THE CHALLENGE OF MODERNITY

There has been rapid  growth of science and technologyduring the twentieth century—the last two decades have seeneven faster speed in progress. This  growth has resulted invast changes, more than ever before.
  It has  changed theface of the world to such an extent that there  appearslittle common between the last and the present centuries.The change is not only in any specific area ; it is all pervasive.The people and their total  surroundings have undergone asea. change.  So   much so, that there   is nothing common between the father and the  son  and even between the first born and the last born.

Every decade brings in new waves of modernity with it. This process has introduced swift changes in the values and standards   consequent upon changes   in   human   outlook. Old values and  standards have given place to new ones. This has confronted our younger people with many challenges, more than ever before.   The old values have not been able to justify their existence in view of the  spread of new scientific and technological  progress.

The   younger   generation   is accused of being ultra  modern.    According to some people the youth is aping the west in the name of modernity.    There are others who pity the youth for having rejected  old tradi­tions and values.   But what is generally ignored by the old is that an unprecedented challenge or crisis has confronted   the youth, who  stand  at a crossroads from where they see the vast expause of both the old and the new.   On the one hand the old is pulling them back and on the other hand  the new is pulling them forward.  In the educational  institution  they are branded as a rebels, impertinent and indisciplined, whereas in their social circles  they  are dubbed  anti-traditionalist or non-conformist.

The younger people inherit old traditions, because of being brought up in the traditional environment, but they are forced to associate themselves with new values and norms as they enter the struggle for life. They thus find themselves in a dilemma and are compelled to find a new approach to help them in life. Both the new and the old are incapable of leading them to the highway of success. But on the whole the trend shows a tilt towards the new. The young refuse to accept everything as it is, whether it is customs, religion, mythology or dress. For example, they want to learn and understand the whole process of history rather than cram the important events and dates of history. They are in search of a system of education that is capable of developing them into what exactly they are. Similar is the case with customs, traditions and dress, etc.

The ancients believed in blind faith, but the youth believe in reason. To the latter grey hairs are not the repository of all wisdom in the word. Mental slavery is disliked by them. They are up in arms against all old customs, traditions and superstitions, which, according to them, have outlived their utility and are incapable of standing the test of reason.The first axe of modernity has fallen on religion.   The modern young man is not particular about religion. To him religion is meant for the mentally deficient and emotionally Unstable. He does not believe in the supremacy of gods, who are meant only for such old and weak men as have one foot In the grave. In his opinion morality is a costly luxury and mere idealism. Accordingly the morality ^dogma is a great hindrance to success in life, and obsession with morality renders a man unfit to face the grim realities of life.

Having thrown off the cloak of morality, the modern youth is practical and worldly-wise. He gives precedence to money over man. He understands more than anybody else that money makes the mare go. He would like to associate himself with those who are likely to bring monetary gains to him. Friendship and relationship are meaningless to him, Unless these lead to economic advantages. He does not believe in ‘friendship for the sake of friendship’. He would not invite a man to dinner or would not help a neighbour unless he is sure of getting some advantage through it. This philosophy he calls tact and practical wisdom that can convert a fool into a respectable and successful man.

In the past parents were held in high esteem. But the Modern young man does not believe in the superiority of his piwnts. In social life also he has lost all respect for his tlders. This has resulted in the dissolution of the joint family system. The youth today has rebelled against his parents, who according to him, are out to keep him under (heir thumb. His heroes are neither great leaders and pro-’ phets, nor saints and philosophers, but film actresses and Orlcket champions.

, The modern youth likes adventure and believes in living l^ittgerously. He takes to adventure purposelessly and takes Bride in being confronted with dangers. He suffers from a nlie vanity of being bold enough to act recklessly. He billtves in novelty and accepts everything that is new. To him every thing old is useless and anything new is praise­worthy. The youth is energetic, but he does not use his tnergies with discretion. Indiscretion is the hall mark of modernity. Young people do not mind committing sins for pleasure. They firmly believe in ‘eat, drink and be merry ; for tomorrow we die.’

