SEPTEMBER 2022

Why is Indian Youth not tough enough?

In India, elders often complain that today’s youth is not as tough as they were in their day. They say the younger generation is too weak and not built to last. Is this true? Let’s take a look at some facts and figures.

A recent study by the World Health Organization found that India has the highest rates of suicide among youth aged 15-29.

 According to the Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 27% of Indian students suffer from depression. National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) found that nearly one in every five students in India has a mental illness.

• भारतीय नई पीढ़ी दृढ़ क्यों नहीं है? 

The first thing we need to consider is what “toughness” actually means. Does it mean being able to endure more pain physically? Or does it mean being emotionally strong?

 Unfortunately, there is no definitive answer to this question. It would appear that “toughness” is subjective and, therefore, difficult to measure.

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Sports psychologist Tim S. Grover states that mental toughness is “the ability to consistently perform toward the upper range of your potential with or without immediate recognition or reward.” Mental toughness, on the other hand, is about rising above your circumstances and giving your best even when the situation is not in your favour.

 It is about being persistent and never giving up. It is about controlling your emotions and not letting them control you.

Let’s take a look at the history of India regarding mental toughness.

• भारतीय नई पीढ़ी दृढ़ क्यों नहीं है? 

The Vedas are a collection of ancient Indian texts from 3500-1000 BCE. They contain some of the earliest known references to mental toughness, with passages that extol the virtues of perseverance and self-control.

For example, one verse from the Rigveda reads:

“Even if one sees doom stare him in the face/

he should not lose his nerve/

if only he has nerves of steel/

to sustain him through all adventure.”

This verse speaks to the importance of maintaining one’s composure in the face of difficulty and not succumbing to fear.

Another example comes from the Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 2, Verse 3 which states:

क्लैब्यं मा स्म गम: पार्थ नैतत्त्वय्युपपद्यते |

क्षुद्रं हृदयदौर्बल्यं त्यक्त्वोत्तिष्ठ परन्तप || 3||

klaibyaṁ mā sma gamaḥ pārtha naitat tvayyupapadyate

kṣhudraṁ hṛidaya-daurbalyaṁ tyaktvottiṣhṭha parantapa

klaibyam—unmanliness; mā sma—do not; gamaḥ—yield to; pārtha—Arjun, the son of Pritha; na—not; etat—this; tvayi—to you; upapadyate—befitting; kṣhudram—petty; hṛidaya—heart; daurbalyam—weakness; tyaktvā—giving up; uttiṣhṭha—arise; param-tapa—conqueror of enemies

O Parth, it does not befit you to yield to this unmanliness. Give up such petty weakness of heart and arise, O vanquisher of enemies.

Acts of sacrifice and valour by the youth connect ancient and modern Indian history.  

• भारतीय नई पीढ़ी दृढ़ क्यों नहीं है? 

In recent history, Bhagat Singh and his associates Shivaram Rajguru and Sukhdev Thapar fearlessly laid down their lives for a selfless cause of Indian independence. In the March of 1931, they were hanged to death by the British government. All three martyrs were just 23 years old.

Not too long ago, in 1999, Captain Vikram Batra of the Indian army, leading from the front, valiantly fought hand-to-hand combat with the invading enemy. His daredevil assault and triumph exhibited iconic bravery. Yet, he was just 24 years before making the supreme sacrifice.

Dras sector, where this battle took place, is one of the world’s coldest inhabited places.

Until the turn of the century, the youth of India, in their routine lives, was tough as nails, resilient to fewer resources like money and infrastructure.

Walking or cycling long distances, buying from ration shops, patiently queuing up for everything etc., was a way of life. They were all eating less than today’s generation. 

Millions have read second-hand school books and got new clothes only at festivals. Yet, people were still not complaining and were satisfied, though yearning to improve.

Today, the youth are selfishly concerned with their safety, less likely to take risks, and more likely to lose hope when things get tough. This is because they are not ready to face difficulties and hardships like their elders. Hence, it seems like the young people of India are getting softer.

So what’s changed? What has caused the youth of India to become feeble? There are a few possible explanations.

First, India’s economic situation has improved considerably in recent years. As a result, young people have access to more resources and comforts than ever before. 

There are umpteen choices because the market has turned to consumerism. As a result, they don’t have to struggle as much as their elders, which may make them less tough. 

Too many choices have made them too soft, too easily influenced, and unable to withstand hardships.

