What Can I Do ?

There was a time when I was a teenager when there were simple answers to very complex questions. Like why do terrorists exist? Why is the government not doing anything?

As naivete dies within, taking along with it the spirit of youth - one sees that there is more than meets the eye and thus one becomes wiser, more informed... and old.

So what will replace the brilliant answers I had as a teenager, sitting as I was on the throne of the future world?

An admission that I do not know too much.

Ignorance, they say, is the beginning of wisdom.

Notice how I have even begun listening to 'them'. Something again I would never do as a teenager.

I am an angry old man now, all of 24 years.

So here's my two cents.

If there is some leader today who has a solution and wants to recruit able young men to join his clean up team; he has a solution to all this - the systemic failure world over; I would certainly join him.

The solution has to stem from an understanding of economics, world orders, population and environmental studies, political structures, gang warfare behavior, an understanding of money and even human psychology. Suffice to say, its a highly skilled task that is best left to experts and definitely not politic ans and some some vague cliche-espousing reformer.

An organic slow change, no overnight coup. No drama.

I am not a teenager anymore, you see.

The change has to be in the form of progressing towards a healthy society, a prosperous nation that is not crowded.

At this juncture, I draw from what Matsushita (the Chairman of National) said during the rebuilding of Japan after being torn apart in the war.

"PHP: peace and happiness through prosperity"

Education should spread through the nation and educated middle class should become a major part of the vote bank. As of now the majority of India is poor, uneducated - and for some of them a haul in jail could actually be luxury and not deterrent, given their poverty.

So when we are the minority in this country, how can we expect politicians to speak to us, to be accountable to us?

They will obviously want to preserve that vote bank. Keep them poor, keep them uneducated.

Education makes one question. Gives one an opportunity to earn wealth, and be exposed to the best ideas from all across the world. Makes you understand your role in the country, the world and the universe.

So how does this vote bank turn educated and prosperous overnight?

And what do I mean by prosperity? I mean wealth created by work. Not money given to them as charity or money that is tainted.

And how long will all this take?

I am in no hurry. For I know this might take as long as a hundred years. I hope I am proved wrong. I hope it happens much sooner. But a nation will surely take time to reach this inevitable progress. I see my maid striving hard to get her kid educated and that gives me hope. Every person wants his kid to be wiser, more prosperous than him/her. That's reassuring.

Can I do something to aid this progress?

On my part, as soon as I can afford it, I will ensure that at least one kid gets education (high quality education) at my cost. It could be my maid's kid who I sponsor - and monitor and ensure he sticks to schooling, and help him out like a parent would.

Not as charity. No, not at all.

It is the least I can do to preserve humankind. It is something I am doing to preserve my own health and well being. It is for my only house.

And being a dreamer, I hasten to wonder: How would it be if each earning member who can afford it starts adopting one kid and sponsoring his/her education? Or one family adds one more unit to its education budget, apart from its own two kids?

I invite thoughts from all netizens on this. And other solutions that we can throw open for discussion.

Ha!

For one moment now...

I feel like a teenager once again!

Eager to hear your views.