US Election; What happened?

America has decided. It is Donald Trump to rule the United States of America for the next 4 years. The presidential election has turned into something we have never seen before in US history. The result caught most of the people off-guard. Roots of a deeply divided and insecure society emerge beneath the tolerant and progressive ‘super-democracy’ which everyone expects the USA to be. Are people being delusional or have they forgotten to understand the underlying forces of human nature when they are at crossroads.   

The main factor

As there are many reasons why Donald Trump has won by a significant margin, in my opinion, the main factor should be that Trump being able to address the insecurities in the minds of the majority of American People, the white, middle and working-class ordinary Americans. The insecurities being threefold; national security being compromised, collapsing economy and employment related issues and finally the shattering of the so-called ‘American way of life’. The latter can be described as a shift in demography, cultural norms, and national values. Even though some of these issues are prevailing and pose an immediate threat, the others have little to no real effects. For example, issues such as demographic shifts and cultural norms being undervalued have no immediate effects to the USA as immigration has in Europe.

Trump has triumphantly exploited those insecurities of the majority. The analysis of the opinion polls has suggested that while the Asian, Hispanic and African Americans have loathed Trump, the majority of white Americans vouched for him. Trump appealed for the working class, to secure their employment. He also appealed for the general public to strengthen the national security and stopping the adverse effects of immigration. The means of doing that was outrageous and sometimes dangerous and hilarious and terrifying at the same time. The border wall to keep the Mexicans out of USA and banning immigration from certain countries categorized by him as ‘Muslim’ are few of his ‘brilliant’ solutions to the above problems. There are some progressive factors like tax reforms and infrastructure development and creating job opportunities. However, his election campaign is dominated by ISIS, Mexico, and Iran, the things which ordinary American fears and being insecure about.

American election has many similarities to the Brexit vote held in June this year. Both had the similar characteristic of the belligerents are the same. Both have similar issues such as national security, weakening the national economy and immigration and the outcome and winners have the similar qualities. Not to mention the ‘bromance’ between Trump and the alleged winner of the Brexit, Nigel Farage which made Farage openly supporting Trump; by even speaking at a Trump rally.

The outcomes of Brexit and US Election have made two realizations; one is that even a supposed liberal society has deep rooted traditionalist ‘non-progressive’ values and they will play a huge part in making decisions and the second and the most importance one is that it is always important to look at the growing fears and expectations of the silenced majority. In this case the, insecurities of the ordinary American psyche. It is not that Trump’s rival Hillary would do anything that undermines the national security and putting the economy in a downward spiral and Hillary being the president doesn’t make the life easier for Blacks, Hispanics, and Muslims in the USA but the outcome of this election is the result of Trump being successfully manipulating the insecurities while Hillary failing to address them properly and getting the confidence of the majority. It is not the fact that Trump is better but that Hillary is worse that made America opt for Trump.

Has Obama contributed to this?        

Some blame President Obama for making the republicans weak and making Hillary’s defeat at the election. But in my opinion, Obama is a better president than anyone who was nominated and ran for this year’s election. Given the history and politics of USA, it was a bold and progressive move that American people have endorsed a candidate like Obama. He came to power in a crisis period, the Debt crisis had weakened the USA and economy haven't seen a catastrophe of this magnitude since the Great Depression in the 1930s not to mention the international criticism for sending troops to Iraq and Afghanistan. It is the sheer desire for a change that made Americans choose Obama over John McCain.

Obama either succeeded delivering the change he promised or he was damn lucky for the passing of the adverse effects of the 2008 crisis. The crisis slowed, companies stayed afloat and the country survived if not thrived. Troops have pulled out from Iraq and Afghanistan. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (AKA the Obamacare) was another progressive step taken by Obama even though it was criticized heavily.  It was the fact that ‘The GM was alive and Osama Bin Laden was dead’ made Obama win his second term. That means the recovery of the economy, pulling troops out and killing Osama had generally elevated him to one of the best presidents the US ever had.

Events that unfolded in his second term made some effect in the power swing from Democrat to a Republican in this election.  The rise of ISIS which depicted the flows of US foreign policy, unemployment or under-employment in among Americans, racism and most importantly recent attacks by radicalized home-grown terrorists have made his leadership weak and questionable which in-turn become the Achilles heel of Hillary Clinton. In my opinion, the USA was in a better position economically than when Obama took over in 2008 and he reversed some, not all of the damage that George Bush had done. If Obama could and had run for the third term, I believe that he could and should have won as he is better than Hillary, Trump and certainly Bush.  

Shattering expectation of the USA being progressive?

Is the USA a progressive and liberal society? The answer would be a Yes and a No. It depends on how we define progressiveness. We are expecting too much from the USA, wanting it to become an example for all of us who strive for a liberal utopia. Sorry to have hurt your feelings fellas! But you have to realize that as every country is a depiction of its society and the American society is not as progressive and liberal as you want it to be. It has the deep-rooted conservatism (at least among the majority of the people) to be portrayed making political choices. We tend to look at the mainstream media and a few of the progressives and liberals and assume that the common American had the same values the minority is portraying but it is not the reality. Even though the USA is a multicultural society and has values of religious freedom, when it comes to national security, economy, and employment, nothing was allowed to compromise it.

Was democracy to blame in the first place?

Now some people also have speculations about the USA being a democratic society. It also depends on how we portray how democracy should be. The reality is so much different and unsettling. The foundation of democracy is the will of the majority. As long as that will of the people is accurately presented (in US election, there are speculation of that have really happened because of the Electoral College system begin criticized for not displaying the will of the people) their choice should be the valid choice regardless of how hard to swallow it and come to terms with it for the rest of the world.

The next lesson of democracy to learn is that the unpredictability of human nature and the fact that it can be changed. Both in Brexit vote and US election, the opinion polls predicted the opposite result in huge margins. Regardless of how strong the democratic institutions are we should realize that as a chain is as strong as its weakest link, the democracy is totally depending on the unpredictable and manipulative human consciousness. It is the political force which understands and makes most of it goes for the win.

What would to future be like for the USA and for the world?

When Barack Obama becomes the president in 2008, the world had expected miraculous utopia from him. Some even hope for a better future not only for African-Americans but for the whole society. He couldn’t deliver any of it except the relative economic stability. America is still hated by the millions of people; African-American youth are getting shot by the police by the dozens, American still live in fear of ISIS attacks.

