Life is not just about struggle

Young people the world over are under pressure to compete, survive and thrive. But before talking about them, let us define who these young people are.

The term ‘young’ is loosely used to incorporate those ranging from late teens to late 50s. These days it is both biologically and psychologically determined. Both Generation X (born between 1965 and 1980) and Generation Y (born between 1981 and 2000) together comprise the young. Anyway, the issue is not that.

In urban India, it is this class that is most vibrant and makes things happen, if at all. But today this class is experiencing a psychologically unstable mindset. It is reticent. It is also restive. It is both withdrawn and aggressive. It is quiet as well as vocal. An iPod generation, it is insecure, pressured, over-taxed and debt-prone, and is not satisfied with the way the world is moving. Many experts blame the economic downturn for this. But is this the real reason? And, is there any solution? For the large majority, the answer to the first question is yes. But for them, the answer to the second question is a big no. One needs to understand that economic downturn is rooted in greed and fear.

Coming back to the issue of young people being under pressure, the question is: Why are they so? There are two fundamental reasons. First, they are in a hurry and want things done very fast — too much, too soon. It is the dominant culture today. But they forget that speed thrills but kills! The second reason is that they want so many things at the same time. Or, rather they do not know what they want. The result is that they want to have the cake and eat it too. In the process, the life becomes too complicated. The outcome is depression, anxiety, frustration and aggression, leading to a negative worldview. Things that are happening as a result of this are alarming. According to the World Health Organisation, India ranks second in the number of people committing suicide. Even more interesting is the fact that a large number of those committing suicide are young people who in no way live in penury. Thus, the reasons are not economic.

The answer cannot be found in economics. It lies with psychology — the way we look at the world, the way we live. The essence lies with balance and simplicity. Balance is the core of Gautam Buddha’s philosophy — the middle path. And simplicity is Rabindranath Tagore’s answer to the complexities of life.

With the country celebrating the 150th birth anniversary of Tagore, let us take the lesson from him — to embrace simplicity. As the saying goes, “It is very simple to be happy, but very difficult to be simple.” Young people need to understand this. They need to reframe the idea of life. Life is not a struggle as they perceive. Struggle is life.