People today live in a virtual world where they can portray themselves any way they want, and not be questioned by anyone. They get carried away by reactions to their virtual selves, but at the end of the day, fail to understand reality. This has resulted in individuals missing out on the basics of tolerance and rejection, which then contributes to misbehaviour even at the slightest difference of opinion and conflicts in any environment or situation.
The lack of interpersonal skills among youngsters today is of real concern. As they get used to instant gratification, basic behaviour and etiquette are often ignored. They forget to think before taking a step. Bring power and influence to this equation, and everything gets worse.
It is a sad state of affairs in our country that politicians and bureaucrats make us think, at times, they exist only to exercise power. They are able to contest elections even though they are involved in criminal activities. Also, there is no educational qualification for basic filtering of candidates of any party. It is very evident that our societal fabric is set in such a way that power can be exerted either with money or status and all this adds up to such situations.
Right from the formative years of an individual, proper training has to be given on how anger or other emotions can be expressed in a healthy way. Emotional intelligence is the key. In challenging situations, one should respond, not react!
– Kavita Agarwal, counsellor/psychotherapist, Disha
(As told to Ralph Alex Arakal)