We should not expect anything drastic from Trump also. It will not be surprising that Trump if struggles to stop the influx of migrants from Mexico, to crush ISIS to the ground or to make the American dream a reality again. The people who opted for Hillary especially minorities should not be worried of a prosecution as well as all the presidents did, Trump will not stick to his plans for sure. What we can expect is the political stability as Republicans have both the senate and House of Representatives. There may be minor house-keeping jobs such as infrastructure projects and job creations and a few legislations. Internationally, the status-quo will likely to remain even with someone as charismatic and hectic as Trump.

Conclusion

Now the election is over. Still, Obama Has Reins until 2017 January. It is still no time to make a complete prediction of what Trump will become. However, this election has given some important life lessons for everyone and helped to realize the human nature when faced with insecurities. For all the liberals and so-called progressives, there is some soul searching to left to do. They expect too much from the USA and try to justify their ideas through the process called democracy which is made to depict the ideas of the majority. They should realize when their world starts crumbling beneath their feet that they are the minority and to never under-estimate the human nature. 

(photo courtesy : http://www.mapsofworld.com/) 

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The Battle Against Booze

Man always seeks pleasure and a way to hide from fear, sorrow, and misery of life. Unlike other animals, human needs are complex. The man has a lot of concerns other than finding food and mating. He invented the concept of recreation. Finding pleasure has become the lifelong quest of mankind. The man has a verity of ways to get pleasure in which drinking alcohol plays a prominent role. Consuming alcohol or in other words “Drinking” is not only a recreational habit but also a part and parcel of the culture.

The root of drinking goes back to the prehistoric era. Before man settled down for farming in valleys they lived a nomadic life doing from place to place seeking shelter and food.  Alcohol was introduced when man accidently discovered fermentation when they drink wild barley fermented water. They surely started falling love with it because it has the “feel good effect”. That fermented drink resembled beer. Barley was one of the first crops to be domesticated thus introducing agriculture which shaped the human civilization. People no longer needed to roam from one place to another to gather food instead they grow them. In medieval times, Europe was literally drunk because the only drink safe to consume was liquor. Drinking water was mostly polluted but alcohol brewing process requires boiling so unknowingly Europeans kill the bacteria in the water used. Drinking has been evolved from generation to generation along with the culture.

Why people like alcohol this much? We all like to get pleasure and forget our worries. Alcohol precisely does that. When someone consumes alcohol, it goes to the small intestine through the stomach. Walls of small intestine quickly absorb the alcohol and add them to the blood stream through which it goes to all of the organs in our body while the Liver tries to remove alcohol from the bloodstream. However, it takes very little time for the alcohol to reach the brain. Alcohol decreases the activity in brain’s some neuroreceptors and increases activity in others. It also increases the chemical dopamine in the brain’s pleasure center causing the “feel good effect” that occurs after taking a drink. Dopamine is called the “Pleasure hormone” because of this effect. According to a report published by World Health Organization, world average alcohol consumption is 6.1 liters of pure alcohol [1]. Alcohol also results in 2.5 million deaths per year [2] surprisingly more than the number of deaths from AIDS

Temporary effects of alcohol will be gone after several hours and the drinker will be back to the normal sober stage. Alcohol makes a person’s mind free, his animalistic nature is somewhat revealed. A drunken person seems to be open and fearless. Drinking makes social gatherings possible, people tend to meet up others over a round of drinks at a pub or bar. Even in ancient times, pubs have become a center of human interaction and sometimes intellectual discussion forums for great philosophers, artists, and revolutionists. Even today alcohol plays the main role in social occasions and becomes a tool helping to get socialized.

Although alcohol consumption opens up a person for good, it has many adverse effects; physical and psychological.

There are safe limits for alcohol consumption for both men and women. Pregnant women are advised to retain from alcohol consumption. Weekly maximum alcohol dose for men is 21 units. For women, it is no more than 14 units. A unit of alcohol is 10ml of pure alcohol (100% proof). It is also recommended to have at least two alcohol-free days per week for both sexes [3]. Alcohol is highly addictive. It affects not only the drinker but also his family, friends, and community. Psychological trauma caused by him on his family especially children can be very harmful in the future.

Alcohol is the cheapest method to get the “feel good effect”. Alcohol production, distribution, and consumption are highly regulated by governments but illicit liquor production which is highly dangerous and black-market trade is rapidly growing. Taxation on liquor is highly profitable for the government. Generally, alcohol taxes and ultimately liquor prices are going up every year but those price hikes didn’t help to reduce consumption. An addicted person may find money by whatever means to pay for drinks.

Liquor companies maintain close ties with the authorities and the government. Most of these ties are serving a more sinister purpose. By political lobbying, sponsoring and bribing liquor companies to protest against progressive steps to inform the public the harmful effects of alcohol. People are getting wasted every day while profit margins of liquor companies grow.

Some religions such as Buddhism and Islam forbids alcohol consumption while Christianity usually tolerates, nevertheless regardless of the race or religion, people get drunk. The only practical thing to do is to educate the masses about the adverse effects of alcohol and retain our young people from becoming alcohol addicts. Telling the people to drink not more than their limits is effective than telling them to stop consuming alcohol at once. Gradually anyone with a strong willingness can come out of alcohol addiction easily.

Drinking is bound with one’s culture. Separating people from drinking completely seems impossible. Although drinking helps us to be socialized, to temporary forget hardships in life and to feel joy it has always been a silent killer. Since all out war against liquor is improbable, the best thing left is to tell others to drink responsibly according to safe limits

Photo courtesy : http://imgarcade.com/

 [1][2] http://www.who.int/substance_abuse/publications/global_alcohol_report/en/index.html

[3] http://www.patient.co.uk/health/Alcohol-and-Sensible-Drinking.htm

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Boys Don't Cry???

(Photo Courtesy https://goodmenproject.com )

I’ve come across a post published by one of my friends regarding crying and its gender dynamics. The social norm is that it is not for the boys to cry and crying is something acceptable for girls. As boys when we had tears in our eyes, the grown-ups humiliate us saying ‘don’t cry like a girl’. When boys (from now the words ‘men’ and ‘women’ are used to depict the male and female gender and it includes people from all age-groups). Several questions have been raised from the idea of crying. Some say that it is a method of expressing the emotions while some speculate the helpfulness of crying dismissing it a weakness if it is done by men.

Why do we cry?

The ‘Crying’ discussed in this article is not just the process of having tears in the eyes. Crying should be separated from the response to chopped onions, tear gas or yawning and should be associated with emotions especially painful and sad ones. It may be related to the emotional outbreak and a may be triggered to show someone’s distress, the need for social support from the others around you. The ultimate objective of crying may be to act as a signal of emotional distress to others so that they come to help and comfort you. When the words cannot show the true state of mental and emotional anguish, crying comes to the rescue. This is evident in infants and toddlers whose verbal skills are not developed but are able to communicate their distress through crying. A crying baby grabs the attention of all around him/her and those who are close will immediately come to the aid comforting, nurturing and soothing him/her. When children grow and come into adulthood, the inherent show of distress through crying doesn’t change. What has changed is the response to the crying. We don’t respond to a crying adult the same way as we did for the babies.

