We live in a world of gross inequalities in income, opportunities and living standards. We see people
being discriminated against because they look different or pray to a different
god. We see people adopt a high moral ground on certain issues, while
blissfully ignoring other equally important issues. While some countries have
been more proactive in improving the lives of their citizens, others have been
far less so. We can blame the state machinery for this, as that comes naturally
to us. OR, we can change ourselves and be open to new ideas. I believe one of
the major roadblocks to the development of society is a fear of the unknown.
This fear is deeply ingrained in us, because even though history may tell us
otherwise, we believe in a safety net that is our current set of tried and
tested so called ‘way of life’. Anything outside of this is considered a risk,
and the majority of us don’t like risks. Yet, the out-of-the-box thinkers who
do not fear change are the most celebrated people today. This leads us to
question, how do we change ourselves to be more like these celebrated people?
To answer this question, let’s look at the origin of these
so-called thoughts and ideas. When a baby comes into this world, it tries to
absorb as much as it can as quickly as possible. It is a figurative empty box
waiting to be filled with information and ideas. The ideas that filter into the
minds of these babies as they grow into young adults are influenced by their
parents, teachers, friends, media and a whole list of things. Fast-forward a
decade; they now hold the reins to the future of the world they have come into.
Many a great men have quoted, in more eloquent words, that the youth of the
country will shape its future. And yet, the adults of today are the ones who
will shape the thoughts and views of their successors.
Let us say that, in an ideal world, the youth did not have
any preconceived notions about anybody else in the world, and are eager to
learn more about the person next door, or people in a neighbouring country, or
even halfway around the globe; what if we were able to make such a world possible,
where a child is able to interact with any other child, in any part of the
world? As it turns out, we already have such a system in place. It is called
the internet. Of course, the implementation of the system, like any other,
leaves a lot to be desired. These days, we can use the internet to do pretty
much anything virtually, and we regularly surprise ourselves by coming up with more
innovative ways to use this resource to our advantage.
Hence, I finally come to the point I am trying to make. Why not
have classrooms in one part of the world that can connect virtually with
classrooms in another part of the world? It is a simple test of concept. We
provide each classroom with the tools necessary to interact in the public and
private media, including video, voice-over, IM and email. It is amazing how
much children can learn from each other, with just a little direction from the
adults. And we don’t have to stop at that. We can have language learning
programs where students of one classroom teach the students of the other
classroom their language and vice-versa. The possibilities are endless. And the
simplicity of it all is equally amazing. Individual students can interact with
each other, share ideas, jokes, their aspirations and even classroom gossip. The
curiosity that is ingrained in every child needs to be nurtured, so that they
actually learn more than just what is in the textbooks. And what better way to
do this than to let them see the world with their own eyes and learn by
themselves, that the kids on the other end of the screen are similar in so many
ways, while also learning to accept the differences in their respective
cultures and outlook. Imagine a world in which a Spanish 3rd grader
understands the need to be kinder to their bull and oxen, or an Indian 9th
grader who realizes that there are fields other than engineering or medicine
which are equally fulfilling. How much easier it would be to propagate such
thoughts if we just let the Spanish classroom do a Google hangout with their
Indian counterparts.
Let us not forget that the same people who have biases and
misconceptions based on color, language, religion and culture will be raising
children of their own. Paraphrasing quotes from many greats, babies are not
born with the biases and misconceptions of their parents. They are passed on to
them by their parents and other adults as easily as the water absorbed in a
sponge. By just expecting the youth to change the world, when we ourselves
sleep on it does not make us a healthy role-model. There is a need to rapidly
change the way the world sees itself, without having to resort to wars and
power struggles.
Let us hope for a future, where an Asian person is not
automatically assumed to be a Chinese, or where a follower of Islam is not
regarded warily in the public eye. Let us hope that the assumptions and
opinions that we have of somebody who appears or talks differently from us are
no longer taken for granted, and that thoughts are formed independently through
actual interaction between the peoples.
There is a need to recognize that we have to learn to find
and accept some ideas that seem blatantly audacious now, because in the future,
even if we do go down in history as supporting a failed cause, we will still be
remembered as the ones who dared to do it differently.
