....and each generation plays the same.

Glorifying the past, condemning the present and doubting the future is the name of the game and each generation plays the same. This is true from time immemorial. Youngsters are always scared of picking up a conversation with oldies as they preconceive the trend of conversation. Invariably, elders of each generation think that they inherit a glory from the past and tell that they struggled and worked hard to reach their status and place. The younger generation according to them is ambitious and wants everything with little or no effort. I am amazed that this fits all periods and generations till the present. Is this part of the generation gap?
Deep rooted psychology is behind. Probably, the reason is the reluctance towards change and fear of the future. Possessiveness (often innate and unperceived) resists differences in attitude and behavior. It finds different expressions. One such is shilly-shallying about the ability of the next generation. In fact, the exposure and consequent improvement in intelligence quotient of each subsequent generation makes them more competent to face the new realities of modern world and life.
In the past, ignorance about nutrition was the reason for the stunted nature of some populations and not simply poverty. But when knowledge was gained, the full genetic potential was expressed and even the so called dwarf populations are no more dwarf. In this instance, how can the past be glorified? But, this need not be taken to decry the past,  praise the present and reassure the future. It would be wise not to compare the past and present, only on issues of our interest, because anything to be compared will have to be similar/identical in aspects other than those compared. The conflict arises out of inappropriate comparisons.
Let us sing in chorus " Fair play is the name of the game and each generation plays the same at least in future ".

Attitude is important

Many of us are so negatively tuned from birth and are surrounded by such people all around that even unconsciously we tend to be negative. When you have to head some group and lay down rules and regulations, the temptation is always to think how and how many would misuse than thinking of the number of people who would use them. Right from rearing children we commit mistakes. We start teaching children what they should not do than what they should do. "Don't do this, don't do that , don't go there, don't look at that" is what I have heard as a kid. It is the implant of negativity in a child.
I personally use to feel that my inability to achieve early in life was due to the diffidence created by negative upbringing. Lack of self confidence is the result of this negative thinking. Right from birth we need to be provided confidence and positive attitude in everything. Thrusting ones ideas and attitudes on others particularly on children is very undesirable. This is precisely what has been done in our society so far. People use to  thrust their ideas, thinking and wishes on their children so far in this country.  We used to decide right from dress, food and courses of study of our children without bothering about their views. There are those who even think that the children don't have the right to have their own ideas. I distinctly remember my childhood. We were told to obey elders implicitly without questioning. That is the reason why normally our students do not ask questions during, lectures, seminars etc., Luckily, of late this seems to be changing at least with some people. Gradually more and more would fall in line.
I wish at least in this 21st century, let us resolve, to develop positive outlook and attitude in everything and foster original thinking and interests in youngsters and children. Our experience in life should be useful to them as guidance especially if they go wrong and should not be thrust on them. Shooting down ideas and suggestions without providing sufficient reasons is nothing but negative attitude. Let us encourage outside the box ideas and thoughts and promote originality and creativity among young and old alike.

New Year resolution

At the start of each New Year, new thoughts come to many and new resolutions are invariably taken. Many even attempt to follow the resolution seriously and sincerely , for a period,  the length of which depends on the tenacity of the individual. I am aware of cases of very short lived, say a couple of minutes, to very long time even up to their entire life time, keeping up their resolve. The duration depends on the quality of resolution also. What I mean quality is a sum of many aspects such as importance of the issue; frequency or duration of occurrence; addiction or habitual; the urgency of the issue etc., This is some what akin to Diary writing. Many people decide to maintain diaries the moment they are in possession of a good looking Diary. I have tried umpteen times to keep writing Diary and it didn't last for even for few weeks at a time. There are at least few who manage to do this but not keeping up New Year resolutions.
Thanks to modern technology my telephone serves the functions of Calendar and Diary. So some technology is needed to keep up the New Year resolutions also. Till then, the best would be to take the resolution I took this New Year. That is " not to take any resolution hereafter". Many people don't wish to disclose their resolution for fear that people may laugh at them when they don't keep. But by telling openly, you increase the chances of keeping up to the resolution, at least to avoid being shamed. This is my way of making myself do certain things which otherwise I may not.

