TOWARDS A SOCIAL CHANGE

As the world is ever changing, we the best creatures on earth are to change something in the scheme of  nature. The evolution of mankind has witnessed various changes in its course of history. Changes may be good or bad; surely, there will be consequences. We cannot in any way escape from the changes and its consequences. In a true sense, human beings are part and parcel of the changes. Naturally, there is none but wishes to get at best the positive results from the changes making their livelihood ample.  In this writing, ‘change’ would represent ‘betterment’, as we yearn for a better society.

Change itself is in a sense the word of pessimists. As the saying goes, “Necessity is the mother of invention”, one can remark that those emminent personalities in the history of inventions are really pessimists in certain ways. True, their inventions bring in changes. They invent not because they only want to get fame, award, or international recognition but because they could see the shortfall and feel the necessity for a better way of living. So, a change is a must.

The natives of Kangleipak (Manipur) are not at all exceptions to the changes, whatsoever. Definitely, the people calls for a radical change, a change for a better society, where the social return is considerably high. But getting such an achievement overnight is impossible. It is undoubtedly a long process.

As a matter of fact, we living in the soil cannot deny the fact that we are not satisfied with the existing norms of the society. Consequently, everybody feels insecure, unsafe and helpless. Rule of the people does not mean peace and happiness but disparity and violence. Public tension is extremely high, and the youth’s unrest is getting its height. Living volcanoes are there in the hearts of each and every people although they can do nothing in front of the ‘hidden powers’ where the trigger carries the day, rather than carrying out a small number of mere movements in a democratic manner, so to say. These movements are obviously ineffective and short-lived, as it can't bring about any fruitful results. Sadly, no new strategy for protesting against could be seen other than bandhs, road blockades, etc. These are old stock methods. Even a small child is fed up with these words and the actions therein. Indeed we have to find out a new warfare.

Here in this regard, the pessimists mentioned above could mean those fellows who can't satisfy how they are, what they are, and especially why they are. They are always full of anxieties for being somewhat better than they are at the moment. For them, a change is the elixir of life, the sole way to salvation. Now the question is: who are to blame, or what are the possible factors traceable to for dragging us to such an appalling scene? Definitely we are responsible for the conditions we come across today. Only do we make the society we live in. Willingly or not, we have to suffer ourselves for granted. Indeed we suffer a lot. How long? Nobody could say. But how far our masses are tolerable could be witnessed by the recurrent atrocious incidents that throw many an innocent live to premature or untimely deaths. It is not an exaggeration to say that every square in the soil becomes graveyards day and night. We are standing somewhere in the dark. Our future is dim and beset with full of uncertainties.

Even though the people are talking very much of social changes, they do not spare even a moment’s thought as to who will bring the change. In this regard, there should be various factors we must keep an eye to. First and foremost, the most critical one really questionable and that matters most is the social consciousness of our people. In fact, the society’s true sense of direction is largely depended on it. Aggressive changes that hurt the real values of the society (or cultural erosion), the deep-rooted social evils, the enemies inside and outside and their identification, our attitude towards the selection for the representatives of the people, (Are they really all pseudo representatives?) are among other things the matters of utmost concern we must deal with cautiously. Here comes the urgent need for putting our heads together.

If, instead, we are ignorant of or blind to the matters any longer, we are bound to get nothing but high words or tears when we are in heaven or curse, or in the grave. The future generation will someday be criticizing our thinking and deeds that we are keeping on now. They will be looking for our footprints we leave behind on the sands of time. True, we are the givers of their destiny. We must be alert all the time to every possible problems and issues, keeping in mind the welfare of the present and future generations.

Now the people want to get relief, for which we need solutions. It is easier said than done. Finding solutions to the problems cited above will take days if not years. Making the masses aware of the society is very difficult and requires painstaking efforts. It usually takes time, and strictly, a special group people that is, to mention a little, enthusiastic, energetic, innovative and adventurous is vital to this end, especially for making an effective task force. The force should be made of the elements or personalities drawn from every section of the society. They are obviously the torchbearers of the people. Strictly speaking, they are our youths and intelligentsia.

Now, to sum up, the crying need of the hour is people’s social consciousness. (The rest are secondary). In it lies heart and soul of the social change. It can be made possible only when we have: a right type of education in which the learning ensures earning, and educational research dovetails industrial research (The present system of education in Kangleipak should compulsorily be recast at once), women’s liberation that imparts a bondage-free existence (In this case too, the fact of gender equality should dawn on both the sexes through the medium of education), and an informative and informed atmosphere (Yonder is the net-friendly world). In the meantime, the importance of national unity and emotional integration should be brought home to our people through all media of mass communications.


In fine, we can take the liberty to conclude that we highly need a social change for the sake of a better society, for which we should strive to evolve a society in which people will live in peace and harmony, a society in which parochialism will have no room. Here, it would be worth noting again that our future is unavoidably in the hands of our youths and intelligentsia. Unitedly, let’s make it bright.

Manoranjan Mangang
mmangang@yahoo.com