The WHO report on suicide rates covered in Herald is alarming to the core. Even more disturbing is the fact that India is called the “suicide capital” of the world with one is every 3 suicides happening in India. The report makes particular mention that, the elders on one hand and the young (15-29 years group) on the other are the age groups most vulnerable to this crime. Making a sincere effort to fathom for a while on this scenario one may say that neglected elders by socially insensitive and greedy youth contribute to suicidal tendencies in both age groups.
The present globalised era identified mostly by posh materialistic lifestyles, drives the young to all possible avenues, motivates and pushes them to take ways, ethical or unethical to earn surplus quick money, acquire ample materialistic possessions molding him into a self-centric individual and landing the youth in a belief that pursuit of happiness is complete only through chasing and amassing worldly gains making him insensitive towards his moral, social responsibilities towards parents, family and society at large. Research proves that youth with higher Youth Materialism Scale (YMS) and Material Value Scale (MVS) develop higher stress levels resulting in depression leading to suicide.
In a voracious, hasty and blindfolded pursuit of worldly gains the present youth is not only causing deep damage to his energetic youth but is also exhibiting utter insensitivity towards his moral obligation of caring for elderly parents by admitting them in old age homes or leaving them at the mercy of the society. These uncared elders succumb to the feeling of being an object of burden and trouble for the household and return to their lord committing acts which are not just unnatural but unacceptable to the creator.
The need of the hour is a generation of socially conscious, socially sensitive youth competent enough to earn a happy living through ethical means with commitment towards betterment of self, family, society and nation at large. The society needs youth who can break the shackles of selfishness and look beyond mere self desires to serve humanity.