Men v. Women; crying

Do male toddlers cry less than their female counterparts? Or does the society respond differently to male infants? It is not clear that who cries the most and usually when the infant is small, we tend to attend the emotional needs regardless of the gender but when the child grows, gender will play a role. That is why ‘Don’t cry like a girl!’ the response comes out from the adults when boys who passed the toddler-age cry while totally opposite comforting response will be directed towards a girl. This growing separation of responses will continue towards adulthood. The reaction, when grown up women cry, has little or no change while for the men, it is considered as the weakness and something which the men cannot and shouldn’t do.

Do men feel emotional pain as much as women?

Even though there are differences in the male and female brain in relation to the emotional sensitivity men also feel emotional pain as deeply and severely as women do. The difference lies with the long-lasting effect and what men/women do in response to pain. Men often feel the emotional pain less intense than their female counterparts nevertheless the pain is highly likely to remain with men for a long time. Especially in rejections, the pain remains even if the times and conditions change over time thus scars remain until he dies. Women, on the other hand, feel the pain intensely for a significantly shorter time than men and the pain may subside over time. The response is also different for men and women. While women try to express their emotional pain and sadness as it is, men tend to channel it in different ways, most probably through anger or self-destructive behavior such as recklessness, substance abuse or potentially life-threatening behavior.

 It is so unfair to conclude that men don’t feel the sadness. They do feel it but they are either reluctant to directly express it or channel it out as it is. That’s when the crying comes. Because of the established social norms forcing men to appear strong and refrain from showing their true vulnerable emotions, most of us think that men have little or no feelings. It is the unspoken, un-cried and hidden despair shows the real emotional nature of men. It is the guy who smiles and happy all the time hides the most painful secrets.

Is crying beneficial today?

When the society gets changed, individualism has been promoted. Today, the sense of community and altruism was not the norm of the present society. This is most prominent in relationships. With this change, there will be less and fewer people whom we can truly trust. A person’s emotional support network is shrinking and he/she must be very lucky to have even a few individuals with whom he/she can be emotionally open. In the times when trust is a luxury, it is highly likely that crying and showing emotional pain to others will end up in more hurt, pain, and humiliation for that person. Thus regardless of the gender, it is wise to cope with your problems by yourself, thus invalidating any need of crying or seeking for emotional support.

Summing up

The essence of what we’ve discovered above is not only about crying, but also about the changing ways of showing the emotional distress to get the support from the people around you. It doesn’t mean that crying alone is a weakness or not a ‘manly’ thing. If it helps to sooth the pain, it would be the healthiest thing to do even for men than channeling the pain to self-destructive behavior. In fact, most of the men who appear to be strong have cried in silent and put a brave space along with a mask of a smile to the outside world.

In conclusion, it can be said that the act of crying to show the mental distress hoping to get emotional support may not the best thing to being done at present for both men and women. In times, when crying makes you vulnerable and gets you humiliated and most importantly when no one around you can be trusted, the best thing to do is to endure the pain and suffering silently and try to get over it. It is applicable for both genders thus it is not ladylike to be crying and it is not only manly to hide your feelings. Everyone should hide their tears to make themselves immune to more hurt and pain from the untrustworthy people around you.

PS:                                                                                                                          

I wonder how the phrase ‘boys don’t cry’ comes to use. But I discovered it from a song performed in 1979 by the English Rock Band ‘The Cure’. It depicts a heartbroken boy who smiles because it is not acceptable to shed a tear on his loss.

 The song is listed below. 

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Social media as the engine of revolution

(Photo courtesy http://www.digitalaboratory.it/ )

Social media is the collaboration between people in the means of exchanging content virtually via networks. There are many definitions about social media but I shall emphasize on the definition given by Merriam-Webster dictionary. It defines social media as

“forms of electronic communication (as Web sites for social networking and microblogging) through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content (as videos)”

There are several conditions that need to be satisfied for any collaboration method to be called as social media. They are (1) The exchange of information or content, (2) A virtual community, (3) An online gathering place such as a social networking site, blog or a forum. Despite the differences between mainstream media, many think that social media is similar to conventional media if not an extension f the former but the core concept of social media being the direct involvement of people make it differ from others. It is a well-known fact that in the recent past, social media is recognized if not accused as the main reason to brewing revolutions throughout the world.

The concept of social media started when humans begin to communicate. They express their ideas in cave paintings and ancient stone scripts. Although it is obvious that the first form of social media didn’t involve the internet or any other sophisticated communication methodology, it was similar to modern social media in terms of the exchange of ideas and community interaction. However the social media we called today came with the introduction of the internet as a place to collaborate. With that, new methods of sharing information are born. First, there are internet connection places such as chatrooms and online forums. With the social networking sites such as facebook, google+ and myspace, the whole concept of social media came to new heights. Social networking sites are powerful tools for the growth of social media. Blogging is a relatively new concept allowing anyone to write your ideas in a virtual diary for the whole world to see. The microblogging site twitter has become immensely popular social media tool. It facilitates sharing ideas, news or anything you like on the internet but with only 140 characters. Although, it seems not to be enough for anything to be published, by far twitter’s contribution to the social media exceeds all other internet based platforms. Photo and video sharing sites such as youtube, Picasa, Pinterest Instagram [need to give inks]also play a crucial role.

Although it is not a mandatory thing for a social media to be based on the internet, being on the internet itself is the main advantage the social media have. It has a large number of audience. Internet users are growing exponentially so internet based social media always gains popularity. Social media is not tightly regulated or not regulated at all. Access to that is not restricted allowing free information flow. Social media is free (at least the internet based ones) if not cheaper than the conventional media. Most of the social media contributors being community organizations provide access to new ideas in a free environment. The main advantage of social media is the people getting directly involved in getting information. Most of the time social media acts as an active way of providing information. News providers, as well as the audience, engage in conversations. The audience may give feedback and their opinion regarding the information they have received from social media. The above interaction may happen instantly so timewise it is efficient. 

Social media was now famous (or infamous) for its contribution to fuel revolutions. For revolutions to happen, an exchange of new ideas needs to be put up. People who need a change should get together. Gaining popular support nationally and internationally is a must. Social media provides all those. 

