It is usual for schools and universities to organise talks by ‘achievers’ so that students can learn the ways of being successful in life. Considering the fact that adolescence and early youth is a time when the hormones go wild, it is also important that advice is also provided on how not to make mistakes that could impact an entire lifetime. For this, perhaps, the non-achievers and failures should also be asked to tell students about how they went wrong and the mistakes they made. There will not be too many volunteering for this job, but some who have learned the difficult lessons in life will oblige. Case studies can also be presented of not just those who did not succeed, but also the criminal types. Basically, the consequences of wrong decisions should be made amply clear.
An essential lesson needed in India is that of how young men and women should interact in everyday life. This can be learned early if youngsters study in co-educational schools and discover that they can be friends, mostly for a lifetime, irrespective of their gender. Similarly, there needs to be a socially accepted ‘courtship culture’ so that, if there is mutual attraction, it can proceed safely, and a relationship properly explored. Whether it results in marriage or not, the rules should be well understood on how to behave. In earlier times, this was based on a ‘code of honour’ adhered to by men, but in the present, it is much more complicated and does not require women to be the weaker sex.
One of the major mistakes that losers can warn youngsters about is the danger of getting into the wrong company. Bad friends can take one down the path of drinking alcohol and using drugs because it is believed to be cool – inspired by the macho men dominating the glamorous world of entertainment and movies. From there it is only a step to not just causing harm to oneself, but also others. In the present day, such friends are not just made in the physical world but also on the internet. Addiction is a phenomenon that has acquired many dimensions, but its consequences can be devastating.
Teachers and other early age mentors, although already aware of these facts, should be trained in the ways of helping youngsters. The methodology for this should be prepared with the help of deep research and practical understanding, obtained, of course, from the ‘losers’.
