I loved @kanhaiyakumar's line about how students don't just give answers, they ask questions. Unfortunately, the vicious hatred, toxic attacks and abuses we see against students today is particularly because this hasn't been true for the vast majority of older people. #Thread
@kanhaiyakumar For a long time, the Indian middle class aspiration was that their children become engineers, doctors, lawyers and MBAs. This was because a well-paying job, with a lofty designation, was considered the ultimate status symbol of a 'settled' life, that parents could show off about.
@kanhaiyakumar To achieve this, children had to study and rote learn entire NCERT text books. If a kid developed an interest in a hobby like sports, music or literature, it was only allowed to the limit in which it didn't 'interfere' in studies, as hobbies were considered a 'waste of time’.
@kanhaiyakumar The only time any extracurricular pursuits were encouraged was when the children won awards in them at school, since that was a clear ROI from time spent. But the day a kid questioned why these hobbies couldn't be careers, they'd be told 'there is no future & money’ in them.
@kanhaiyakumar For a bit, kids, who cared about something off-mainstream, would fight. They would try to convince, rebel against, question or plead their parents, but to no avail. Because it was all about math: parents had invested in them; kids needed to study whatever guaranteed max profits.
@kanhaiyakumar So these kids joined colleges they didn't like, to pursue streams they didn't enjoy, to ultimately find jobs that would make them money but not make them happy. If they questioned this system put in place before their time, they'd be told, 'This is the way the world works.’
@kanhaiyakumar Even within the education system, the only way to get ahead was knowing answers to pass exams than asking questions to learn. Learning was never a priority for our students. So how much does the kid fight against? How much does a kid question? At some point, the kid gives in.
@kanhaiyakumar And once you just conform to society (and don't perish to bad mental health), things get easy. So what if you didn't get to live your dream or chase your passion? You are now in the same race as everyone, and your only fight is success. So you run. And you stop asking questions.
@kanhaiyakumar When you give in to a well-oiled 'system', you only stand out by being louder/more visible/more successful than others who are just like you.
That's what's happening today. The majoritarians, who stopped questioning, are attacking others with independent thinking, to stand out.
That's what's happening today. The majoritarians, who stopped questioning, are attacking others with independent thinking, to stand out.
@kanhaiyakumar And that is also why majoritarian anger is targeted at today's students, who, thanks to the internet, are aware & empathetic, and have taken to the streets to ask questions we stopped asking.
Because if they succeed, these students would get to be the people they could never be.
Because if they succeed, these students would get to be the people they could never be.
@kanhaiyakumar /EndThread
