feeling of oneness; bounding us, all together. A step ahead to my thinking, I thought, they must be talking: school, studies, friends, creativity, and so on.

But as I sat by their side, I heard broken whispers: “has Di [elder sister] a boy-friend?”—Pointing their eyes towards me. And then, someone said: “no, I guess.” And other one, in astonishment, replied: “she is so elder to us, yet no boyfriend!” And, they all again burst in giggles. The exact feeling I had at it was surely strange. Their expressions showed: astonishment and surprise. As if, they felt: “this Di has some deformity”—as she is having no boyfriend. To them, I guess: this was an accepted necessity.

This was to quote, just one incident—while such incidents have become a matter of regular affairs with us by now. Are we really under such negative influences that our younger generations know no such sensations, as love, but sole show-off—that later on takes the vicious form of lust!

My little cousin of eight while travelling with me the other day, in my car from his school to home, asked me very compassionately, “Di do you know, those good songs: Bebo, Yo Yo and the loud music? They are too good! Aren’t, they? Why then, do you listen to boring songs? They are sleepy!”

A light musical sufi song lullabies them to sleep—and what enthrals them, is the noise in the name of music—“4 bottle vodka; kaam mera rooz ka!” How come, can the insensitive money-makers allow the release of such nasty and brutish songs? Corrupting, not only one, or two lives—but the whole of the generation(s). Verily on repetition back and again, there is destined to be some kind of absorption of such words—and thus, corrupting the morals.

Media is the greatest of the virtues, but as much can it be the mightiest of the vices. Visuals and audios have always had the greatest influence on the masses as compared to the written words—and if, the formers’ are used solely to make money; then, negative is inevitable. Verily are the bad manners a comfortable bed; and good destinations a thorny road, at the time of learning.

AKG child approaching his batch-mate in the school bus, and asking: if she was feeling attracted to him! Why? Because he has used the AXE (deodorant)—the visual of whom promises attraction of the girls! Pathetic, isn’t it? The development of children is accordingly shaped and moulded in this direction. And, the definition of love is replaced by lust and sensuous appetite!

Consequently, why not, will we be having an increased rate of molestation, rapes, suicides—only to mention, a few. All this characterises a highly morally corrupted and devastated society.

It took me almost 30 minutes on web to search a song of Baba Bulleh Shah, while the ad on the right of the page itself invited me to download Yo Yo Honey Singh—that too, for free. And, it was written there in bold: THE MOST DOWNLOADED SINGER. The money-minting agencies have gained such a big momentum that no one dares to tamper their popularity!

A song depicting Ishq makes the Yo Yo fans burst loud in the splashes of laughter—and they question: how and why can anyone listen to the so-called boring stuff? Ishq makes no sense to them.

A simple friend request does them all they need. Easy attainments and approaches to the person, they wish knowing or talking to, makes them feel nothing special in it. And they eventually feel fed up in a short, rather, the shortest span of time. At times, it so happens: one person puts all his seriousness into it, while the other holds no such bond or linking towards it. And, the result is deemed to be a non-positive reality.

Such realities can take to versatile forms of results from depression(s) to the ignition of avenge, to the extremity of suicides. Statistical data bear the testimony to this reality, depicting: an increased number of depression patients and increasing crime rates, especially among the age-group 14-25.

So are we putting an end to our innocence?—When a fertile grassland is over-gazed, the next generation of the grasses and herbs on the same land tends to be less juicy. And, if over-grazing continues, ultimately, a time comes when the once fertile grasslands turn into a thorny land. The juicy grass gets converted into thorns. Likewise, if uncontrolled growth of uncensored media continues, then not far away is the time: when our emotionally stable and well built generations will turn into directionless thorns—relearning deep in the ocean of depression, guilt and thoughtlessness.

Recently, when a boy in his twenties threw acid on the face of a girl, he was tried at the court. But soon, a fact unfolded: till he did an ‘unthinkable act,’ the culprit was a respected and a good citizen. There were no dark records of his past. Surely, can it be concluded: he had a glorious and a beautiful past. However, one negative act ruined his whole future. The time which he was supposed to spend working, marrying, bringing up his children and give good to the society will be spent within the caged walls of the jail.

And, does all this mean: we are living under dark spells? The presence of vices or virtues in a society is best reflected by the attitudes and behaviour of the people. And thus, in a society like ours, what is visible and manifested, is only darkness. There is no tinge of positivity present. Or, if it be so: it is either hidden or exists in iota. When the development and growth of such virtues is in our own hands, why are we letting our grip loose onto it—and letting our surroundings or selves be spoiled, and deteriorated with all sorts of negative influences?

Considering again the simple example of music; we verily can aim at the development of sensitivity and emotions within our younger folks. And eventually, acquaint them with poetry and music, rather than, random lines and noise presented with the same name.

The solution to our problem is: discussion, talking, conveying and understanding. The reality, however, is that we have developed communication gaps! Parents feel it, unethical, to talk to their children about: love, relations, trust, betrayals and the like. Had children been well informed by their parents, well communicated and well taught, the situation itself could have been different.

This is the high time that we all take up our roles well set to start the move right away and now. It is much like the cleansing of the Yamuna river banks by the school going children. Ultimately, they succeeded turning the polluted banks back to the natural and fit state. In the same way, we have to be the hawks here and clean all the decay from the environment and surroundings. This task might take some time but ultimately the cleaners are deemed to succeed.

(Studying Humanities at Srinagar’s Women College, Dhaar Mehak writes for local publications)

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