People commonly say that any reform that is to take place in a country can only be accomplished by the youth. Today, this is a conclusion accepted by almost everyone in the world without disagreement. These are not mere words; there is much truth in them.
The minds of young people are untainted. Their intellect is generally free from the stains of worldly attachment, selfishness, greed, and fanciful ambitions. As the proverb says, “A young calf knows no fear.” Young people do not have the obstacle of fear in undertaking any task. Their minds readily grasp whatever appears before them without hesitation, and once they embrace something, they pursue it with tremendous momentum and without restraint.
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For these reasons, it is often said that youth are the people most capable of bringing about new and beneficial changes.
Qualities Rarely Seen Among Older People
To accomplish any worthwhile task, one must possess selflessness, courage, and a willingness to make sacrifices. These qualities are found most often among young people and are seldom seen among older people who are deeply entangled in worldly life.
A poisonous thought constantly weakens our people’s concern for the public good: “If I die, what will happen to my wife and children?” This mindset destroys public spirit and prevents people from thinking about the common welfare.
Our women, too, are often conditioned in ways that discourage men from engaging in public service. They repeatedly say, “Oh my husband! My lord! If you die, how will I survive? How will I raise these children?” Such constant dependence turns men into cowards and selfish individuals, depriving them of integrity and social responsibility.
“Brothers, if our country is to progress even slightly from its present condition, we must understand that there are selfish people, idlers, and those who live from the labor of others who continue to exploit the public. They control and deceive the masses through two powerful forces: religion and politics.”
People Suited for Public Service
If women had freedom, education, and the ability to live independently without relying on others, and if they possessed the confidence to say, “If this husband is gone, I can continue my life with another companion,” just as many men think, “If this wife dies, I can marry another,” then the men of this country could truly become free, dignified, and courageous individuals.
The reason this has not happened is that men have chosen life partners who have been placed in conditions of dependency and fear, lacking self-confidence.
Yet, while youth deserve admiration and pride because they are particularly suited to public service, there is also reason for concern. Their youthful energy, if directed without thought, can become harmful to society. Their pure minds may attach themselves to something suddenly and wholeheartedly without examining whether it is good or bad.
Enthusiasm and Speed
The enthusiasm, speed, and fearlessness of youth often come at a stage of life when there has not been enough time to develop responsibility, experience, or mature judgment. As a result, young people may sometimes be drawn into reckless actions that waste their noble qualities and later bring difficulties into their lives.
For this reason, I often advise young people to be cautious. Their passionate enthusiasm can sometimes become dangerous, unproductive, and even harmful to society.
Sometimes, when their efforts fail to bring results, or when they come under the influence of others, or when selfish ambitions and desires for personal prestige arise, the consequences of their earlier enthusiasm may become destructive.
A vehicle moving at great speed will crash if it strikes a wall built of inexperience, ignorance, and selfishness. In such a collision, not only is the vehicle damaged, but the wall is damaged as well, and those nearby also suffer.
A Warning
For these reasons, young people must be extremely careful. They should think patiently and deeply before applying their valuable qualities to any undertaking.
The mind of a young person is like petrol. The forces and events of the world are like fire. If petrol comes too close to fire without proper caution, it catches fire, is wasted, and causes harm to others.
Therefore, I say to the youth: “Be careful! Be careful!”
I know something about youth and its power. I spent many years as a young man. I even wished to remain young until death. I have experienced the strength and greatness of youth. Perhaps some of those experiences were right and some were wrong. But I never wasted my youth. I squeezed every possible benefit from it. You and your elders know this better than anyone else because I have lived among you as one of your own. Therefore, I
speak to you with confidence, as I would speak to my brothers and children, and I offer this warning.
Selfish Tendencies in Society
Brothers, if our country is to progress even slightly from its present condition, we must understand that there are selfish people, idlers, and those who live from the labor of others who continue to exploit the public.
They control and deceive the masses through two powerful forces: religion and politics.
In the name of religion, people are taught that attaining salvation is life’s highest goal. In the name of politics, they are taught that self-rule is the supreme objective.
Of those involved in these matters, ninety out of every hundred do not even understand what these concepts truly mean. A few who do understand use them as businesses to serve their own interests.
People fear what they do not understand far more than what they do understand. Problems that can be understood can often be solved. What cannot be understood inspires greater fear. Because of this mentality, ordinary people remain oppressed and live almost like animals.
One powerful weapon used to keep people subdued is the claim that using reason itself is sinful. This makes people tremble before meaningless and false ideas.
Superstition and Social Prejudice
Consider an example of human foolishness.
A person may steal, betray trust, cheat, or even commit murder. Yet that same person trembles at the thought of drinking water brought by a so-called “untouchable.”
If sin exists, surely theft, betrayal, cheating, and murder are greater sins than accepting water from another human being. Yet people commit these serious wrongs as casually as eating sweets, while they shudder at the idea of allowing a so-called lower-caste person to sit on their veranda.
See how social customs, religious practices, and beliefs about heaven and hell have been arranged to make people selfish and irrational.
Political Deception
The same applies to politics.
Who supports unjust governments? Through whose selfishness and betrayal do oppressive governments continue to exist?
Instead of addressing these real issues, political leaders often sell dreams of self-rule to ordinary people. People are prevented from understanding the truth, and those who speak honestly are often made unpopular. This shows how deeply politics has been used to mislead the masses.
Villages Must Be Modernized
If people work only to restore villages to their old condition, then villages themselves may disappear altogether. In that case, it would be better if they disappeared. If villages are to survive, new ideas and modern improvements must be introduced into them.
Recently, a prominent political leader visited a village and reportedly said:
“When I see this village, I feel as though I am seeing the villages of old. Since I am myself a villager, I am delighted by this old village scene.”
But if villages remain as they were in the past, people will abandon them and migrate to cities. Villages must be transformed into towns. Since urban life depends entirely on the labor of villagers, it is the villagers who deserve the comforts and benefits enjoyed by society.
The notion that village life should remain one way and city life another is absurd. The capitalist, lawyer, government official, or Brahmin living in the city who sheds tears for villagers while preserving their backward condition is merely pretending.
Their selfishness and deception are what keep the majority of rural people in conditions little better than those of cattle. Therefore, in every matter, we must think carefully, use reason, and serve society in a proper and constructive manner.
Source: Speech delivered by Thanthai Periyar on 28 June 1931; published in Kudi Arasu on 5 July 1931.
