Cynicism Amongst Pakistani Youth

Re: # 7

These are the most pertinents comments. All of us realise our responsibility towards our children.

Re: # 1

Karl Marx's analysis of religion and your comments; both are very relevant. The point we want to make is that repression and authoritarinsm are curse for humanity. Young people need to know how to break the shackes of helplessness

After reading various comments on this article, i realised that we are forgetting the most important picture here; the 'youth'. youth nowadays are more aware of their surroundings then they have been in any time-frame. But what is connected to this awareness is confusion. Today we have more resources then we ever had in the 70s or even the 80s. We have communication networks and portals connecting us from Alaska to Ferghana but in all these connection when it comes to our own society and our relations within our community, the youth are finding themselves more alone.They are confused about the equation of life simply because we have been unable to explain it to them. WE being the adults are so much involved in our ideologies, work, money and materials that we are find it difficult to explain to our children the real meaning of life coz we are not ourselves working for it. Parents are not giving enough time to their children not even sitting down for five minutes to discuss their problems. Believe me on the surface no teenager wants their parents to sit with them and discuss life but we still need to do this coz we know from our experience we are glad our parents did it to us. This confusion, lack of attention, lack of resources are faults of both ours and the State. All these things are contributing one way or the other towards increased drug usage. Cynicism will always be there its our responsibility to channel it and remove it step by step. Before State or government comes family and community.

I think you have to put a valid point across. Our government is more concerned about the facts than the reasoning.

I still thought that the title and the coherence in the article can be improved. The first part and the second part doesn't seem connected.
-Raheel Lakhani

Re: # 3

No. The government is busy doing something else, i.e. how to perpetuate one-man dictatorial rule.

Re: # 3

I am not "short chaning" the youth. In Pakistani perspective their cynicism is totally justified. Repressive states produce disasterous results for individuals and nations. The only point we tried to make is that in so-called "idelogical States" even basis human values are violated and the result is before everybody. Now even the USA started calling its "idelogical State" with self-acclaimed responsibility of "safeguarding the ......."

Ikramul you are really short changing the youth. They are far more aware of the world and the consequences of wrong choices than you give them credit for.

For example, the recent spate of education on STDs etc, and also strict regulation of abortions (where if an nder aged filrg wanted one she would have to have parental consent and other forms of adult supervision) has resulted in lowering of pregnancies amongst teenagers (in many states)compared to adults. But what is also intereting is that in these same "god-fearing" states there has been an increase in oral-sex and greater use of condoms.

Cyncism will always be there. What is needed is education, and an ability to manage this cynicism.

Interesting idea-thanks for this piece. Are there any addiction education programs in the areas covered in this essay?

Haq saab,

Religion is the opiate of the masses, that is Carl Marx. If pakistanis are taking narcotics, the reason is simple, the religion is not strong enough. The promise of heaven and 32 houris have to be driven deeper into the psyche of the pak youth, as an old commie, that is the prescription I can give you.