It is not an exaggeration to say that a modern youth does many things without any aim or purpose. Movements and agitations are a craze for him, no matter whether he agrees or not with the objectives thereof. He takes pride and finds pleasure in being in a rebellious mood. He is fond of expressing his restlessness in everything that he does. The modern youth’s demands are fantastic. He wants to play the role of both the examinee and the examiner simultaneously. He resents even the slightest punishment awarded to him for being violent or for a gross breach of discipline. He is peevish by nature.

The older people are wedded to old and traditional values and convictions, while the younger generation has discarded them. The former are for the status quo, whereas the latter are for a radical, drastic and overall change in the atti­tude to life including social, moral, ethical and economic norms. This on the one hand, has caused anger and anxiety among the older people, and on the other hand has led to increasing tension and frustation among the youth. The new interpretation of freedom, morality, ethics and standards of behaviour have brought about a marked transformation in the general outlook of the youth and they are determined to assert their claim to a due share in shaping the order of things to come.

Youth is raw, dreamy, ambitious, full of idealism and untame. There is a sharp incompatibility of ideologies and values coupled with a lack of understanding between the old and the young. Why should the elder expect the young to to be just a carbon copy of what they were at that age with­out realising the fact that the world has tremendously changed and is changing at a rapid speed ? Why should elderly people always decry everything which may be termed as belonging to the younger generation ? Why should they always be obsessed with the idea that the younger generation must blindly conform to what they consider as good, accept­able, ideal and praiseworthy ? They should not view the life and ideals of the younger generation with old glasses. The’ youth of today is impatient and has rejected old prejudices. He clamours for a new social order, a worthwhile system of education and a new interpretation of social, ethical and spiri­tual values and standards. Younger people are not prepared to be treated as nobodies. They want to have their full say in what concerns them most. It shocks them most when they

are asked to submit to the likes and dislikes of their elders «ven in personal matters like a hair-cut, dress, food and friends. Imposition of old traditions and conventions on the young results in tension and frustration in them. Inability of tlie older generation to appreciate the aspirations and ambitions of the young and lack of spirit of adjustability In the old to the expectations of the young has created a nituation fraught with many problems.

It is no use decrying the youth. The older people did linve a fair chance to shape things according to their own choice ; why should they grudge such a chance to their children and grand-children. The future belongs to the youth Rlld nobody has a right to ask them to shape themselves to rait a coat stitched a century or two ago.

The modern age is an age of revolt against crude and outdated ideals and traditions. The youth has rebelled Myiintit many things of the past, which are inconsistent with Illl dreams and aspirations. The younger generation has bigun to shake the very foundation of the superiority and lupremacy of the older generation. They have successfully TOpluccd many age-old convictions and traditions which had OUtllved their utility. They have also overthrown many out-regimes which hindered the progressive changes and lUation. The most potent factor in the process of Hformation all over the world is youth. The movement by the younger generation for establishing a classless, and egalitarian society, where all will enjoy equal HfttUI Irrespective of their origin, office, sex and religion, has Ithpred momentum. In the society envisaged by the youth, JOBl would not mean subjugation or suppression of in-ilUftllty ; there will be no exploitation ; females will enjoy fights with males ; social evils and superstitions will be fiown.

However, this challenge of modernity has broken the Hlon and is leading the world onwards to new hori-Wjt iRd mental enlightenment. The modern age is an age unlike the earlier age of servitude.great jolt all over the world. It recognises the veitlftton man’s supremacy as against the supremacy of super-MtH, Thin Hgc has drawn people away from real life to the pUfUlilt Of lophisticated living. The result is tension and fruitful Ion. If the ultimate aim of life is happiness, a modern man may claim a comfortable living, but he is cons­tantly haunted by want, dissatisfaction and anxiety. The most baffling problem of today is to forge a harmonious link between the past and the present.