General public may have discontent over the social, economic and political situation of a country. A discussion can be put in the social media. People who are sympathetic to the course will gather. With the ideas of change looming ahead, sooner or later the bubble bursts. People take to streets either to topple a government or urge authorities to solve the problems. Social media can also be used to influence civil organizations or even foreign governments to intervene and help them. If a crackdown or a civil war happens, social media may provide front row seats for the whole world to see the atrocities and the suffering or people.

This scenario proved to be true in many parts of the world in the last couple of years. The popular uprising against dictatorships in middle-eastern countries (often called ‘The Arab Spring’) is the best example of how social media help the birth of revolutions. Especially in Egypt and now in Syria, the role of social media is prominent as never before.  A fight for change in a monetary system ruled by large banks and multinational companies has swept across most parts of the western world. That was called ‘The Occupy Movement’. Thousands of protesters were gathering at the financial centers and government institutions urging for a change. Social media, mainly social networks and microblogging sites were used to send messages to people directing them to protest places and gathering active support.

A popular uprising in Ukraine to overthrow its president is another example of the successful use of social media to direct popular uprisings. For example, the youtube video below shows a young lady speaking in the midst of a protest (probably a standoff with the police) urging the international community to actively support the revolutionaries.

Sri Lankan context;

Sri Lanka has an active social media presence. Social networks such as Facebook are the main player. A small but growing twitter community, online forums, and active bloggers publishing in both Sinhalese and English play an active role.

Independent media organizations, NGOs use social media to influence people. Since there is a popular conception that the mainstream media is infiltrated by the government, for an unbiased representation of opinions, people are turning into social media.

On the other hand, differences of opinions are appearing from the Sri Lankan social media. A rise of nationalism (some depict that as racism) and religious revival of Buddhism and Islam can be seen via social media. Recently, a surge of Sinhalese Buddhist revolutionary ideas and talks of a conspiracy by minority religions to destroy Sinhalese Buddhist identity are immerging from social networks. This is leading to an all-out cyber war between different religious factions. 

More and more people are getting internet access. Technology literate young people are using social media as a place to share ideas. With social media more openness and transparency are created, we are no longer a passive entity gobbling anything the mainstream media serve us. We have become investigative and social media change the perspective from which we look at the world forever. Although there are immense benefits of social media, it should always be considered as a double-edged sword. For example, the same discussion forum or social network that used to create intellectual ideas can also be used to spread religion hatred and fanaticism.

Social media is always here to stay and get evolve with the people. The best and wisest thing is to use social media for the benefit of the entire human kind.  

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The Plight of Modern Family; Gender Equality and contemporary changes

The human society is comprised of men and women. The society has given specific roles based on the gender which has now changed dramatically. Both men and women go out for work and provide financial support for the family. This is mainly because of the economic conditions which force women to earn and the high educational and professional standards of modern women.

In the ancient pre-historic world, men go hunting or forging while women stay at home caring for children and doing other household chores. Human physique had adapted to that lifestyle as well. A woman can do patient work such as weaving, creating artifacts etc and she can endure longer than man. On the other hand, man can unleash massive energy for a short period of time helping him to pursue and kill animals. Almost all of the human races were patriarchal. There was no place for women other than home. Education of women is neglected but the knowhow of doing household work had passed down from mother to daughter. The slightest of improvements for the working of women happens in the 19^th century western world. Women were allowed to work as governesses for children of wealthy households. Poor woman were also recruited as factory workers and laborers to fuel the growing demand for labor in the newly industrialized economy. But prostitution being the world’s oldest job welcomed women with open hands as it always does even now. Apart from those, economic contribution of the women for a society was very limited. Although Sri Lankan women are somewhat liberated than their other Asian counterparts, women going to work was an alien concept for the conservative Sri Lankan society.

In the modern society, women had defied the traditional gender roles. The main reason for this revolution was improved education standards for girls. In Sri Lanka and throughout the world, schools are established for both sexes. Sometimes, women outperform men in education field. In Sri Lanka this scenario is well observed. Since independence Sri Lankan women are coming out of their typical job roles specified to them (schoolteachers, clerks etc) into engineering, finance, manufacturing and entrepreneurship. With the universal suffrage, women have their political freedom so it is not a surprise at all to see a Sri Lankan woman becoming the world’s first female prime minister. Now Sri Lankan women are pushing their independence to the limits as discussions on men-women equality and feminism being carried out.

This newly found independence has an immense impact on the typical role of woman in the society. In the past a woman had always been under the protection of her father, husband and elder son in various stages of life but now they have financial and sexual independence. It is up to them to decide whether to get married to a man or to get married to a job. Even in Sri Lanka, highly educated high achieving young women belong to late 80s and early 90s generation tend not to get married or to set aside their marriage until they get elevated in educational and professional life. Sometimes young women who get married don’t like to have children. Even if they have children, family duties are most of the time put in a second place making room for educational or career obligations.

Women must have their independence. We can’t turn the clock and go to a medieval society again. Financial contribution of a mother in a family is needed like never before in this economically hard times. Giving financial and personal independence is not a bad practice since it gives some sort of self-esteem to women. At least girls should have opportunities to apply the knowledge they have gained from education to the national economy.

Temporary Solutions

Flexible work schedules can be introduced by employers. Of course, maternity leave is grated for women at childbirth but that is not a guarantee that the woman may have quality time for her family. Standard 9 to 5 office schedule should be replaced with the permission to come and go to office at any time. Modern Information Technology (IT) companies are adapting this practice. It is much easier for them to emphasize on flexible schedule because all those organizations have target oriented work pattern. For them, all that matters is you have completing your work before deadline. When, where and how you are going to do your assigned work is not important. This helps a woman who is a mother and a wife to adjust her time according to family obligations. Company policies regarding women also need a change allowing more flexible times, reduced workloads and ‘work from home’ opportunities

Giving reduced workload for women employees is also among discussion but that raises questions about salary. Employers are reluctant to pay the same salary for a woman who is doing less work than her male counterpart. Although this practice goes against gender equality, it is much better than women working all day long without having time for her family.

Work from home is another alternative to smooth up to busy work schedule of modern professional. This doesn’t mean that you are always in doing whatever the task assigned to you in home. Regular visits to workplace may be needed but combined with flexible work schedules, this is a good solution. Development in IT field has broken the time and distance barrier. An employee can connect to office computer network form her Laptop or home computer. Video conferencing can be used to communicate with people anywhere in the world so time is dramatically saved. A busy mom can look after her child and do household chores even while she is doing her office work. She can do her work at night or early in the morning with the comfort of her cozy home.

What lies ahead?