The culture shock

Culture, tradition and customs are all consequences of a generation's survival attempt at a particular period of time based on situations and circumstances. It is therefore not necessary for generations far removed , to be unduly concerned about practicing all of them and talking about them all the time. I'm not trying in anyway to demean or consider as unnecessary all aspects of the past. As the society evolved, all traditions, customs and culture also evolve or change. But it does not mean that all earlier things are wrong and need to change totally. Culture is a very broad term that includes all the aspects of human life including behavior, work, dress, food, art etc. Though there could be differences in one or more aspects such as food, dress, music and dance, other aspects such as attitude, behavior and ethics cannot vary much as all belong to the human species.
The reason for a vide variety in customs, traditions and culture is essentially due to the geographic segregation by space and time as well as lack of efficient transport and ways of  communication in the past. But as societies evolved, with developments in science and technology, people were brought closer by space and time. There was a steady increase in flow of information and mixing of cultures. Selection pressure leads to adoption and absorption of whatever is good in alien culture. No one would accept change if it's not to their liking and advantage. Mixing of cultures result in evolution of new cultures and that is the way of life. No one can dispute the need to preserve old traditions and culture. But it need not be by fighting against change and advocating only the past. Nothing should be forced on the unwilling.
Culture pseudo-protectionism is either politically motivated or for personal gain. I am saying this because of a talkshow, I happened to see in a local channel in which the conductor of the show, dressed in western attire, talks every time only of the greatness of the local culture, as if all others are uncultured. Boasting is a psychological disorder that affects when you feel inferior. If you are a deserving society or culture or person, you should be praised by others.  All humans are bestowed with identical capabilities of the brain and each one uses it in one way or the other. Let us not encourage the "you or me " attitude and take up the "we" attitude. It is not possible to conclude what is right or wrong in culture. Culture is the totality of the way of human life at a given time and is determined by various factors of that period. Nothing more nothing less. Why then condemn just because you don't like? When generations coexist at any point of time, there is always a culture shock puzzling them. Culture shock is inevitable if you don't understand.

It matters to every one as well

IS DEMOCRACY A DANGEROUS CREED?

 Often we have to become slaves of circumstances. When people claim that the reason for all ills of India is too much or unbridled freedom, I cannot help agreeing but at the same time when they attribute it to democracy, it is difficult to accept,  as the two are different from each other just as education and literacy are. Democracy has to provide you fundamental freedom while in autocracy  it is optional. So if you enjoy freedom under a noble and benevolent autocrat you cannot  claim autocracy is good as you cannot claim democracy is bad when you have irresponsible and in disciplined citizens .  In other words, you should not be a slave of circumstances. I have to say this emphatically because for too long, I have the misfortune of people praising the past especially the British rule in this country.

  To me often, it appears that this country is surviving because of the Supreme Court (SC). I am amazed at the spectrum of issues and the amplitude of cases they have to deal day in day out.  Starting with environment and science they have to give their verdict on issues political, apolitical, important and irrelevant. But for the Supreme Court of India, Delhi would have become uninhabitable even in the 1980s. I remember smog totally covering Delhi and without the aid of instruments you cannot land in Delhi. Your face and dresses would give out soot when washed. It was the determined effort of SC of India that forced all DTC buses and auto rickshaws to change to CNG.  Similarly, it is the SC of India which had to force the citizens to travel safe by forcing them to wear helmets in two wheelers and belts in four wheelers. Whether it is followed in letter and spirit in the whole country is a moot point. Since the governments are failing in their duties, the courts have to waste their time and energy in administering and saving the country and its people. But when  they do,  it is dubbed as judicial activism. If they don’t do who will do?

  The curse of this country is that only the miniscule minority who work with conscience would be dumped with  and forced to  work and also found fault with for minor mistakes, while the lazy and scrupulous counterparts who enjoy life at others expense are not only permitted to go scot free, but not even blamed and sometimes even rewarded. Since the courts are by and large working, they are forced to work beyond the call of duty. That is why we have till the end of February 2015, Sixtyone thousand three hundred pending cases before the SC of India and over 4.5 lakh cases in High Courts of India. But if a political leader wants a case to be taken for argument immediately, even if it is a flimsy one like  defamation, the judge has to oblige. If the courts are permitted to do their duty unfettered, we will not only avoid delay in justice which amounts to denial but would not have permitted a whopping 186 newly elected Members of Parliament with pending criminal cases against them to enter and spoil the divinity of Parliament.   

Stop the blame game

People are fed up of the usual political blame game only when things go wrong or are not to their liking, conveniently brushing aside or downplaying anything going right. I remember good old days when I was in school and college. India used to go with a begging bowl to developed countries for aid and food. I used to feel ashamed because U. S. Media in those days used to frequently show beggars lined up in places like Varanasi bathing ghats and tell viewers that India survived only due to PL480. Surplus wheat that would have been dumped into the sea was sent in ships to India. The population in India then was much less than now. We had much more agricultural land because of less houses and industries. We were begging because of famines and famine like conditions in many places.Did we not come up from that level to what we are today? Now, we offer aid to less priveleged countries and even export to several countrries in the world. We did not keep blaming anyone. How did we achieve the green, white and even the blue revolutions? Hard working scientific community; enterprising farming community and supporting government worked with the single motive of self sustenance and achieved it. 
All of us are aware of the population boom , crossing the billion mark rapidly and growing further. We also understand that shelter for each family is a fundamental requirement. Where can we get the required land to build so many houses? Agricultural land became  the first victim but compensated with development of  better varieties and yields. Water ways and storage sources became the next victim and without looking for positive solutions, we make a hue and cry as if we have reached a dead end and there is no salvation. What are the hydrological engineers and water management people doing? Why can't they think outside the box and identify ways and means of better and modern augmentation of water resources including the rare rain water. If at all some one needs to be blamed, it is the indiscipline of the society which scrupulously litters all over with plastic , polythene and other non biodegradable material clogging drains and sewers. So what is needed now and for ever is discipline in the society and new thinking as well as working on water management.