52 Points about
what makes a 21st Century Global Citizen and why most main stream media
are the stumbling blocks.
1] ‘21st century
global citizen’ will definitely emerge in large numbers but for that to happen
main stream media has to refine or exercise some restraint.
2] Some people feel and
communicate that it is necessary to
travel across the globe to become a ‘21st century global citizen’ .The
term ‘21st century global citizen’ itself is based on certain
presumptions.
3] ‘21st century
global citizen’ need not necessarily emerge only out of globetrotting but can
evolve and emerge out of humane attitude, broader outlook ,proper perspective
etc.
4] Let me set aside at
present the debate as to whether the
slice of 21st century in the
loaf of time is right or wrong or may or
could be different from our ancient times or posterity.
5] I am happy to read some
positive news on attempts to make people at least geographically hold on to the
view beyond their ethnocentric pride and xenophobic aversion that life could be
or possibly is better in other places as well as from people belonging to other
cultures too.
6] At least an urge to be a
global citizen beyond certain cases of weird preferences for seclusion like the
Sentilese of Andaman Islands, or highly protected for purely scientific reasons
like Lascaux caves in France or avoided like Ilha da Queimada
Grande, or Snake Island located off the coast of
Sao Paula, Brazil imbued with critically endangered golden Pitviper, with a bite that
delivers hemotoxin venom.
.
7] Also a willingness to
believe that there could be something to learn and enjoy not as a tourist but
as an avid explorer trying to grasp life as it happens in other places or as
lived by other people.
8] The suggestions from media
that attending universities abroad or visiting other countries are welcome,
even if they were sponsored by universities targeting foreign students and
tourism companies wanting to increase their business as these are at least
different from the usually negative news and reporting with unloving criticism
on everything or attempts which make references to put down predominantly
practiced or beneficial activities.
9] Sometimes there are also
snide remarks with slight indignation at the enormous usage and utility of internet
which enables people to be informed about the globe in the comforts of their
homes with a click of a mouse.
10] But going by all the
facts all citizens are not privileged to have globetrotting experience to get
an international experience but everyone is well equipped with an inner self to
have a global outlook and internationally acceptable attitude.
11] Global citizen is a great
philosophical and sometimes an abstract idea; preferred wish of all sane human
beings; a political, cultural, religious and social possibility which can be
attained with help of various factors/aspects/subjects etc though some may view
it as some utopia not a possible reality.
12] Becoming a global citizen
requires in addition to geographical migrations and mingling [albeit they are
also important-not merely as refugees or tourists] the following:-
13] Mentally moving beyond
the moorings of all forms of identities without disrespecting or denouncing
them but reviewing rationally their intrinsic importance and relevance in the
context of present day life;
14] Carrying on beyond constraining
default settings of life emphasized through various important and highly
impactful spheres of life like the region/nation of birth, language, religion,
culture of the place etc;
15] Ejecting thoughts of
justifications and project reasons leading to well being, happiness, peace and
harmony of many and protection of nature;
16] Avoid being judgmental
with ideologically based ulterior motives, hidden agenda, clandestine contracts
etc;
17] Perceiving without
prejudice based on assigning or appropriating predefined labels;
18] Willingness to receive
and relish with tolerance more information and knowledge about life with
broader perspective, unbiased attitude
and open hearted outlook coupled with a proper perspective all of which use as
frames of reference to perceive only those things/persons with contextual
relevance and willingness to evaluate based on inherent merit;
19] Willingness to accept, to
admire, to adopt and to assimilate in all realms of life as a whole or the
wholeness of life;
20] Move away from obsessive paranoiac
declared stands on many issues;
21] Desist from scripting any specific narrative for
humanity as a whole;
22] Desist from presuming or prescribing anything as a
panacea;
23] Above all realize that to
become or to be a global citizen requires clarity, conviction and courage to
consider all life as One, or humility to accept every life is just a similar
part/particle of whole of life which can be termed as ‘Entity of Life or Energy
of Life’ as this terminology can steer clear of any religious connotations or theistic
debates or ideological overtones or political undercurrents.
24] The reality of becoming a ‘21st
century global citizen’ will emerge
out of individual’s intentions and approaches and also active promotion of that
idea by many institutions.
25] This process would also expose the media menace of pandering
to victimhood peddling,
particular ideological projections, sometimes stinking
negativism from overflow from the narrow gutters of certain ideologies;
26] It requires replenishing with some positive vibrations
to create an oasis in the deserted lands of morning philosophers, unloving
critics, and fault finding fanatics.
