"S.P Thamil chelvan Killed"
After few minutes one of my friends nudged me in MSN. Here is the conversation
Friend:
Me: Ya
Friend: Wats dat?
Me: Heard da news??? Mara case eka ne??
Friend: Hmmmm..Mchn who is Thamil Chelvan???
Me: ----------CENSORED----------------
Yes you can laugh. But just think for a moment. This friend of mine is neither a foreigner nor ex-patriot. He is a genuine product of free education of Srilanka who is living in this country.
Some of you might think this is an isolated incident and doesn't represent the ground reality in today’s Srilanka. Well i don’t think so.
If you observe the political and social awareness among our generation you might not find this surprising. I would like to mention 2-3 examples where i have observed this.
1. A very popular phrase among youth "Mchn lets don’t talk about those things, There’s no point of talking about those worthless issues."
2. Whenever two people starts a discussion about political issue "
3."What the hell mchn. If this country is not going to develop we can always move to another country!!!”
This is the true feeling among majority of our generation.
Yes a handful number of people are talking about them and they are worrying about the country. They argue, fight about those issues. Whatever there political ideology might be they are worrying about their country. But the majority???
For a moment think about our generation who does not worry about their motherland. Ironically its the same people who don't hesitate to criticize the country, not the government, not the politicians, the country usually after comparing it with some other nation. The fact they are forgetting is that those nations are in this status because of the commitment, love and passion the its people have for their nation.
I would like to end my first post with an excerpt from the book Ravindranath Tagore's famous novel "Gora". In this incident a person criticize
"Well you should be ashamed. Before telling such a thing about my country, tell me what have you done to change this nation. Anything? Why don’t you commit suicide before telling such a thing about your motherland".
It’s easy to criticize, but to change?????
As the name suggests I’m trying to place a beacon!!!!
21 comments:
nice template.
someone said, i forget who, that "You may not be interested in politics, but that doesn't mean politics isnt interested in you"
that's what these buggers dont understand.
Good Inaugaration machan,
Let me add another point to your comment. This prevailing system is result of our past politicians. They have geared this country to the way it is now. A one president in SL has been mentioned that “History and Literature doesn’t fill your tummy”. So no wonder if people thinking of their own benefit.
After the era of late Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranayake the image of this county has been totally changed by foolish governments. Result of that, the new generation is lack of knowledge in our own History, Literature and Heritage. Because of that they are acting like foreigners. Problem is here.
We need to find a solution for overcome this situation, at least we have to protect our future generations. Patriotism is the key to win this potential. But how? We can’t inject patriotism to every newborn baby.
Solution is we need to give a good education with the knowledge of our History, Literature and Heritage to every child. Then only we can expect patriotic people who are thinking the development of our MOTHER SRI LANKA.
Thanx
I agree with your main point chamila. The education is the key factor.But what is done is done, now we have to look forward. Lets discuss about a way out from this situation.As i said its easy to criticize.
Chamila, i dont think lack of patriotic education is the problem here machang. especially the kind of patriotism you are talking about, if you need to go back 2500 years to find inspiration, thats rather pathetic.
Also for you to be engaged in politics, and to be aware and conscious about 'social issues' or even to 'love your country', you don't need to necessarily need to be educated in heritage, literature and history. these things are benifitial of course, if nothing to understand how often history, heritage is misrepresented by the self-labeled 'patriots' who want their own version of it.
i have been in a plethora of forums where they discuss all sorts of problems and as a solution they often come with the magic words 'education' or 'awareness'. sure, that's important but there is a tendency to after discovering this magical solution go home happy, and never worry about it again. education wont just happen, someone's got to do it.
Another problem is the lack of non-partisan spaces for political expression for young people and the feeling of ' whatever you do, it doesnt matter; things will be the same'. this has led to a sense of apathy.
Answer is action, not just diagnose. go out and create these spaces, do the educating and try to influence policy.
Exactly mchn!!"Education and awreness" most popular words used in the conclusions of the project proposals for in any area.Its like an answer that we used to write for exams in O/L:)
How much money do u think would have been allocated for these two criteria s in the government and non-government projects??What use??
Ya action is the answer.but what action?Thats were we get stuck.Wat can we do..
