We as a society are becoming more reactive to social issues than acting on them. Whenever some breaking news on violence flashes out on TV & the newspaper, we show our anger through social media, candle marches, rallies and strikes. But rarely anyone considers working on the root causes of this violence.It will be so much better and helpful if we use our potentials and energies to act before the crime rate rises and unfortunate things happen.
Last year Tata Tea brand began a campaign named “Jago Re”. The purpose of this campaign (Alarm bajne se pehelejago re – wake up before the alarm rings) was to encourage people towards pre-activism. It was compelling people to stop reacting after tragedies hit and start pre-acting to prevent these issues from happening.
Sometimes, It is much easier and more comfortable for us to show our support for particular issues or incidents by gathering on the ground, using social media to express our rage, having arguments about them, spending much of our time discussing and judging politicians and the government rather than actually supporting the initiatives to prevent these social evils from taking place.
How many of us remember the Delhi rape victim, little Sherin who was killed by her foster dad; a Muslim man who was lynched by a mob of hundreds of men on the suspicion of carrying beef in his vehicle; a tribal man who was killed brutally for stealing some food; a nine year old child who was raped on Women’s Day in a gaming zone and many more innocent people who lost their lives and fell prey to someone else’s outrage, retaliation, fault or lust? I am sure not many of us…
It just has become a part of our daily lives to come across some heart-wrecking news, feel sorry about it for a day or two, hit likes, or sad & angry emojis on Facebook then forget it and go on with life until another news flashes out and ignite us to react. We might even judge others for not doing their duties right, not taking preventive measures and being so irresponsible. But rarely do we ask the question of ourselves: “What can we do about it?”
Mahatma Gandhi has said “You must be the change you want to see in this world”.
If each one of us realizes our responsibility, it will be so much easier to eradicate social injustice from the world and make it a better place to live. When the majority are actively engaged in pre-activism, RE-activism will most likely not be needed in society anymore. When all of us strive harder to treat the cause rather than the symptoms, I am sure the epidemic of these social evils will loose its grip and fade away.
The Bible tells us that we are the light of this world. The darkness of the world will only be removed when the “light” of this world realizes its power and purpose to dispel the darkness. Why is there so much darkness in the world? Because there is less light in it. You and I are to carry the Light of life, love, justice & freedom which we have received into this perishing world. You and I are to make a difference, a change and an impacting effort to transform the world. We are to pass this Light to the generations to come. It’s a need of the hour to WAKE UP to the hard-hitting realities of this world and its evil snares and realize the very purpose of our existence, our responsibility, our identity and our God-given call to make an impacting change; to make this world a safe, happy and better place in which to live.