Seeking 5th Space
The name as is pithy as the book itself. ‘The Ocean in a Drop’ tells an interesting story and raises questions that should be asked, but for obvious reasons are not. For example, is the much-touted Gen-X factor in India - the young voter below 25 who holds the aces in any election, success stories of the rich, famous and youthful, the teenage and early adulthood prodigies – should these be considered real or mere mythical media creations?
Ashraf Patel, Meenu Venkateshwaran, Kamini Prakash and Arjun Shekhar from youth developmental NGO Pravah, explore the various ramifications of India’s Inside-Out Youth Leadership in this offering from Sage Publications. Their efforts have the backing of partners like Community – The Youth Collective, The Sir Ratan Tata Trust and Oxfam India.
Why is only 6.3 per cent of the current Lok Sabha members between the ages of 25-40 years, even though 50 percent of the population lies in that range? Why is India, the youngest nation on the planet ruled by the oldest federal cabinet?
The book says it was not always like this. Young people constituted as much as 26 and 32 percent in the first and second Lok Sabhas respectively. So what has happened? Have young people become so self-absorbed that they do not want to contribute to society any longer?
On the contrary, it suggests that the answer may lie in the fact that we have lost the link that connects the journey from Self to Society. The authors argue that this vital link can be re-established in a learning experience called the journey from Self to Society. The book calls for building up a youth-friendly, youth-led 5th Space that nurtures youth leadership. Youth are confined to four spaces today -family, friends, lesiure career/education.
It argues that this 5th Space, has in fact, traditionally existed, earlier in the form of the Independence Movement and later through various student-led movements in the 1960s. Agitations like the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) and the recent India Against Corruption have mobilised the young in large numbers. Some media reports – somewhat incorrectly – have gone so far as to call New Delhi’s historic Ram Lila Maidan an open school of democracy, but then they have not seen JP’s anti-Emergency rally there in the 1970s, as I did as a student.
The book believes that to organise such a 5th Space though, “it must be co-created in partnership with young people; however you need trained and non-judgmental facilitators to support them in this endeavour.’’
Its central narrative revolves around attempting to change the youth paradigm itself and put question marks against some well-established norms of the society, a sort of a turning things on their head. Says the book,“India is a very ‘young country,’ they say. Fifty-four percent of our population is below the age of 25, and the rest are trying to look that way. But the balance of power still lies with the old people, whether in politics, business or or in ordinary homes; age and position still command authority. And that, we believe is Indian culture. However, the fact remains you are young only once. And you mind is full of doubts and questions. This is, in fact, a good thing for society. A stone thrown into a stagnant pond creates ripples. But our ponds are too sacred to throw any kind of `stone’ into them. We expect young people to simply accept this is what it means to be an Indian. Without the power of discovery or deeply felt experience.’’
The scholars argue that at home, work place and just about everywhere, we demand and get obedience; “then, we lament the lack of passion in our young people – their pursuit of narrow, material goals at any cost. But who has created this monster, if not society itself.’’
The book is an outcome of interacting with many people, as NGOs would in the course of pursuing their daily profession. It is reflected in the annexure where the key informants who provided the background, and presumably the foreground, for the narrative are mentioned prominently. It is an interesting mix, to say the least, and wide ranging. Detailed interviews have been conducted with Delhi University dons, prominent and not-so-prominent leaders of political parties, NGOs, youth volunteers and even a gurdwara sevadar.
In the course of their research, the authors used the opportunity to talk to 30 odd octogenarians and view the youth struggle, opportunities and complexities of their times through their prism, when their world was young.
As duly mentioned in the Acknowledgment, each interview turned out to be as fascinating as the other. It certainly helps the authors draw an evocative contrast with the present.
The name as is pithy as the book itself. ‘The Ocean in a Drop’ tells an interesting story and raises questions that should be asked, but for obvious reasons are not. For example, is the much-touted Gen-X factor in India - the young voter below 25 who holds the aces in any election, success stories of the rich, famous and youthful, the teenage and early adulthood prodigies – should these be considered real or mere mythical media creations?
Ashraf Patel, Meenu Venkateshwaran, Kamini Prakash and Arjun Shekhar from youth developmental NGO Pravah, explore the various ramifications of India’s Inside-Out Youth Leadership in this offering from Sage Publications. Their efforts have the backing of partners like Community – The Youth Collective, The Sir Ratan Tata Trust and Oxfam India.
Why is only 6.3 per cent of the current Lok Sabha members between the ages of 25-40 years, even though 50 percent of the population lies in that range? Why is India, the youngest nation on the planet ruled by the oldest federal cabinet?
The book says it was not always like this. Young people constituted as much as 26 and 32 percent in the first and second Lok Sabhas respectively. So what has happened? Have young people become so self-absorbed that they do not want to contribute to society any longer?
On the contrary, it suggests that the answer may lie in the fact that we have lost the link that connects the journey from Self to Society. The authors argue that this vital link can be re-established in a learning experience called the journey from Self to Society. The book calls for building up a youth-friendly, youth-led 5th Space that nurtures youth leadership. Youth are confined to four spaces today -family, friends, lesiure career/education.
It argues that this 5th Space, has in fact, traditionally existed, earlier in the form of the Independence Movement and later through various student-led movements in the 1960s. Agitations like the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) and the recent India Against Corruption have mobilised the young in large numbers. Some media reports – somewhat incorrectly – have gone so far as to call New Delhi’s historic Ram Lila Maidan an open school of democracy, but then they have not seen JP’s anti-Emergency rally there in the 1970s, as I did as a student.
The book believes that to organise such a 5th Space though, “it must be co-created in partnership with young people; however you need trained and non-judgmental facilitators to support them in this endeavour.’’
Its central narrative revolves around attempting to change the youth paradigm itself and put question marks against some well-established norms of the society, a sort of a turning things on their head. Says the book,“India is a very ‘young country,’ they say. Fifty-four percent of our population is below the age of 25, and the rest are trying to look that way. But the balance of power still lies with the old people, whether in politics, business or or in ordinary homes; age and position still command authority. And that, we believe is Indian culture. However, the fact remains you are young only once. And you mind is full of doubts and questions. This is, in fact, a good thing for society. A stone thrown into a stagnant pond creates ripples. But our ponds are too sacred to throw any kind of `stone’ into them. We expect young people to simply accept this is what it means to be an Indian. Without the power of discovery or deeply felt experience.’’
The scholars argue that at home, work place and just about everywhere, we demand and get obedience; “then, we lament the lack of passion in our young people – their pursuit of narrow, material goals at any cost. But who has created this monster, if not society itself.’’
The book is an outcome of interacting with many people, as NGOs would in the course of pursuing their daily profession. It is reflected in the annexure where the key informants who provided the background, and presumably the foreground, for the narrative are mentioned prominently. It is an interesting mix, to say the least, and wide ranging. Detailed interviews have been conducted with Delhi University dons, prominent and not-so-prominent leaders of political parties, NGOs, youth volunteers and even a gurdwara sevadar.
In the course of their research, the authors used the opportunity to talk to 30 odd octogenarians and view the youth struggle, opportunities and complexities of their times through their prism, when their world was young.
As duly mentioned in the Acknowledgment, each interview turned out to be as fascinating as the other. It certainly helps the authors draw an evocative contrast with the present.
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