And another thing. I totally agree that love for your country and sense of responsibility in her success is unconditional.But these feelings are not developed by there selves.Thats when education come in to play.History and Litriture is just 1 small part of the answer.Its not the whole thing.
first of all, we must appreciate for this kinda work, BentzZz for starting this Blog. Even though this applies me as i have very little knowledge in Politics. But as per my knowledge, i think the main reason for the present situation is the lack of Knowledge or the deficiency of Education in politicians. The most prominent job for the pre-school leavers have been politics. Have you ever wonder the way our cute politicians behave in the parliament? Most of them are interested in their Bank Accounts, rather than the motherland. So how does such a Country can be developed ???
True. but it doesnt negate the importance of education, just that those who advocate it must go out there and do the actutal educating or contribute someway of doing it. Most often the prescription doesnt translate into action.
As for Action, well create spaces for dialoge and engagement of young people.
i dont think there are any silver bullet solutions, partly because the incentives are not there. ppl dont feel politics playing an important part in their lives. Now, i'm fine with it, if this is actually the case. in SL though its not.
True, Intensives,motivations are not there. The main reason as i see it is the vacuum left behind by not having a powerful civil society.What v hav is few individuals who acts on their political believes(Mostly party politics,not real politics).
Hey bentz this is SAN;
Well all of you guys talk about been patriotic, as bentz pointed out the need to think and act as a single nation is still not filled. And none or what so ever acts are been made by the government to ensure nation that loves their country.
And as Chamila pointed out none of our education system teaches the child to love its mother country, rather than that it points out our weakness in Sri Lanka and compares’ it to other countries.
Well my point is this, you can never say to a person “hey this is your country so love it”, and you simply can’t teach someone to be patriotic, it’s something like love, a feeling that you need to feel in your heart. So what I’m saying (trying to say) is that make an environment that our younger generation can love and can admire, a living status that you can show to a foreigner and proudly say “hey this is the Sri Lankan Style man…”, and then and only then a generation filled with patriotic will be born,
It’s something like this; In order to grow a tree healthy you need to prove a good fertile ground to grow on, so 1st we need to make this society a one that we all can be proud.
So as I said there is nothing to blame on the government or a stupid politician parasites who rule this beautiful country it’s our self’s we have to blame on, now don’t start blaming me for accusing you all for this situation, let me give you a little example.
Do you remember what you did to the last bus ticket you had, I’m sure you can’t even remember where you put it. So that’s what I’m telling little thing does matter, we all need to act to make the environment a better place so, if you really have a need to make this country a better place then start acting now, you are still not late.
May be no one will notice your act but remember unity is power, so don’t wait till a good government to come or a nation with patriotic idea to come, start your acting today, a good younger generation will be sure to follow.
So don’t follow, start leading, be a model, act as a good citizen. That my friend will someday make a huge difference in this land :)
::..SAN..::
Well SAN... Although i agree with ur overall idea i dnt think acting individually will change the situation. Yeah dat will make sum change bt in the present situation it wont b enough.
Well if you are waiting for a revolution to happen then please stop dreaming and start working... ;-)
And even if some thing like is going to happen for sure still individual commitment is a must in a good society so still start working... ;-)
well revolution is gud bt i too think it is unrealistic.Bt we hav to look @ the world mchn.In the known history no nation has changed dramatically without a revolution or that kind of a large movement by its society. I will elaborate on this on my next post guys..
Not really, and there are many countries that have fallen to the dust by revolutions, and some didn't last much time.
Well do u know what malaysia took as a example to get developed, Sri Lanka... did they do a revolution, i don't think so.
More info if someone wished to read about:- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahathir_bin_Mohamad
Well although it is not a armed struggle Malaysian development was also a revolution mchn.Dr Mahathir was also criticized heavily abt human rights violations through out his rule.And do u think without his strict ruling Malaysia will achieve whatever they have achieved up to now.I dnt think so.Just think Srilanka had abt 7-8 governments while Malaysia had only 1 through out that whole period.
Well if you see it as a revolution then so be it, but it was just another government who had a new way of doing things, any way think for your self how intelligent is it to wait for some thing uncertain when u can start doing some thing today. unless your are going to do it of course... :D
Hey let me know if ok :-)
Well dats wat i said mchn.Im not dreamin abt sumthin like dat.And if u havent noticed i hav already started sumthin!!:-)
Well glad to here that...
And good luck with it...
hope its not this blog ;-)
::..SAN..::
Ya its this Blog.Wat else did u think..
See thats what i told, there are 1st times, always don't have to be the same.
This is a blog revolution;
for the 1st time in the history... ;-)
Hey Bentz....
I think its time to restart this.
Every thing has to get a 2nd chance hah !!!
Give the same thing to ur blog.... :D
patta ah...
Post a Comment