All the above mentioned solutions are temporary. With the diminishing of the gender roles the concept of family may be abrogated in a couple of generations (it has already happening). Human society is in constant evolution. It is inevitable that traditional gender roles will soon be wiped out and we may come to the age that we no longer distinguish men and women as their contribution to the society and economy is more of less becomes the same.

We need to set aside the traditional beliefs that a family makes a person complete and it is needed to the personality development of a child. More and more single parent homes and artificial insemination pregnancies and surrogate motherhood gives both men and women to procreate without the express help of the other gender making the ultimate independence of sexes form each other and freeing them from the burdens of the family.

Whether the conservatives like it or not, it is inevitable that family, as an institution is failing as the concept of marriage has already failed. Embracing a and preparing for a future with enhanced personal independence, diminished gender roles and less and less family and emotional ties should be the wise thing to do. 

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Online Life; Is it safe?

It is true to say that we now live in a global village thanks to enhanced communication links, powerful computers and the internet. Information and communication technology helps man to connect to one another in every aspect of life today from financial transactions to meeting friends. This interlinked world may appear to be fast and convenient but have we ever wondered whether our privacy and safety is ensured in it?

Although computer technology was prevailing since 1930s, first real collaboration and data sharing among computers appeared with the development of ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network) for United States Department of Defense. That along with the World Wide Web which is a set of interlinked documents allows data sharing and collaboration from anywhere in the world at any time. Now most of the personal computers can access the internet and there are powerful computers such as datacenters and internet servers which stores data and facilitate running various applications in the internet.

It is not wrong to say that the global economy and production systems running in the internet. Dependence of interlinked computers are extended from universities and a handful of global multinationals to governments agencies, SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprise), industries as well as military establishments. With the centralized data management and sharing system through internet, people no longer need to keep redundant data. They can access and manipulate their data from any location as long as they are able to hook up to the internet. It acts as a large cloud storing all the data and sometimes programs to manipulate data as well. We call them web applications.

Most of the big companies today, no longer put their data in to public networks. They have their own mini networks called intranets. They can be accessed typically by personnel from that particular organization only. The military and financial institutions have extensive use of these types of networks. Most of the time, a hybrid of public and private network is used by organizations because they need a network that can be accessed by both the insiders and outsiders of their organization on certain conditions. With business to business communication increasing, demand for above hybrid networks is very high.

Getting networked is an easy way to do all sorts of work remotely. It is a platform to share ideas and to collaborate (This is the new buzzword in the 21^st century). With social networks extending friend base, modern man is very different to what he was before the internet era. Now there are professional networks as well, most notably the networking website ‘linkedin’ which has a user base over 277 million as of 2014. Human face to face interaction is getting replaced with online communities, social networking sites and video conferencing via internet.

Although we get tons of benefits from the new connected word, very little is known about its vulnerabilities. Most of us don’t know the fact that the computers and network links are not impenetrable and the data in those big datacenters in which the internet resides can be stolen, lost or taken by the government for various reasons stripping your privacy.

Stealing confidential data is not a new phenomenon for internet. Hacking (in its simple form; unauthorized access to data in a computer) is happening worldwide at an alarming rate ranging from accessing a computer just for a challenge to crippling a whole corporate or government network. You should not be surprised when you see your bank details and other personal information gone in to a wrong hand despite of the security measures you and your bank have taken.

Cyber terrorism is the new frontier in modern asymmetric warfare. This new breed of terrorists are not armed to the teeth with guns, or wear suicide bombs but professionals who can get control of a secured network and use it for sinister purposes. Networks most vulnerable to cyber attacks are military communication networks, utility control networks such as nuclear power plant controlling systems, oil and gas distribution systems, airline control systems etc. This growing threat gives a disturbing possibility of bringing a might nation to its knees by a handful of computer hackers.

Loss of privacy is the next major disadvantage of internet. Computer can be a really good spy device. If someone can tap in to your computer without your knowledge, all the private information from your bank accounts to your private photos can be stolen. Social networks such as facebook, twitter and google plus may store even your most personal details. We assume that with the privacy settings set correctly, no unauthorized personnel can get in to our sensitive information but computer hackers as well as government security agencies sometimes tap in to the vast pool of social network data. Of course, the government may do that in the name of ‘National Security’ as the whistle-blower Edward Snowden disclosed. United States National Security Agency (NSA) was spying on US citizens, foreigners as well as foreign governments. NSA’s global surveillance apparatus has its claws on profiles on social networks to map the social connections [1].

Sometimes people may put even the most personal details in the internet such as their relationship state, family details, intimate photographs etc. They do not hesitate to even post their personal or family problems in social networking sites for the whole world to see. It is a well know fact that social networking sites contribute to collapsing of many families and we can’t ignore their effect on cultural norms and social values especially in a conservative country Sri Lanka.

Internet is growing and getting complex every day so are the internet related problems. When authorities are talking measures against ill-use of internet and other related networks, hackers are talking counter-measures to slip through. The major problem is the lack of authority over internet. It is on its own so there is virtually no one to centrally monitor its behavior. The only thing we can do is to take extensive safety measures when using internet. We should be extremely conscious when we share our personal information in social networking sites. Make sure the safety is 100% ensured in online financial transactions.

This new connected world is like a chained beast. We should get to know a way to harness the power of this enormous creature for our benefit without being a victim of his wrath. If all the countries get together and create a universal governing protocol for internet and other interlinked computer networks, we will be able to make online collaboration much more safe, beneficial and productive.

[1] James Risen & Laura Poitras, N.S.A. Gathers Data on Social Connections of U.S. Citizens, The New York Times, Sept. 28, 2013, at A1.

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Youth Unemployment, the Unsolved Problem.

Youth unemployment is an increasing problem in the world. More and more youth are out of jobs and it is increasingly difficult to find a job if not hold it for some time. We tend to neglect and put a blind eye to it because there are little statistical help to indicate the growing youth unemployment. Since the situation is worsening, clear analysis of this problem needed to be done.

Youth unemployment is the unemployment of people who are between 15 and 24 years. Generally jobless young people outnumber the old people who are out of jobs. The age between 15 and 24 is fuelling a debate because; some think that it is unfair to include children younger than 18 in unemployed youth category. Nowadays it is highly unlikely in the developed world and even in Sri Lanka, for a minor to enter into the work force. The typical age of starting to find employment in Sri Lanka is 18.

Most of us think that a young person can secure a job more likely than an adult because the young are more energetic so employers like them but it is not the case. Although young people have less commitment to social obligations and they can be employed for lesser wages but, they are not experienced. It may cost the employer more money to train an inexperienced youth than to recruit experienced adult worker for higher salary. This explains why the youth are the first to lose their jobs when an economic crisis hits. 

