Interrupted future
- Imphal Times Editorial :: May 18 2016 -

Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything
-George Bernard Shaw

With the passage of time everything changes- outlooks, ideas, methods, perceptions.

The most profound of these changes is perhaps the ever continuing social changes, for despite the path-breaking changes and developments being made in other fields and realms of arts, science and technology, medicine, management and what not, the one change that has a direct and instant impact on the society are the changes being seen in the society.

While such changes connote progress and development, the unfortunate truth is, it is not always so.

The ongoing social turmoil in the state may be seen as an example where the social campaigns against perceived aberrations on the society kicks up more uncertainty, confusion and contradictions.

The discordant notes on certain social issues being raised by various sections of the public has baffled the public more than ever, raising the very real threat of these movements being derailed and fading into oblivion.

Another grim prospect which is threatening to turn into reality is the disintegration of the already worsening educational system in the state.

But there is more to the story than meets the eye. For everyone who treasures human life and strives for progress, the ongoing conflicts have scarred the minds of the young children in the state, exposing them to undesirable conducts and violent social outbursts.

The frequent spurts in social disruptions have disturbed their academic pursuits and destroyed the peaceful atmosphere required for them to learn.

Instead, their young impressionable minds are bombarded with stories and news of atrocities and perceived injustices, of threats both imagined and real to one’s beliefs and customs, community and state, resulting in the formation of a mindset tinged with suspicion and reluctance to accept and trust groups and communities.

The seemingly intractable social conflicts and clashes of interests may have a lasting solution in the hands of the future generations.

For that to happen, they need to be nurtured with love and care, just as one would tend a precious plant.

They also need to be made understood that these conflicts and clashes are all about borders- physical, religious, ethnic, ideological and national, and that these boundaries are not permanent and can shift as history have proved, and yet the sense of enmity and bad-blood will linger long after the events have gone and are finished.

It is for us to try and bring up our children in an impartial, conducive and progressive environment so that they can make educated and informed judgments about the society.

The continuing verbiage and agitations for safeguarding the future will mean precious little if we cannot secure a free and conducive atmosphere for our children to grow up today.

We must not allow borders, artificial divides and politics to obfuscate the essential need to protect all children.

These are times when we must take a stand for a cause which is greater than ourselves. We need to make doubly sure that the inevitable changes are for the better.