It looks like there is a large attrition of young people from social movements in India, and perhaps elsewhere. I guess a part of it must be for financial and professional reasons. But that is clearly not the whole story. Social movements are by nature a place for discussion and rebellion - and tend to produce a lot of misgivings within. I was with a group of wonderful people in the Right to Food Campaign. I continue to cherish my association with most of them. But my memories overall are bittersweet. With some people, I felt taken for granted. Democratic values are not respected all the time in social movements though these are given much importance. Copied below is a small section of a much longer letter I wrote in considerable anger reflecting some issues that I’ve heard through other young people involved in different campaigns.
All of us have gathered here to work on a common cause, and not private profit. Each of us is giving what is precious to us. I hope to work in an environment where I can put my best for some social cause that I aspire. I am lucky to be working with all of you, each of whom is distinguished in many ways. Given that, I am a highly self-willed person who evaluates the usefulness of what I do. While I am willing to do certain things I don’t believe in, for the sake of teamwork, I consider that I am not obliged to do so. If I am asked to do something, I will evaluate the value addition of the work to be done. I am capable of taking things up only when I am convinced of the merits of doing it. This scheme of things is considered healthy in a horizontal set up. Without asking any of you about it, I have declared myself an equal partner in this common venture (liberty shall not descend onto me, I shall raise up to it). Luckily for me, most of you have accepted me as such. This has enabled me to dialogue with you. The dialogue has helped me understand your positions and on most occasions be convinced of your opinion. Unfortunately, there is a great generation gap between X and me. This is stifling dialogue. In the extreme case, he even questioned if I should be a part of the campaign when I did not subscribe to his view on BT cotton (we never discussed my stand, but with values of yester generations it is often the case you either support the other’s view or be termed the ‘advocatus diaboli’). I wonder if there is some way of dialogue between generations!
I feel that I am working with wonderful people and have a lot to gain from you all. I am certain that I am doing as good a work as I can at my age. I urge you all to make the best use of me, I am glad to be of use. I urge you to try influencing me; I have strong but pliable opinions. I urge you to point out to my failings when I am in my good mood (which is more often the case) and I am inclined to accept change. I am more than willing to play that part with you. While I am willing to work hard without a sense of reward, it is important for me to feel that my time is usefully spent. For this I demand that the group does its homework. I demand that you think and plan well before asking me to take up a task. I demand that you convince me of the effectiveness of proposed measures, by articulating your understanding and by convincing me of its foundations. I demand that I am not taken for granted, expected to do what is given or repeat what is said. Work with me with democratic values, intellectual honesty, adequate homework and courtesy; I will promise you a rewarding experience.
Thus went the mail and a lot of smoke went up the air subsequently. The wonderful-of-the-lot continued to support me and lived the values I expected of them. The rest continued to live [] ever after.
Recent posts on Social Movements
- Obituray to a great soul: T R Vishwanathan (TRV) - June 23rd, 2008
- American war par da song by Jayashree - June 1st, 2008
- Fighting corruption using right to information: Arvind Kejriwal's talk - May 19th, 2007
- Useful links on Right to Information: Research, campaigns, tools, etc. - April 27th, 2007
- Right to food: Useful links - April 27th, 2007
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Well, Vivek, I feel similarly. I once told my high school math teacher that I didn’t do the homework because it was homework for the sake of homework, and not for the sake of learning. She didn’t disagree.
As a research assistant in an academic department, I scurry around for obscure pieces of information and track down footnotes. I usually debate why this info is relevant when I get the project description. I too want to be convinced of the merits of something before I do it. So when I’m asked to survey US graduate schools of public health to figure out how many offer courses on global health inequalities, or when I’m asked to find out whether such-and-such a drug (say, a blood thinner) hastens death, I ask why. Sometimes, I get a good answer. Sometimes not. It’s a job, after all, so I do my work. But I also know that time is valuable, and that I could be doing other work.
Here here for social movements being places of rebellion. But who says old people can’t rebel, too?