The Answerable Youth

A Warm welcome.... to the young and the old, the big and the small, the rich and the poor, the employed and the unemployed. But most of all to the youth of today.

All of us in some point of our lives have been told by our parents, teachers or elders, that we are the youth of today, in whose hands lies the future of the nation. We are the youth of today, answerable for the state of the government and politics, state of the roads and forests, state of the global finance and internal budgets, state of exports and imports, future of IT and biomedical industry. We are the 'youth of today'. We are the 'Answerables'.

Of course this forms only one part of the lecture, the other part goes something like this...... "You!!! YOU!!!! Oh...o, you think you are answerable, do you. All you think of is boys or girls, new shoes, new bike, computer and TV. Friends are God, Parents should be forsaken by God. The fate of our nation rests with you mindless drones and good for nothings. Corruption will never be wiped off the face of our country. We are doomed!!!....." With this they roll their eyes and give an imploring look towards heaven. And of course, they shake their head. This action is performed throughout the lecture, reaching a frenzy towards the end.

And what's your reaction??? You get thinking... (Even you are surprised that you can think) "Am I responsible, Answerable?? Is some one like me going to govern....? (The TV distracts you: It's Baywatch).... Oh Ya Baby....
End of thought process.

If you are above 16 and have never received some form of the 'answerables' lecture in your life, then you might not be from this planet. I have received versions of this talk. (But my mom never called me a mindless drone; she preferred 'stubborn buffalo', in native terms)

Do you really think the Youth of today will ever shoulder responsibility?? To ease our Guilt lets look towards our elders. Were all our moms born in saris with pallus tucked in at their waists? Were all our dads born with bald heads, mustaches and spectacles?? I don’t think so. I have heard quiet a few nutty deeds of my parents and uncles. Some were insistent on breaking their bones and wounding themselves very often, while others have taken a lil more than necessary time to complete their education. But they have all turned up fine. All of them are today successful doctors, engineers or business men.

Then why does the older generation worry so much about today’s youth. They say that we didn’t do this when we were young and we didn’t do that. But they did quiet a lot of nutty stuff, and so do we. There is a difference in the nature of our nuttiness owing to the number of electronic and mechanical inventions and also the short skirts and tight jeans. But it's nuttiness none the less. For example, in the times of our parents and grand parents, more than half the people either didn’t pass their educational course or dropped out from it. But today most of us pass out with flying colors, some into successful jobs and others into colorful pubs. But we pass out none the less.

To ease your worry and guilt further, look towards the example of Amitabh Bachchan. Though he was born to a literary genius, he was not very inclined on education, high marks and so on. In fact he was a regular face at Delhi pubs at night. Lots of dancing. And he wanted to get into cinema, which in those times barely had any prospects. I'm sure he got the 'answerables' lecture from his dad many times. But would anyone at that time have imagined that he would be the face of India on the global frame? He turned out fine, didn’t he?

So will we.

If all moms and dads look into their pasts, they'll know that we'll be fine. Of course, a lil prodding here and there from them, a lil stumbling here and there from us. But we'll be fine. I might not become the Prime Minister, you might not become the President, My best friend may not become the CEO of a leading IT company. But someone will. And then how hard can it be to govern a country?? (All you have to know is how to steal....)

SO moms and dads, we'll be just fine...... and.... Ahem..... I suppose, dandy...