Apathetic youths or pathetic adults?
Chasing the five Cs - Cash, credit card, condominium, car and country club membership. Everything revolves around these five sacred objects and young people are so keen to run the rat race, it appears ominous.
As a result, the pace of life speeds up tremendously, enthusiasm to grab as much money as possible rises precipitously. And yet, the same enthusiasm for issues surrounding society and country is not only lacking, it is eerily and cynically silent.
In fact, not all is silence mind you, for if you attempt to raise the controversial issues in the midst of these pubescent youths, some will just evade the big question silently, but some will tell you "Shut up! My mom doesn't want me in ISA!"
In case you are wondering about my ruminations, I am not talking about that certain stereotyped and grudgingly-admired country 'down south' but about the state of some youths right here, in this country. Yes, even this 'down south' culture has penetrated deep into the heartland of Malaysian youths.
Apathy, you will all lament. Regressive, some of you may cry. Or just plainly inconsiderate, some may suggest. Whenever a peer raises some troubling and profound questions, they won't act apathetic, mind you.
Ethereal things
They have their youthful energy to defend something to the end too, but they use it for different purposes. They will criticise and chide you so badly that you may just run up to your room, shut the door and squirm under your blanket, vowing never again to discuss anything remotely related to it.
Yes, 'right' issues for youths to discuss are things ethereal and worldly: Hand phones, SMS, shopping, money, the latest fad, etcetera.
Unfortunately, other things are not welcome. Even if it directly involves themselves, for the tone here is extremely fatalistic: "The government is like that-lah! Just don't rock the boat."
And the awful three-letter word props up. Materialism rules. Other things not only cannot be discussed but are also dangerous. Apathetic they are, they will also use the cleverest argument to condemn such a topic if it were to be ever brought up.
Well, can you really blame them for this current morass? Are youths today really the source of all trouble? Like it or not, whenever something happens, be it gangsterism, bohsia , drug trafficking, demonstrations, youths will always be the first one the be blamed.
In the case of you citing official government edicts, well, if they weren't looked upon in a negative way, Rakan Muda would have never been formed. Rhetoric against 'youthful immorality and ingratitude' would never surface. Young people are looked upon with disgust, as people who could not care less, indulging in hedonism, reveling in nihilism, rejoicing in narcissism.
Subduing hormones
They are called by many names, apathetic, fatalistic, and are bad hats and a hurdle in our mythic quest for Vision 2020. They pervert the moral laws of the country, they are making illegitimate babies, they are the instigators of demonstrations, they undermine 'national security'.
Well, as the mainstream wisdom goes, if the youths were to be taught Moral education in schools, everything will be fine. Islamic studies is a sure way to subdue their hormones. If we don't teach them a lesson, our country will be in trouble.
We will have immoral, unreasonable leaders in the future. Or is it only in the future?
What about today's society at large? Do you think the 'adult society' is the goody-two-shoes and caring educator of our youths today? What made them so apathetic and fearful of social issues and political questions today? What about reformasi? The degradation of the environment? The destruction of our built heritage? Well, let us examine this phenomenon carefully.
It is strange that the government of this country could repeatedly urge the young people to regain their idealism, and yet condemn them for doing so. It is strange that the government clamps down on demonstrations and activity held by people demanding justice and equality, yet closes one eye when another group causes havoc and threatens to burn down an ethnic Assembly Hall.
It is strange that people from the Education Ministry frequently visit schools to launch environmental campaigns, and symbolically plant a tree, and yet chop down hundreds of mature trees along roads, public parks and in forest reserves.
It is also truly strange that the official government ethos is Bersih dan Cekap (Clean and efficient) and yet has so many scandals like the rescuing of an airline boss by buying his shares at an artificially-inflated price, giving the excuse of national interests.
No wonder young people are so clueless, for national events give clues so paradoxical that they become an oxymoron.
Aping examples
Why bother encouraging young people to drop their ethnic suspicions and contentions? Since national polity is so racially divided and tensed anyway. The government will always rant about why young people today refuse to mix with other races, and having anger and rage towards other races.
But, don't forget that young people are, after all, young, and since most of our core principles and beliefs are still evolving and receiving ideas from outside, they can only ape our 'upright' example which is the adult or government.
Can they persuade young people to be more tolerant and understanding in a multi-racial country, when some of them have not even accepted the reality of a multi-ethnic and multi-religious Malaysia? Where sometimes even internal inter-racial coalition politics burst into the open as a result of racial antagonism and suspicion?
Well, talk about a pot calling a kettle black. As until today, we still haven't really figured why schools in Malaysia are so racially polarised and continue to talk about the good old days when all races of all religions mingle without inhibitions, when history books say that 'the good old days was an era of racial antagonism and suspicion and that Malaysia today is the best example of racial harmony!'
Society laments all the obvious problems in Malaysia today, and they need to find a scapegoat. Young people seem to be easy meat. But remember, the young always look up to the elders as examples.
