Our wants are too high

According to Los Angeles times, approximately 1,300 student’s pick-up drastic steps and lose their lives under tragic circumstances. The most basic reasons behind picking up the drastic steps are: bad health, depression, guilt, low self-esteem, failure in examination, harassment, problems in relationships, tensions in the house, fights with close friends, discrimination, less earnings and unemployment. 

Tough our country is progressing, the conditions within are extremely contradicting. A survey conducted by Indian Tribune reveals that almost 8 students in a day commit suicide in India. Startling data from the Home Ministry shows that 2,951 children, including 1,450 girls, ended their lives in 2011. Madhya Pradesh reported most deaths with 266 boys and 242 girls committing suicide. This was followed by West Bengal (453), Karnataka (366), Tamil Nadu (280), Chhattisgarh (180), Rajasthan (161), Orissa (136) and Uttar Pradesh (113). Manipur did not report any suicide in that category while Jammu and Kashmir and Nagaland reported two suicides each.

Most suicides in the country were reported in the age group of 15-29 years followed by 30-44 years. While 43,920 suicides were reported in the former category, 43,488 were reported in the later age group last year, the data shows. Across the country, 1,27,151 people ended their lives during the year in which 81,471 were men while 45,680 were women. This translates into nearly 348 suicides every day across the country which is really harmful and indigenous for the economy of our country.

       

People especially most of the students commit suicide either because they are unable to fulfill the high expectations or for not being able to live in a luxurious life. Everyone wants to be wealthy and lead a luxurious life but no one wants to face failures bravely and improve on their weaker points. Earlier no one cared about the child’s progress in the educational field and hence there were no demands or expectations kept from the students. 

Students used to get job as per their creativity and likings and excellence in it. But, today the scenario is razor-sharply the opposite. Today, a student’s excellence is judged not by their creativity but by the marks they score. While selecting people in   offices and companies, those who own a degree from renowned colleges are easily given job without pondering on their interests and creativity. Many-a-times transparent nepotism is done which is why unemployment in India is increasing and eligible people with respective degrees are not getting the jobs that they deserve and then these people have to indulge themselves into either some commercial business or part time jobs without enjoying it, just to survive in the society and acquire basic needs. 

This increases massive stress or guilt because of not getting deserving job .A short and a simple reason for the increasing stress in today’s students are the ‘increasing wants or expectations.’ “Lust or desire is the main cause for the sorrows”, said a point in Aryasatyas that Gautam Buddha preached explaining that the increasing wants that lead to sorrows. 

      

         He was indeed correct. We expect a lot from today’s children, without even understanding  their capability we go on enforcing our dreams on them. But do we ever think of how much stress and pressure does that developing mind creates? 
                             - Published in Ground Zero's Past... Present... Future edition.