Today, almost every morning when we open the newspaper we read at least one article where there is a murder or a suicide. Yesterday I read about the murder at Gudalur where an entire family was murdered by a youngster from Wayanad. I met someone who told me that girl Josiya and this boy were in love for many years and this girl was scared to talk to her parents about getting married to this guy. So she decided to marry someone whom her parents choose. This enraged and upset the boy so much that he came and murdered everyone in the family. According to this guy who told me this, he thought the girl was dead too. But she is battling for life in a hospital. This got me to thinking why all these happen. Why is crime rate so high today? Most crimes committed by young people. I will share with you an incidence that happened / happening around me. Recently one of my husband’s distant (very) relative’s son had finished his Hotel management course. He wanted to come and stay with us and look for a job in Bangalore. There are many boys who have come and stayed with us and found jobs and moved out, so I had no problem in helping him. When the time grew closer to his visit, he called and said his friend who is from the same college and has been his classmate has found a job in Bangalore, and she needs a place to stay for two days and if we could accommodate her too. I stay in a 2 bedroom flat and we had one spare bedroom which is very small. This has no place for a double bed and it is more like a room for a single person. So we told this guy if you can adjust for 2 days then it is fine with us and it will not be a problem. What we meant was he could sleep in the hall and she could use the bedroom. For your information this guy is engaged to a girl in his hometown and the minute he gets a job both of them are going to be married. Then these 2 landed up. Then the cinema enfolded. Both of them romanced like nobodys business. They kept their room locked the entire day and when they came out to eat they were always leaning on each other and talking sweet nothings and romancing in front of us. I was totally shocked at this and had no words. My husband was also too shocked and could not say anything at that moment. Imagine this guy and girl are 23 years old. I have a daughter who is older than them. And behaving in such a fashion in front of 2 elders was very shocking for me.. My husband understood my feelings and told me it is just for one day and to put up with it. I kept quiet. I came to know later that this girl does not know he is engaged. Under the above circumstances can you imagine what that girls feelings would be if after all this she comes to know he is getting married to someone else. How would she react?!!!!. We say youngsters today have a fragile mind. But then how will they react to such a situation. Are we justified in saying as a girl she has to be more careful? What harm has the girl to whom he is engaged done to deserve this? How would she react if she came to know about his wanderings???. As a guy would he accept her if she was doing the same with someone. I thinks some youngsters today have no set of values or they do not set standards for themselves. This makes their mind most FRAGILE and it breaks for very small things. :bonk ==============================================================================
I fully agree with you about value systems. It is not only youngsters but generally across the society, there is a degradation in values; The tremendous influence of the media, crass commercialism everywhere, unbridled desires and need for quick gratification are cutting across class and culture to create havoc in relationships. Very few people are able to hold on to their value systems without being influenced. Particularly the incident you have narrated yet again points to the fact that Society has different rules for boys and girls. A girl is expected to be `pure' by mind, heart and physique whereas the boy can do as he pleases. After all, `boys will be boys' Unless parents teach their children, particularly their sons, to respect girls, and treat them as equals, this lopsided value system will continue. Yet again, every one should be educated on how to behave in other people's houses and not to take anything for granted. Well, let us begin to teach good values to our children and then hope that they will pass on the mantle.