Fatalistic youths
Or about the youth's lack of inquisitiveness for knowledge and intellectual stimulation. People blame them for the country's continued Third World tag. Well, who is at fault here? Aren't government schools well-known for its pedanticness and demagogy?
Conformism is the key word, memorisation is the rule. Even for that, those who excel in this tradition would not necessarily be guaranteed a place in the intellectual circle of Malaysia, as seen in a recent wave of anger and disappointment that has swept the country due to failures of excellent SPM result holders to get a place in local universities.
There will be many who will question the system of awarding people based on ethnicity and not on merit, but then, those who enquire would be labeled a 'racist' and a 'menace to national security'. No wonder youths today are so fatalistic.
The government media constantly lambasts foreigners who are 'destroying people's lives and making the poor poorer'.The country preaches racial equality and justice for all, as seen in past commendable condemnations against the apartheid regime in South Africa, or its help in restoring a Bosnia so utterly destroyed by its bloody civil war and its people having lost all sense of dignity and respect.
Malaysia is proud of championing the rights of the poor and confronting big businesses eager to only make a profit out of the Third World's misery. Every Malaysian should be proud of our country's high profile in the international circle, and rightly so too.
It gives aid and help to the people in Indochina, Africa, and other parts of Asia. It is an active arbitrator of warring factions in other parts of the world to promote peace and solidarity. But is it so willing to do the same thing in the home front? How about a more democratic and just Malaysia with space for even young people to make a contribution and be proud of it?
As a result, the pace of life speeds up tremendously, enthusiasm to grab as much money as possible rises precipitously. And yet, the same enthusiasm for issues surrounding society and country is not only lacking, it is eerily and cynically silent.
In fact, not all is silence mind you, for if you attempt to raise the controversial issues in the midst of these pubescent youths, some will just evade the big question silently, but some will tell you "Shut up! My mom doesn't want me in ISA!"
In case you are wondering about my ruminations, I am not talking about that certain stereotyped and grudgingly-admired country 'down south' but about the state of some youths right here, in this country. Yes, even this 'down south' culture has penetrated deep into the heartland of Malaysian youths.
Apathy, you will all lament. Regressive, some of you may cry. Or just plainly inconsiderate, some may suggest. Whenever a peer raises some troubling and profound questions, they won't act apathetic, mind you.
Ethereal things
They have their youthful energy to defend something to the end too, but they use it for different purposes. They will criticise and chide you so badly that you may just run up to your room, shut the door and squirm under your blanket, vowing never again to discuss anything remotely related to it.
Yes, 'right' issues for youths to discuss are things ethereal and worldly: Hand phones, SMS, shopping, money, the latest fad, etcetera.
Unfortunately, other things are not welcome. Even if it directly involves themselves, for the tone here is extremely fatalistic: "The government is like that-lah! Just don't rock the boat."
And the awful three-letter word props up. Materialism rules. Other things not only cannot be discussed but are also dangerous. Apathetic they are, they will also use the cleverest argument to condemn such a topic if it were to be ever brought up.
Well, can you really blame them for this current morass? Are youths today really the source of all trouble? Like it or not, whenever something happens, be it gangsterism, bohsia, drug trafficking, demonstrations, youths will always be the first one the be blamed.
In the case of you citing official government edicts, well, if they weren't looked upon in a negative way, Rakan Muda would have never been formed. Rhetoric against 'youthful immorality and ingratitude' would never surface. Young people are looked upon with disgust, as people who could not care less, indulging in hedonism, reveling in nihilism, rejoicing in narcissism.
Subduing hormones
They are called by many names, apathetic, fatalistic, and are bad hats and a hurdle in our mythic quest for Vision 2020. They pervert the moral laws of the country, they are making illegitimate babies, they are the instigators of demonstrations, they undermine 'national security'.
Well, as the mainstream wisdom goes, if the youths were to be taught Moral education in schools, everything will be fine. Islamic studies is a sure way to subdue their hormones. If we don't teach them a lesson, our country will be in trouble.
We will have immoral, unreasonable leaders in the future. Or is it only in the future?
What about today's society at large? Do you think the 'adult society' is the goody-two-shoes and caring educator of our youths today? What made them so apathetic and fearful of social issues and political questions today? What about reformasi? The degradation of the environment? The destruction of our built heritage? Well, let us examine this phenomenon carefully.
It is strange that the government of this country could repeatedly urge the young people to regain their idealism, and yet condemn them for doing so. It is strange that the government clamps down on demonstrations and activity held by people demanding justice and equality, yet closes one eye when another group causes havoc and threatens to burn down an ethnic Assembly Hall.
It is strange that people from the Education Ministry frequently visit schools to launch environmental campaigns, and symbolically plant a tree, and yet chop down hundreds of mature trees along roads, public parks and in forest reserves.
It is also truly strange that the official government ethos is Bersih dan Cekap (Clean and efficient) and yet has so many scandals like the rescuing of an airline boss by buying his shares at an artificially-inflated price, giving the excuse of national interests.
No wonder young people are so clueless, for national events give clues so paradoxical that they become an oxymoron.