There are some ways we can compare today’s youth’s toughness with previous generations—for example, the education system. In India, students have constantly been pressured to perform well in school and get good grades.

 However, today’s education system has far more seats in schools, colleges and universities. So, the struggle to get educated does not exist. 

• भारतीय नई पीढ़ी दृढ़ क्यों नहीं है? 

The oversupply of seats was a crisis, and many colleges had to shut down because there were no students. In addition, many governments are giving scholarships, free rations, books, and bicycles. So it is one part of life that youths hardly have to strive to get an education.

One of the reasons for this change is that the Indian youth today is more educated than their elders. They have access to better education and infrastructure. As a result, they expect everything to be handed to them on a platter. 

Their entitled attitude makes them think they deserve everything without putting in the required effort.

Secondly, the change is that the Indian youth today financially depend more on their parents than ever before. In the past, young people would leave home early to start their own families or pursue their careers. 

Nowadays, many young adults continue to live with their parents into their late twenties. This dependence makes them less independent and less likely to take risks. 

Whatever risk they tend to take, it is dependent on the sense of security from their parents.

Third, The media landscape has changed dramatically in recent years. In the past, the only source of information for most people was a handful of news channels on TV, newspaper and magazines. However negative news could be, they were balanced and not sensationalized.

In addition, today’s constant stream of news and information on social media can be overwhelming and stressful. The screen time is nearing the wake-up time.

 This quantum has been increasing over the years, and it’s no surprise that young minds are perpetually fatigued and worn out.

Fourth, social media has created a culture of instant gratification. Young people are used to getting what they want immediately, making them less patient and more likely to give up when things don’t go their way. 

But, again, the results are immediate, whether instant online shopping or ordering food. One search term is keyed in, and the information, entertainment and game appear on the screen. 

It may be good to use resources efficiently, but consuming those resources’ quality with an effective attention span is severely depleting.

Fifth, many young people struggle to find their identity and purpose. With social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook, it is easy to compare one’s life with others and feel inadequate. They present an unrealistic view of life. 

They are comparing and emulating perfectly curated images they see on social media. Every time they do this, they are involuntarily comparing themselves and feeling envious.

 This hurt of inadequacy and low self-esteem happens a few thousand times a day, all around the year.

Sixth, young people often resort to unhealthy coping mechanisms like drinking, smoking, or drugs when feeling overwhelmed. 

Indian movies and entertainment channels, too, have promoted the use of these substances, and they are readily available for consumption. It is considered modern and contemporary. 

In addition, drugs and alcohol are often used as part of everyday social interactions, leading to addiction and further mental health problems. Stress-releasing mechanisms like meditation or journaling are considered primitive or out of fashion.

Seventh, Indians have a collectivist culture, which puts the needs of others above their own. The collapse of the traditional family structure has contributed to the breakdown of this culture, hence the collectivism. 

In the past, extended families would live together and support each other through difficult times. However, as families become more mobile and spread out across the country or worldwide, young people are often left to fend for themselves. This lack of social support can lead to feelings of loneliness and isolation.

Eighth, Indian youth are also grappling with economic uncertainty and insecurity. The traditional job market in the government and private sector is volatile, and many young graduates struggle to find work that matches their qualifications. 

• भारतीय नई पीढ़ी दृढ़ क्यों नहीं है? 

In addition, the high cost of living in India means that many young people cannot afford necessities such as housing, food and education. Still, they have to match the lifestyle of social media.

Ninth, youth are not resting properly. The generation is constantly on their mobiles, browsing social media, gaming, chatting or watching something. Mobiles are the first and last thing that people use in a day. Once the brain is not relaxing and introspecting, the young minds are in perpetual stress, making them weak and less resilient.

Tenth, modern schooling, like in the west, is soft on students. They fall short of disciplining children because parents are paying exorbitant tuition fees. Therefore children have to be treated well, as schools now have financial stakes in a student. 

Earlier, parents had a stake in the teacher’s disciplining method to get their children on the right track. Also, the new age of human rights and child protection has deterred teachers from pushing children beyond their boundaries.

It could be that this analysis is through the lens of yesteryears, measuring youth’s response to the bygone era problem. Not all is wrong.

• भारतीय नई पीढ़ी दृढ़ क्यों नहीं है? 

In a counterargument, young people today are also said to be more mentally resilient than their elders. It is because they are growing up in a world of continual change and uncertainty. Economic uncertainty, political instability, and climate change - are just some of the challenges young people face daily.

And yet, they continue to live with these challenges with courage and determination.