There is a rising trend among teenagers today. I know not
whether it is relevant everywhere but I've certainly seen a fair share of the
teenage public engage in this particularly irrelevant and to an extent,
nonsensical celebration. Now this is my personal view and I’m open to other interpretations,
if anyone would like to offer any.
The trend I’m referring to is celebrating ‘one week’, ‘one
month’, ‘two months’ and so on and so forth, of a relationship. Two people,
apparently in love, announcing to the world that their relation completes a
milestone in time. I wonder why. When I was
in the middle of my undergraduate studies, I used to be amused at the first and
second year kids celebrating a week together. I would think that they were
relieved that it had lasted that long. I mean that we as humans of course need
reasons to celebrate but I wonder whether those celebrations were not in fact
sighs of relief at the endurance level of the couple.
Secondly, the concept of gifting things to one’s partner for
absolutely no reason at all is also alien to me. I do not get how people gift
each other chocolates and stuff. I have seen boys and girls who get a limited amount
of money from home to spend while in college, especially those whose homes
weren't in the same city. These people would buy lavish gifts and this and that
for their partners all the time and then would borrow money from other people
at the end of the month. This, I thought to be a literal bribe for the partner
to stay along with them. I mean, it may be alright once in a while but how can
one afford to spend recklessly and then complain that their parents didn't love
them enough to pay for their expenses?
For some time now, I've been observing a couple of teenagers
and what strikes me is their adherence and leaning towards foreign soap operas
rather than Indian ones. Good job kids! But anyhow, my point is that it may be
possible that teens today are influenced enough by these English and American
television shows to believe that relationships do not in fact last as long as
their parents advertise. I have also watched said shows and since I've just
passed this stage a couple of years ago, I think that’s what has also run
through my mind at one time or another. Is it not harmful then if one thinks
about it? That teenagers today feel that their relationships, should they
choose to commit to one, will ultimately fail; which is leading them to be overjoyed
at every little step along the way?
Now, I’m not against the television shows or any media in
particular, what I’m afraid of is a senseless generation of Indians who believe
whatever they see on the ‘idiot box’ and that is a matter that should be given
serious consideration by parents as well as the teenagers themselves. They need
to be made aware of the fictional nature of these shows by their parents and/or
teachers. Students in the mass communication field are aware of what happens
here but what about the rest? It is absolutely imperative to for parents to
talk to their children about one of the topics considered taboo in Indian
society. When even love marriage is considered sacrilegious in this country, I
wonder how communication between generations can take place on this apparently
delicate topic.
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