Aping examples
Why bother encouraging young people to drop their ethnic suspicions and contentions? Since national polity is so racially divided and tensed anyway. The government will always rant about why young people today refuse to mix with other races, and having anger and rage towards other races.
But, don't forget that young people are, after all, young, and since most of our core principles and beliefs are still evolving and receiving ideas from outside, they can only ape our 'upright' example which is the adult or government.
Can they persuade young people to be more tolerant and understanding in a multi-racial country, when some of them have not even accepted the reality of a multi-ethnic and multi-religious Malaysia? Where sometimes even internal inter-racial coalition politics burst into the open as a result of racial antagonism and suspicion?
Well, talk about a pot calling a kettle black. As until today, we still haven't really figured why schools in Malaysia are so racially polarised and continue to talk about the good old days when all races of all religions mingle without inhibitions, when history books say that 'the good old days was an era of racial antagonism and suspicion and that Malaysia today is the best example of racial harmony!'
Society laments all the obvious problems in Malaysia today, and they need to find a scapegoat. Young people seem to be easy meat. But remember, the young always look up to the elders as examples.
Fatalistic youths
Or about the youth's lack of inquisitiveness for knowledge and intellectual stimulation. People blame them for the country's continued Third World tag. Well, who is at fault here? Aren't government schools well-known for its pedanticness and demagogy?
Conformism is the key word, memorisation is the rule. Even for that, those who excel in this tradition would not necessarily be guaranteed a place in the intellectual circle of Malaysia, as seen in a recent wave of anger and disappointment that has swept the country due to failures of excellent SPM result holders to get a place in local universities.
There will be many who will question the system of awarding people based on ethnicity and not on merit, but then, those who enquire would be labeled a 'racist' and a 'menace to national security'. No wonder youths today are so fatalistic.
The government media constantly lambasts foreigners who are 'destroying people's lives and making the poor poorer'.The country preaches racial equality and justice for all, as seen in past commendable condemnations against the apartheid regime in South Africa, or its help in restoring a Bosnia so utterly destroyed by its bloody civil war and its people having lost all sense of dignity and respect.
Malaysia is proud of championing the rights of the poor and confronting big businesses eager to only make a profit out of the Third World's misery. Every Malaysian should be proud of our country's high profile in the international circle, and rightly so too.
It gives aid and help to the people in Indochina, Africa, and other parts of Asia. It is an active arbitrator of warring factions in other parts of the world to promote peace and solidarity. But is it so willing to do the same thing in the home front? How about a more democratic and just Malaysia with space for even young people to make a contribution and be proud of it?
Ditto for non-political issues like the environment and poverty. But even these are tragedies in Malaysia. Countless acres of forests and primeval beauty has been destroyed by the bulldozer. More and more rivers are becoming polluted, what used to be clear streams are turning into the colour of teh-tarik due to increased silt from upstream development and logging, and worse, God-forbid, the colour of kopi-o.
Ironic juxtaposition
Urban squatters are sprouting all over urban centers, and they are not only populated by illegal immigrants, but also by Malaysians themselves. Just take a look at the urban squalor along Sungai Klang , with ironic juxtaposition against the gleaming Petronas Twin Towers in the background.
Meanwhile, tons of rubbish floats past-excesses from a materialistic society a lot of our young people are so enamoured by.
Heritage buildings, centuries old, are being demolished wholesale to satisfy the demand for more space for business and pleasure. Aesthetics are thrown out of the window. Isn't it strange how much this country condemns the Americans for being impervious and imperialistic, whilst we imitate their Yankee utilitarian tradition with no tolerance for 'softie' aesthetic sensibilities.
Long live the masculine cowboy culture. And you may see lots of young people lunching at MacDonald's in a shopping mall formerly the site of old heritage shop houses. Nobody cares.
As it is, our newspapers will still be constantly bombarded with headlines of youths committing crimes, of frivolous youth habits, to provide adults the laughs. And they will laugh, chiding their weird tendencies for 'lepaking' and listening to unintelligible music, while worried about the threat youths could pose to the 'moral fabric'.
They are forever an ignominious bunch, who couldn't care less and are more anxious for salubrious past times-good for nothing.
Buddha said, 'Let truth be truth, and untruth be untruth'. Well, maybe the failure of our country to do so created this morass. There is too much irony and oxymoron here to ponder, for what is said and what is done here are two entirely different things.
Every word spoken is ambiguous, as the national ethos here may be 'do as told, not as seen'.. Things happen here so stealthily, there can be no good answer for everything. It seems that their adult examples aren't really much better than themselves too.
It is of no wonder that the youths today are so confused and fearful. Maybe social issues and political questions are just too much for them to handle. Too difficult to comprehend. Even adults can't solve it, why could they?
Might as well stick to something more attainable and easier to understand like cash, credit cards, condominium, car and country club membership.
RAYMOND WOO is a tertiary-level student who says he "despises yet celebrates the idiosyncracies of Malaysian life; who waves the Malaysian flag yet feels that he is a citizen of the world".
