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Thursday, May 21, 2009

Individuality-the Endangered Virtue?

Well ...here is my first serious blog that has been on my mind for some time now.

In this globalised world, what do you think would happen to the inherent uniqueness of the humans? All humans are unique and thats what make them different and the world a place of adventure, differences and exploration.

Can we for one moment imagine what the world would have been had it not been for this sense of individuality? What if all people wore the same clothes, ate the same food, thought the same thoughts and lived life in the same way as every other person on Earth? Boring.. right.?

But it seems that thats where we are heading in real life. Education system in my country bases more importance of written text rather than practical learning. I like to call Experience the teachings of the World and at the end of the day thats what would matter anyway.  

Why are we made to learn books when the only thing we require is to understand the concepts. Why are we made to learn the sentences, definations and answers when we have our own mind that can think. We just need to understand. Then why is it that even for vernacular subjects , the teachers give us pre-defined answers to write and get Marks? Is marks more important that our own thinking?

Are we trying to Kill Individuality By Overshadowing it with Mass Mentality?

Right from school onwards and till graduation, I experienced the guiding force of the teachers? But then why did I feel as if i was being dragged along the same trodden path and not allowed to choose one myself? Is it necessary that we have to go along with the Flow? Is it necessary that we should blindly follow the leader? It is not in my opinion. But what would be the consequences of treading a path few have travelled?

We talk of brain drain of the indian minds in the west.But what about the same think closer to home? Right from the beginning we have been told what to do and many times how to do it? Then from where do we develop our own reasoning skills? In school? In College? From where? Everywhere I turn a find a set of rules and regulations, that must be adhered to or you will be termed an outcast. Is being an outcast really a bad thing if it gets you thinking for yourself and not being dictated what to do by someone else the whole life?

There incidents in my life where I wanted to do certain things one way which was as good as the one that had traditionally been followed. But I was told to stick to the traditions as that would see me through the test? Is the idea of the present generation just to pass tests? Get good marks? Get a good Job? Is that it? Or is it worth to be something different? SOmeone who can rely on his own instincts and can take failure ans success in his stride? Is living a protected life all thats matters to most people? Or is the fact that one is not afraid to take a bold step not knowing if its a failure or success what matters? 

Has the present generation accepted to be one among the thousand tomdickandharry? 

And there are times when your individuality dies because you are a lone voice among a sea of people who have a mob mentality? Shouldnt those lone voices be taken heed of??

You like to take some new topic for something,something different, something radical, something not yet tested or something difficult? But the people around you decide thats too much of a risk and decide to go on the well trodden path laid down by the predecessors. Where do you go then? You have nowhere to go but to follow them? Is this what one is destined to do in one's life?

Is this Life as you term it? Would you rather live life thats dictated to you by others( by that i mean the Mass Mentaility) or would you rather be an Individual?

2 comments:

  1. Have you considered that there has been this encouragment for mass thinking throughout history? Instead of ebing dictated by education however, it was religion that controlled the masses?

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  2. no Alicia I had not. But that might be becoz I am an Agnostic and not really interested in religions. I just believe in a Higher Power. However you do make a good point.

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