The way Indian society connects grades with intelligence is super toxic in long term.
I've heard many people say, "I was really intelligent back in school, idk what happened to me in college, I became really dumb"
1/
I've heard many people say, "I was really intelligent back in school, idk what happened to me in college, I became really dumb"
1/
2/
Folks really start measuring their whole self worth only on the basis of their grades, not realizing how it's hurting them
They then get trapped in a loop; "I'm dumb because I score low grades" 🔁 "I score low grades because I'm dumb"
Folks really start measuring their whole self worth only on the basis of their grades, not realizing how it's hurting them
They then get trapped in a loop; "I'm dumb because I score low grades" 🔁 "I score low grades because I'm dumb"
3/
And the byproduct of the this loop is, the person misjudging him/herself as someone below average and thus losing confidence and lowering self-esteem
This mentality then stops them from attempting anything extraordinary in the first place.
And the byproduct of the this loop is, the person misjudging him/herself as someone below average and thus losing confidence and lowering self-esteem
This mentality then stops them from attempting anything extraordinary in the first place.
4/
"Shoot for the stars, aim for the moon" is what everyone should do
But these people never think that they're capable of doing anything above average which leads to them never getting to know their real calibre
"Shoot for the stars, aim for the moon" is what everyone should do
But these people never think that they're capable of doing anything above average which leads to them never getting to know their real calibre
5/
Just think about it, a huge chuck of nation's population working at a really low percentage of their real capability.
It's like having a muscular body but getting beaten by from a child just cuz you think you're weak
This is a disaster at both, personal and societal level
Just think about it, a huge chuck of nation's population working at a really low percentage of their real capability.
It's like having a muscular body but getting beaten by from a child just cuz you think you're weak
This is a disaster at both, personal and societal level
6/
Parents and teachers start giving tags like "bright" or "weak" to kids from a really young age. And folks adopt the tags, crippling them of ever aiming high
In fact majority of parents and teachers don't at all know what intelligence really means
Parents and teachers start giving tags like "bright" or "weak" to kids from a really young age. And folks adopt the tags, crippling them of ever aiming high
In fact majority of parents and teachers don't at all know what intelligence really means
7/
Almost all of the 15-16 y.o. folks live in a really small world, where they're exposed to only their parents and teachers. And the kids accept and adopt what their teachers and parents think of them
Almost all of the 15-16 y.o. folks live in a really small world, where they're exposed to only their parents and teachers. And the kids accept and adopt what their teachers and parents think of them
8/
Now the whole identity of the kid has already been designed by the society, and now he/she will live with it.
The chances of the kid exploring and questioning him/herself are really low, as he/she already has the answers, mostly wrong
Now the whole identity of the kid has already been designed by the society, and now he/she will live with it.
The chances of the kid exploring and questioning him/herself are really low, as he/she already has the answers, mostly wrong
9/
1 year ago, in Dec 2019, when I told my parents that I've dropped out and it's been weeks since I stopped going to college, 2 of my dad's friends came to my college hostel to "guide and explain" me
1 year ago, in Dec 2019, when I told my parents that I've dropped out and it's been weeks since I stopped going to college, 2 of my dad's friends came to my college hostel to "guide and explain" me
10/
No student gets insulted more than being called "weak in studies"
They took me in car, and started explaining why running a business is the last thing one should do and why a job is the best thing to do
No student gets insulted more than being called "weak in studies"
They took me in car, and started explaining why running a business is the last thing one should do and why a job is the best thing to do
11/
Talking to each other, "I had already his dad not to let him do engineering in Computer Science, he won't be able to cope with the high level studies of CS (he a CS engineer and he thinks it's an exotic thing to do and he's extraordinary)"
Talking to each other, "I had already his dad not to let him do engineering in Computer Science, he won't be able to cope with the high level studies of CS (he a CS engineer and he thinks it's an exotic thing to do and he's extraordinary)"
12/
Continuing his talk with the other uncle, "See now he's not able to score good marks and giving excuses of startups and entrepreneurship to drop out of college"
I felt really insulted, but I didn't take it personally as he doesn't know me from a bar of soap
Continuing his talk with the other uncle, "See now he's not able to score good marks and giving excuses of startups and entrepreneurship to drop out of college"
I felt really insulted, but I didn't take it personally as he doesn't know me from a bar of soap
13/
Also, I knew exactly what not to do (engineering) and what I really wanted to pursue (entrepreneurship)
Also, I knew exactly what not to do (engineering) and what I really wanted to pursue (entrepreneurship)
14/
Then he dropped the biggest insult of my lifetime until now, "Atharva, answer my question honestly, you did check in class X exam na?"
I asked why did he think so
"We thought you were intelligent but you almost failed in 11th and 12th (remember, depression doesn't exist)"
Then he dropped the biggest insult of my lifetime until now, "Atharva, answer my question honestly, you did check in class X exam na?"
I asked why did he think so
"We thought you were intelligent but you almost failed in 11th and 12th (remember, depression doesn't exist)"
15/
I had sacrificed all of my existence, may it he my passion for cars and astrophysics, or going outside to play cricket, just to score come in merit in 10th, and now all of it was being falsified.
I had sacrificed all of my existence, may it he my passion for cars and astrophysics, or going outside to play cricket, just to score come in merit in 10th, and now all of it was being falsified.
16/
Coming to the point, I'm not alone. Had there been someone else in my place who didn't have clarity or trust in him/herself, would've given up on their ambitions
Coming to the point, I'm not alone. Had there been someone else in my place who didn't have clarity or trust in him/herself, would've given up on their ambitions
17/
My family and family friends still think that I'm incapable of pulling off extraordinary feats just because of my less marks that too because I was in depression (for them, depression was an excuse to not study, just like dropping out for startups and entrepreneurship)
My family and family friends still think that I'm incapable of pulling off extraordinary feats just because of my less marks that too because I was in depression (for them, depression was an excuse to not study, just like dropping out for startups and entrepreneurship)
18/
Irrespective of how much I say I don't value these kinda opinions from my family and other people, o can't deny that it sucks energy out of me for sure
I earn myself and I have the option to go somewhere else, in an enabling environment, but how many have that?
Irrespective of how much I say I don't value these kinda opinions from my family and other people, o can't deny that it sucks energy out of me for sure
I earn myself and I have the option to go somewhere else, in an enabling environment, but how many have that?
19/
This is how the whole (almost) "middle class" society of India is.
It really haunts me when I think of how many people must've given up on their dreams or have never tried something above average just because of this mindset of the society
This is how the whole (almost) "middle class" society of India is.
It really haunts me when I think of how many people must've given up on their dreams or have never tried something above average just because of this mindset of the society
20/
I'd rather bang my head on a wall than explain those uncles why they're wrong.
The only practical solution that comes to my mind, is exposing the next generation to a bigger world, and enabling them to become self aware and get to know themselves better
I'd rather bang my head on a wall than explain those uncles why they're wrong.
The only practical solution that comes to my mind, is exposing the next generation to a bigger world, and enabling them to become self aware and get to know themselves better
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