Young people experienced or not usually find temporary jobs, apprenticeships and internships. They are not well paid, have long work hours and require less if not no legal obligations for the employer to lay them off. In 2008 during the world financial crisis, developed countries were hit hard. Youth who were working temporary were the first to lose the jobs. Finding another work was getting harder and harder because when experienced workforce was getting laid off, they too compete with the youth to find work. This had happened in developing countries as well.

Sri Lanka’s situation

For a Sri Lankan youth, there are 3 main entry points to the job market

• Before finishing Advanced Level Examination (A/L) – Join family businesses and agriculture
• After A/L
• Graduates 

Only those who go for family businesses and agriculture without doing A/Ls can stay intact from unemployment. If their families are not self-employed or work in agriculture, it will be very hard to find even a low paying entry level job. Those less educated youth no longer has the luxury of getting into the army because, new recruitment is virtually halted after ending the Sri Lankan civil war. Large portion of youth searing for low paying jobs may get them but those jobs are not secure. Youth have a high chance of getting laid off occasionally.

Those who join the work force after Advanced Level Examination (A/Ls) may find employment in finance, marketing or small scale manufacturing industry. If a youth has done Science, Mathematics or Commerce as subjects in A/L may get a chance but others will be left out in the streets without jobs. Since the university entry is so competitive only 1% of students will get the chance to go to government universities. Those who can’t afford to go for private higher-education will face a dark future.

Only portion of the graduates are fortunate to find jobs. Even if they found, they will surely be under-employed working in low positions. Government may employ them but they surely be put into jobs which should be done by the second category (Non-graduated with only the A/L qualification). Sadly under-employment in which a worker is put to a job that is lower than his qualifications and pay grade is very common in recent graduates. Unemployed graduate problem is present despite of the government’s effort to give state sector jobs to graduates. Medical, Engineering and Finance graduates are less likely to be affected by unemployment where Arts and Humanities graduates have the threat of being under-employed if not unemployed.

Sri Lankan youth employee’s main problem is not getting laid off but finding a work first. . Lucky few find government jobs which are underpaid and seem to be a waste of time and youth energy. The irony is that the youth prefer it because those jobs’ security and less workload

To address this grave problem, modifications for global and local job markets, economies and education systems needed to be done simultaneously and synchronously. We need to train our children for jobs which have not been invented yet; for that, future trends need to be understood. More and more students should be moved from humanities field to technology and service oriented education. Arts and Humanities are also important but number of students doing that is currently high and needs to be lowered by giving quality humanities education for fewer students. Vocational education is also important. There will be more and more opportunities in construction and energy sector

The global population is aging. There are more and more old people so youth have to support them. We can’t afford to get the economy into recession which will cut the jobs and further put the economy in downward spiral to collapse. 

Although we are not aware of long term effects of youth unemployment, it stands off as one of the gravest problems lying ahead of us.  Youth are the power and life-blood of the future. That power needs to be harnessed correctly. If we don’t give the youth the chance to contribute to the economy, economic and social problems will surely arise. That can lead to youth uprisings, revolutions and chaos which eventually topple the world so it is our duty to address youth unemployment problem immediately. 

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Population Crisis; What shall we do?

World’s population is now more than 7 billion and rising rapidly. It has reached that point one year ago in October 2011. As humans, we have an immense impact on planet earth so complications arise naturally with the rising population. Overpopulation is now a major challenge to the long list of obstacles faced by humankind.

Throughout the human history, overpopulation has never been a problem before. Humans like all the other species need resources to survive. If a species have access to plenty of resources, it thrives while that species is starved of resources, its population declines or probably faces extinction (like what happened to Dinosaurs). Usually balancing the population of species is done by nature itself. Story of human population is somewhat different. Until the first half of the last century, the human population stayed under 2 billion. Due to the rapid growth it only took another half a century to nearly triple that population.

We generally think that adding more and more members to our huge human family is a good thing but as any species needs certain resources such as air, food, water and habitat to live, humans also needs those basic necessities and much more to survive and human needs and expectations are getting bigger and bigger every day. Throughout the last 50 years, expansion of quantity and quality of necessities such as energy, transportation, housing leads to perfect condition for a human population boom. Although population rise started with the industrial revolution in the 19^th century, only after the World War 2, it started skyrocketing.

Humans to generate wealth industry, production and economic activity are needed. Those needs more people. With additional wealth humans can breed and feed a new generation which helps to create more and more wealth. This cycle continues to function perfectly until couple of decades before the last century ends.

Above mentioned economic model is obsolete nowadays due to two reasons.

1.       We don’t need much labor and human skills to generate wealth. Smart technologies, industries and production don’t need much labor. The way we create wealth is also changed. World relies more on smart technologies, financial industry and service sector which requires less human participation that age old industry and agriculture
2.  Depleting resources; Humans entirely dependent upon natural resources such as minerals, metals, oil and arable land. Now humans don’t have the steady supply of resources to generate wealth which helps to keep and increase population

Problems

Large population consumes lot of natural resources which took thousands of years t naturally form. Production of those resources can’t keep up with the rising population.

This earth is not only designed for humans but we take the whole world for granted. The truth is humans are mere part of the world’s Eco system. Natural resources and generally the environment are used by every other plant and animal. Over-consumption and rising demand puts strain on the environment as well. This leads to environmental pollution which dangers not only humans’ future but also the whole worlds’ future.

Human standard of living was rising with the increasing population. This means people can live longer. But most of those old people don’t contribute anything to the creation of wealth; it becomes the duty of young to serve their elders from their wealth. This practice is highly appreciated in some cultures, especially in Asia but beyond this duty of safeguarding senior citizens lays a heavy burden in younger generation’s shoulders.

With the rising global population, especially in 3^rd world countries, an emigration boom is created. People are trying to migrate to rich countries in search of opportunities. Most of the Asian and North African people are trying to migrate to Western European countries and to United States. This mass migration creates disruptions between the immigrants and local people. Nowadays when people migrate to other countries they don’t embrace the local culture. They tend to communalize in their own religious or racial segments. Since western countries have lower birth rates compared to immigrants, immigrant community grows faster and creates its own sub cultures. Most of the time immigrant and local cultures don’t jell with each other well. Sudden demographic shifts are dangerous for a county’s future for example, in United Kingdom, immigration and immigrant cultures have become a big problem which has led to racial and religious conflicts more than once.  