27] The extent of main stream media’s negative tilt
reveals a very conditioned and confined mentality which is not at all healthy
for public debate on any subject.
28] In fact it is a dangerous contagious infection that is
being methodically spread among youth.
29] The manifestation of mass opinions, obsessions, and
objectives takes various forms depending on certain inherent attributes,
imbibed cultural attitudes or instructed methods of operation.
30] It provides greater burden or risk rather than any
benefit by being an enemy of a whole group of people.
31] This applies to groups in all areas left, right and
center and on both extremes of the spectrum the radical and pusillanimous.
32] It is difficult to define intentions, but easier to
discern pretensions.
33] Science/technology has not come up with a machine
which can deduct intentions.
34] It would be better that media and journalistic writing
realize that they can no more manipulate minds through brain washing propaganda to generate ideological bias with an
instinct to presume human life as homogenous and with ulterior motives and intentions
to homogenize all.
35] This is not
possible in an era of camera in every hand, social media communication happening
in real time;
36] A stage may
come when popular or popularized or paid media sponsored lies will become extinct
species for the good of everyone.
37] Actually
the media as a whole suffers from perception deficit and presumptive
conclusions because they fail to realize that information dissemination is not
their sole preserve anymore nor are people willing to get carried away by the
credits they appropriate to themselves and the cunning labels they assign to
some.
38] More
importantly facts and truths seep out and spread in real time through mobile
sets in every hand. Of course even in social media some elements exist who are
bent on sensationalizing, creating controversies, conflicts and panic. But it
is only an aberration whereas in main stream media negativism has become a rule.
39] It is high
time that main stream media realize that they need to evolve from being an old type writing machine and emerge into the age
of Dictaphones.
40] Status quo
addiction of main stream media which petrifies them along with their putrefied
perceptions and puerile intentions are exposing them overwhelmingly that it may
damage even the few sane journalists out of job because as an industry at this
rate it will collapse as the coffers of their pay masters may also get dried up
due to lack of return on investment.
41] Responsible
mass opinion molders must report facts, observe certain self imposed norms
geared towards helping as many human beings as possible to enhance their life
in all aspects- physical, psychological, material etc without trying to wedge a
divide.
42] For example
differences as manifestations of variety are inevitable facts/facets of nature and
life;
43] But
creating a social or psychological divide and magnifying it is a function done
by vested interest groups in all spheres who predominantly use media as a tool
and this can preferably be avoided by sane and responsible persons.
44] Or even
where there exists a divide it would be better not to dwell on that by
constantly prioritizing it, super imposing it or letting it predominate all
forms of debate and all domains of human existence or life itself as if it is
the only or the most important factor of life over many other aspects of life.
45] The prisms of perceptions will slowly but surely break open
the prisons of projections, pre –conceptions, presumptions and exclusive
privileges.
46] Some positive attributes may preferably be promoted to
enhance the possibility of creating real ‘21st
century global citizen’ like Forgiveness, Attitude appropriate to
context, Compassion and Tolerance etc which have been rightly emphasized by all
religions; along with creating tools that contribute to comfortable living and
better understanding of life as a whole and the role of human beings in the
totality of life which have been rightly prioritized and performed by all
sciences.
47] I feel
sometimes actions, reactions and human emotions when performed on the basis of
this FACT can in fact effect an enormous change.
48] FACT here refers to Forgiveness, Attitude,
Compassion and Tolerance.
Forgiveness can be actually embedded as a part of everyone's
character or emotion or psychology by understanding and accepting the
inevitable fact of life that we cannot expect compatibility on multiple
aspects/factors in everyone that we come across or relate with, and worse still
to the degree/intensity/quantity/extent that we wish such compatibility to be.
Attitude of
appropriate contextually relevant reactions must be assiduously acquired and
adopted.
Compassion
must be cultivated as an inevitable part of character building.
Tolerance
also must be inculcated as a part of emotional, social and psychological
attitude, irrespective of any identity or multiple identities that one may have
or entertain.
I call this as important FACT to become a
‘21st century global
citizen’.
49] We need to remember that we can neither deny nor defy
the importance of anything or anyone.
50] Life is too vast and complex with some mysteries
still unexplained and unraveled but not unexplainable.
Life, in short, is an unsolved jigsaw puzzle with several
pieces constantly evolving to fit in appropriate slots.
51] The process involves constant churning, continuous
learning and adjustment
Everything
regarding life undergoes constant churning and many things come out and
ultimately evolution of life selects what suits best or gets what it deserves.
52] Because whatever we do we need to remember one
thing while all of us feel the need for unity, what unity needs is
feeling for all by all.
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