Yuva Bharati - August 2007 - Vivekananda Kendra Prakashan

granted; nay, even the parents are notable to command submission fromtheir youngsters.The question “Can you tell a lie?”,put by Swami Vivekananda to atypically lazy and inactive student ofthose days, has no relevance today.Because, the student of today hasceased to be the passive andsubmissive creature that he wasyesterday. Today, he is full of energyand his activity covers such novelspheres as Swami Vivekananda couldnot have even imagined then. Even anaverage student of today can truthfullysay that he is capable of not only tellinga lie, but can also pelt stones atpassenger-buses and trains, and evenremove fish-plates from the railwaytrack just for the fun of it; he can aswell set fire to buses, trains, buildingsand even knife his teachers just tosatisfy his curiosity to know hownewspapers would report the incidentsnext day.Similarly, the general mass of peopleand especially the younger generationhave now totally got rid of their oldpassivity and submission. They havenot only regained their normal capacityto feel and perceive but have alsodeveloped an ultra sensitiveness. Eventhe presence of an invigilator in theexamination hall makes their bloodboil—nay, the very system ofexamination irritates them. They areequally sensitive, and even allergic, tothe sight of bus-conductors askingbus-fares from their fraternity, railwayinspectors detecting ticketlessstudents, gate-keepers in cinema hallschecking up tickets or even policemenobstructing stone-throwing.In short, the country has, at long last,shed its torpidity and the people noware up and doing. As long as the entirenation was numb with inertia, nothingcould be expected except a graduallyincreasing deterioration. But, by thegrace of God, the country has turnedthe corner, and the people havebecome conscious of themselves andtheir capacity to do and undo, and tobuild and destroy.One may take an alarmist view ofthe present trends in the youngergeneration. But, in fact, there is morereason to rejoice than to be frightened.Because it is not through the peace ofthe graveyard but only through thedynamism of action, whether good,bad or even wicked, that nations,sooner or later, light upon the rightvision and adopt the course ordainedfor them. Out of the present exuberanceof meaningless or destructive activityof the young, there is bound to emergesoon the next phase, the dawn ofwisdom and discrimination (Vivek)which will make the country rediscoverits mission and give a newcreative direction to all its endeavours.YUVA BHARATI - August 20076