Global population is rising in a way that the nature can’t control. Population boom may explode one day but it puts the entire humanity in jeopardy. Experts have found out that the ideal population which should be living in earth is 2 Billion. We have two solutions with us. Either find another plant to put the extra 5 Billion humans or reduce the population.

Since science is not able to find any plant suitable to us other than earth, the one and only option is population reduction. Even with that solution, we may encounter some social problems.

1.       We can’t move population to less populated countries because of cultural problems

2.       We can’t kill old people or reduce health benefits due to social and ethical issues.

3.       We can’t selectively give the chance to live for the healthiest babies like ancient Spartans did (Which sounds like a good idea) but not a single mother will like the idea of killing her baby even for the benefit of entire humanity.

We need a world-wide systematic reduction of births like the Chinese did with their one-child-policy. Like valuation and devaluation of a country’s currency, governments should have a plan specifying how many people are needed for the future to plan the birth policy. If the country can sustain more people, less restricted birth policy can be enforced. If the population is growing, strict laws regarding number of children can be brought forward. While making policy changed, the scientific community should be able to find ways to sustain large population from limited resources without affecting the environment.

We too need to change and adjust their high-end, energy-consuming lifestyles. That surely be uncomfortable since we are too comfortable with our life but if we keep on going like this, the end is painful than ever. Overpopulation is created by us. Before it consumes us and reduce humanity to rubble, we should act bravely and take drastic measures to prevent that from happening. 

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Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thero; In Remembrance.

A sad day indeed for Sri Lankans. The passing away of Venerable Maduluwawe Sobitha thero, the Chairman of the National Movement for a Just Society had shocked us. We grieve not as Buddhists or members of a certain political party but as Sri Lankans who expected a change and fought for it.

Although Sri Lankans knew Sobitha Thero as the key player in the resent regime change, his social activism dates back many years, leading several political campaigns for just society. Sobitha Thero, not having a rigid political afflictions had always been in the common man’s side in the struggle for democracy, equality and justice. Whenever a progressive political change has happened in this country, Sobitha Thero had always been in the forefront of it. Even as the chief incumbent of a Buddhist Temple, Kotte Sri Naga Viharaya, the Thero had leaded a modest life dedicating his life to social progression compared to some monks who went on to developing lavish temples and focusing on worldly goods which is contradictory to the essence of Buddhist teachings.

Sobitha Thero’s activism came to its pinnacle with his work in the Presidential Election in January 2015. Even before the election Sobitha Thero had raised his voice against the nepotism, corruption and undemocratic governance of the previous government. Sobitha Thero had always in the stance of changing the system rather than the people who were running the system. The Thero understood the fact that if we change the people who govern without changing the system they govern, the replacements will be ineffective. He had proposed several changes to the system even before the Presidential Election such as Independent Commissions, Corrupt-free governance and accountability mechanisms.

The opposition always criticized the previous government but never found a suitable candidate for changing the system let alone a better system itself. There were speculations about who shall be the common candidate as opposition had decided to put a common candidate to the presidential race. Sobitha Thero’s name also surfaced and some had doubted how a Buddhist monk is able to contest for the election.

Although most of the supporters of the previous government do not know it, it was Sobitha Thero who initially supported Mr. Rajapaksha BUT on several conditions to ensure democracy. As this author can remember in one occasion, the Thero has stated that Mr. Rajapaksha will be the ideal candidate if he scuttles the undemocratic 18^th Amendment, introduces Independent Commission and Eradicates corruption. But since there was no positive response from him, Sobitha thero had to look for someone else and Mr. Sirisena was an ideal candidate. The rest is history.

Although Sobitha Thero was in the forefront of the regime change, he was the first person to criticize it as well. The lack of progress in the ‘Yahapalana Government’ was appalling and it is no doubt that the Thero was highly dissatisfied with the aftermath. First, the three-month interim government period was extended, hundred Day program was just a broken promise, and the most important change promised, enacting the 19^th Amendment was intentionally delayed. 20^th Amendment and shifting to new electoral system was never done. It is ironical to see that the ‘Father of the recent political change’ has to go on protesting against the ‘Yahapalana child’ in April 2015 to enact the long awaited 19^th Amendment which was the keystone of a new political change.  

Sobitha Thero openly criticized the present government and its lack of progress. It is an open secret that the Thero was really disappointed with it and it must have affected him very much. Surely there shall be a sense of betrayal by the present government’s highest offices. It was not only Sobitha Thero who was betrayed but 6.2 million Sri Lankans who had voted for a change. Resent events suggests that the successive government is similar the previous one if not worse.

People lobby for political movements for many reasons. Most lobbying was done as an investment in the future earnings and favors from the successive governments. Among them, Sobitha Thero was a true patriot and person with high moral standards as he never expected any return or favor from the people who was raised to power by his activism.

It is so heartbreaking to see some people who were posting defamatory comments and celebrating Sobitha Thero’s passing away mostly in social media. Indeed they are the people who never knew the political history of Sri Lanka, how the struggle for ‘Good Governance’ was initially won in January 2015 and subsequently lost by the activism in the civil society and how the people currently in power had betrayed the activists who really helped them. Most of the ‘post-sharing internet radicals’ who use the internet behave as ‘monkeys handling straight razors’ showing their lack of character and how they were brainwashed.

There are lessons to be learnt from the altruistic life and disappointing passing away of Sobitha Thero. It brings us to the bitter realizations that no matter how you intend to change the world for better, the dark forces always win. No matter how good you are, if you are not in the winner’s side, everyone will eventually betray you. At the end of your life, bitterness, regret and disappointment will be your only companions. Last but not least, you will be disgraced even after you were dead and eventually be forgotten.

Ven. Maduluwawer Sobitha Thero, May you Attain Nibbana as it is the only retreat with the eternal peace. 

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The Never Ending Saga of the Rioting University Students

(Photo Courtesy : http://www.asianmirror.lk/ )

University students, according to some, the eager young minds that are going to take the future of our country, were always in a disadvantaged position in their quest for winning their claims. It has been recently proven again by the police crackdown of HNDA (Higher National Diploma in Accountancy) students at Colombo 7 last week. Unlike the previous protests, even though the similar brutal treatment was received by the students, the media, civil society groups and politicians condemned the attack. Even the prime minister has ordered an investigation in to this incident.

There is an inherent nature of the human being to rally against oppression. When some external force blocks their liberty, individually or collectively humans rise against it. The tug of war between the authorities and their subjects thus begun and it was virtually unchanged for millennia. Students, who were in the lowest social class in terms of their bargaining and economic power had always pushed into collective actions against the authorities. The authorities have the reins to control the system so naturally, the students’ demands for changes which often been bluntly rejected. Throughout the history, youth were in the vanguard of social change. It might range from a simple change in their educational facilities to a broader change in the whole society. American Anti-War Riots in 1960s by the new hippy generation which came to its pinnacle with the killing of Columbia university students, demonstrations against Margret Thatcher and recent UK student riots in 2010 against rise of university fees were several examples.

