Born to win: Teen @ 53

Teen @ 53 — the present issue of this youth magazine touches the 53rd year of dedicated service to the youth of this country. It has consistently put in sustained efforts to form the character and conscience of the youth. On the one hand, today’s youth have an evolving understanding and expressions of values, morals and behaviour patterns. On the other hand, there is powerful influence by the western life patterns advocating a new generation lifestyle. The fast track media and the modern gadgets with their alluring qualities and possibilities have done and still are doing more harm than good to society in general and to the youth in particular.

Choosing the right persons for company is a decisive factor in forming one’s conscience and character. ‘Tell me who your friends are and I will tell you what you are,’ goes the famous proverb. Good manners are one of the essential characteristics of a mature and pleasing personality. In our cover story Carol Andrade says, ‘Good manners can never be separated from those qualities of head and heart that must be imbibed literally from infancy’. She tells us that good manners could help us unplug, which is what we desperately need in this techno age, talking time to reconnect.

We claim to live in a civilized world. Yet today’s newspapers, TV and other media give us more uncivilized news than good. It is easier to discuss and to suggest noble ideals but when it comes to practice people look for monetary gains and momentary comforts, driven by selfish personal agenda. Unfortunately that is what we see in the rich and the famous and this trend is easily being copied by the youth.

Today we speak about ‘Swachh Bharat’. It is an expression of our desire for being civilized. Many institutions and NGOs initiated several programmes to implement this concept of a clean nation. Certainly it is a desirable and noble goal. But no Swachh Bharat is possible unless we first have a Swachh Mind. Unless our mind is clean and orderly and cherishes the values of justice and peace it would be impossible to dream of a nation with clean cities and villages.

In this scenario we need to evolve positive and practical solutions to stay civilized. As teenagers can we say a definite no to all that is evil and unbecoming? It is a challenge The Teenager Today sets before you. You have the power to influence and lead the nation. According to Kahlil Gibran, “The real test of good manners is to be able to put up with bad manners pleasantly”. Treat everyone with politeness, even those who are rude to you — not because they are nice, but because you are. Goodness always wins. Remember YOU ARE BORN TO WIN.