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Change Agent

Reading these line from a Charles Simic quote in the book Twilight of the Elites, made me think about how this disappointment and anxiety of about the state of the country is timeless and pervasive and each culture and groups of people within it deal with the issue differently:

“I know that when I get together with friends, we make a conscious effort to change the subject” from the state of the country “and talk about grandchildren, reminisce about the past and the movies we’ve seen, though we can’t manage it for very long. We end up disheartening and demoralizing each other and saying goodnight, embarrassed and annoyed with ourselves, as if being upset about what is being done to us is not a subject fit for polite society.”

There are times when society as a whole is more politically aware and engaged than others. You would see that reflected in the discourse of students in high school and college most prominently. The rest of society have pre-occupations that do not allow for very strong or sustained engagement. Students generally lead the charge. When it is one of those times, in many countries and cultures it would be the social norm to engage in spirited discussions about the state of the country. 

When young people completely stop believing in their power to bring change, it is the beginning of the end. It's okay for the elderly to reminiscence about their past and share stories about their grandkids - the young still need to live in the present and believe there is value in fighting to make things better. Sadly, in many parts of the world, the youth have moved on too. 

I recall growing up in India hearing from people my parents age that only God can save the this country and even that might prove impossible in the end. For someone starting out their life, this is not messaging that inspires confidence. When you hear sentiments like that all the time and your peers are working hard to get out of college to study or work abroad, you begin to question the wisdom of staying behind trying to make a life in a country that even God can't be confident about being able to save. 

My generation grew up in politically turbulent times home and abroad. Many of us followed the news, held strong opinions about what was going on in the country. We would argue our position passionately and some among us had ideas of what might bring about lasting change in the country. When it came time to acting on any of that just about everyone I grew up with left India as soon as they were able.




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