When discussing this matter, it is natural to venture in to the youth activism in general which Sri Lanka had plenty of examples in 1971, 1988 and 1983-2006 by both Sinhala and Tamil youth for political and economic freedom but for the sake of the HNDA incident, it is better to limit the discussion to student movements centered in educational institutions. It is also important to note that institutions, mainly universities are a breeding ground for social movements as well.

Why students riot?

As discussed above, for a conflict to arise there should be two or more parties with conflicts of interest. When their powers are divergent, group with lesser power will always be kneeling down to the other. The power is not entirely depending on the money and institutional structure that is controlled by a group by also depending on the social impact and bargaining ability as well. The two parties in this conflict; student community and government, each is superior in their own sphere making a compromise impossible.

Almost all of the reasons of students to rise against the authorities are entirely legitimate in terms of the free education system of Sri Lanka. Unless that system got changed (by a policy decision which no politician would dare to make), Sri Lankan students should be entitled to all the associating privileges coming under free education from grade 1 to university. It is not only meant having lecture panel and a place for the students to learn but also up-to-date curriculum targeting future needs, quality of human resources and most importantly, adequate infrastructure.    

Sri Lankan university system is plagued with shortages of suitable degree programs to suit the need for the future. Lack of standard among different degree programs and non-degree programs is also a problem. That was resulted in two of the most intense student standoffs in recent history; last week HNDA students’ clash and Allied-Health Science students’ problem. It is also a breeding ground for clashes within the universities and non-degree awarding government institutions such as National Diploma in Technology (NDT). Conflict with private universities (now it resorted to Private Medical Colleges because for better or for worse, all the other degrees are awarded by private institutions in Sri Lanka except Medical Degree) is another clash point.

For some of the inter-institutional crashes such as University-PMC and Allied Health Science, professional bodies such as Medial Professionals Trade Unions are also engaged making the problem harder to solve. The intervening parties might have legitimate reasons for opposing PMCs and rival non-degree institutions since it is a matter of their professional integrity. Non-standardization and popular political promises given by politicians without thinking of the consequences make the problem worse. For example, as in the case of HNDA, a policy decision was made long before to give the degree status to HNDA and to increase the course duration to 4 years. When the government refuses to keep that promise, it is highly unlikely that the students would not go in to a confrontation with the authorities who shattered their legitimate expectations.

Infrastructural problems are much easier to solve but requires money. It is not exaggeration to tell that most of the university infrastructure is not even suitable for minimum human habitation standards let alone for education. This is most prominent in university lodging. Most of the hostels are in dilapidated condition. Even the newly built ones boasted by the former Higher Education Minister ‘Sumanaweera Banda Dissanayake’ as of highest caliber are plagued with problems. Student clashes in Sabaragamuwa University and continued student movements in the University of Colombo for better hostel facilities were still unanswered. It is not that the government lacks monetary resources but improving education is as not lucrative as building highways, mega-cities and boasting about them by organizing musical shows costing millions of rupees. Every government had invested in votes rather than the general welfare of the people. It is apparent to the politicians that the university students or their family member will never going to vote for them so why bother? Investing in votes is the most ferocious form of misuse of public money. It is the tax money of the general public not politicians’ private donations that are spent here after all.  

Unlike the student movements fuelled by socialist ideology in the seventies and late eighties contemporary university student is highly motivated by capitalism. Even the lucrative slogan of ‘free education’ is considered as a path for upward social mobility by gaining wealth. As we all know, education is the only path for a lower and middle class person to gain wealth and to be part of the capitalist dream. Even though significantly weakened by the resent world economic and social unrests, the capitalist ideology still has some momentum thus it is inevitable for the young mind of university student share the Sri Lankan Dream. It is ironical that ultra-capitalist United National Party government has shattered that dream of HNDA students. Thus not getting the degree recognition will weaken their bargaining power in the job market.

Are students troublemakers?

The short answer is no. Students turn to confrontation with the authorities (not referring to the internal clashes and rivalry within the student factions) as the absolute last measure. Every confrontation is ended in the similar manner. Students march in to the authorities, police are deployed, confrontation and brutal crackdown by the police, injuries, arrests followed by their release, social disapproval, many press conferences then gradually the situation subsides but student claims remain unanswered if not partially resolved and in the end, everyone will live happily ever after except the university students who bears the trauma, disappointment and anger for the rest of their lives.

Nevertheless, protests and confrontations coupled with violent confrontations with the authorities were somewhat effective in recent years. In other words, rioting is the only proven method for their pleas to be heard by the deaf ears of the authorities. More violent the confrontation and injuries, better the outcome will be. Sadly, injuries are the only means to direct the public uproar against the authorities. ‘We need to cry for the milk to form’ is the justification used by the students and they have proven it over and over again. Martyrdom is now the only means of resolving problems while student martyrs are hailed as heroes; this acts as a precedent in future student problems also.   

The question we need to ask ourselves is do all these need to be happening? A university student is not a thrill seeker or a daredevil stuntman who always looking for trouble with police. If the government is always keen to ensure free education, it is not wasteful for them to listen to students’ pleas. Now students are the people who share the same ideology with them after all.

Several changes should be made in the governance to resolve the students’ problems.

• Adamant nature of the government and ministers when dealing with students should be changed. Government has a responsibility to ensure the well-being of students and they should be treated with respect. 
• Government should give priority to the reasonable demands of students (most of demands in fact are reasonable)
• There should be a higher education policy and standardization of degrees and certifications by non-degree awarding institutions to solve the inter-institutional clashes once in for all. Recognition and validity of existing course should be retained if not improved.
• Rules of engagement of the police need to be radically changed. Poor riot control training and attitude resulted in many deaths in the past and continuous tarnishing of public image of police. Lack of negotiation skills of police officers is the main problem. Not one of the senior police officers has been trained on negotiation and conflict resolution. Without that a police officer will be a thug with license to kill as the current police media spokesperson has proved over and over again. Proper training and education will improve the situation. It is important to address the situation as soon as possible before another group of students become victims of police brutality.

University student can be compared to a flame; full of energy and eager to light up the world with wisdom. But that energy can also be used to incarcerate everyone. They can be hazardous material to handle but somehow the authorities should be wise enough to direct that flame productively for the sake of our country’s future.   

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