Goan youth too sossegado

submitted by the author to TGF on May 13, 2003
 

I deliberated whether the above title should be a question or a statement, and since I have to be blunt (its part of my genetic make-up now), I decided I ought to leave out the doubts. I look around me and see way too many bekar Goemkars (some don’t even boast of any credentials, past or present, yet act mighty important), shooting off their mouths in all the wrong directions, because their minds are far too empty of resourceful thoughts. Now you can’t get anymore blunt than this!

I’m impressed with Dr Mallya’s speech made at the launch the Janata Dal. Why? Because he speaks words that are the need of the hour. That we should have thought of much earlier. That we should have acted upon, instead of being mere bystanders all these years. And hello, I’m not endorsing his party agenda or his political aspirations by agreeing that the youth in Goa are still taking a mighty long nap. Speech or earthquake. They are still sleeping. Or thinking of shortcuts to make their money without the grind of sweat or blood.

I have been a bystander too, watching umpteen number of political parties come and go. People who take to the microphone like fish takes to water. Grandiose promises, even grander plans. Lofty ideals that don’t hold up to personal examples. Quickies Goa could do without, but has to put up with for sheer lack of leaders who don’t come equipped with foresight.

No political party ever in Goa has used the energy of the young to promote the goals of the State. They don’t care. They don’t believe. Bottom line. We still see the old taking to the dais to make their speeches (when they should have been sitting at home pondering over their glory years), and the young running about getting them their glasses of water. Why aren’t the youth up on stage using their conviction to direct Goa into the superway of success? I respect wisdom, but heck, where’s the momentum to crystalise words into enthusiastic action? In short, the energy. I see a handful who think young, feel young, while their grey hair testifies to chronological wear and tear. And they’re fast fighting burnout.

I mean every word I write when I say that Goan youth are making a profession out of being sossegado. There’s not enough passion to fuel their dreams. There’s no drive either. They can’t even see ten yards to tomorrow. They don’t want to go nowhere. I know some who don’t even dream, and find it queer when they meet others who fly to the moon to realise their personal ambitions. If you’re a driven woman with honest ambitions, imagine the number of tongues that wag. Though I would love to see more women who are passionately goal driven. The motley few that I know (and it’s made my life interesting to know such few) set their goals, fight their personal money-making battles (and believe me there’s lots to be made if you’re interested in shortcuts, and there are those who do), stay clear of politics and politicking, and do something that make people stand up and take notice, however small the gesture. I know for sure that instead of bouquets, all they get for a word of `thank-you’ are the brickbats, or intense curiosity from the low-levels who want to know why they do, what they do. And with whom, may I add. Exasperating!

There’s also another reason why `sucegad’ should be a bad word in a Goan youth’s vocabulary. It is in mine. Because it stems from what one learns at home. And from the role models one confronts and acquaints oneself in the growing years. It also stems from the levels of exposure, one may be fortunate or unfortunate to have or not have in one’s life. For a small mind, if not given an opportunity to grow, will never know the difference. Same with the levels of risk taking. Unfortunately, this is exactly what Goan youth power today is all about. It’s about playing safe. Sticking to the beaten track. About quantity, not quality. About short term gains in the quickest time frame. I don’t see this as power, if it’s not energy driven. I don’t see this as ambition, if there is no willingness for sacrifice. I certainly don’t see this as reason to trumpet and tell the world that we’re number one (Ah! I’m looking at the recent `India’s best state’ claim with jaundiced eyes. Are we really serious about taking this seriously? ) because X number of our people are literate, rich, can afford the best of education, health and development benefits and everything is hunky-dory, thank you. Are we looking at our rural areas or what? Are we looking at dismal health care systems that don’t even boast of ambulances to tackle an emergency for heaven’s sake. Or the `donation drive’ educational institutions have turned themselves into to make easy money. And the water crisis that has hit the State and our empty buckets at home. When the basics are so rotten, what pride does one take in mere awards? Oh, they’ll look great on the shelf though.

Frankly speaking -- and this is an exercise in bluntness -- we can trumpet our claim only when Goa truly becomes Goan driven. Each Goan in every chair that matters. Every decision that pulls out a fellow Goan from his self created abyss and pushes him to perform (and rap him if he does not, because we’re paying our tax money for his salary). A Goa that every Goan can proudly claim as the best in spirit, mind and attitude.

Dr Mallya was right in saying that only the youth could direct the baton in dealing with unemployment and frustration. We can believe in our youth power when they truly make a difference to what they think and how they implement the winds of change to their professional and personal lives. Too many Goans make loose talk. We need the young who can tell these blokes to shut their traps and get to work. Only then can Goa turn into the model State she so rightly deserves to be. But then, do we have many Goans who can rise up to this challenge?

Ethel Da Costa
May13, 2003

Ethel Da Costa  is a senior Goan journalist and editor of Insight and Mirror, both magazines  of the Goa Herald.  She also covers Goa for  Femina, India's premier magazine for women produced by The Times of India. Ethel writes that she loves her work and finds it to be fun, writing about issues she believes in..

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