Nonfiction | Politics | World
Indifference is No Longer a Choice to Make a World of Difference
Learning to ask right questions at right times will make the world a better place
“I am a citizen of the world.”― Sylvia Beach
According to the World Population Clock, the current world population is approximately 8,118,835,999 (~8.1 billion). The world population has grown from one billion in 1800 to 8.1 billion in 2024, a growth of over 800%. Thanks to progress in medical science and decrease in overall mortality rate.
On an average, every hour 8,333 new babies are added to this tally. By the time you will read this post, world population would have increased by few more tens of thousands. The population is estimated to reach 9.7 billion by 2050.
Rapid increase in population is the root cause for many present and future issues. Because other aspects of sustainable living has not been developed at parallel pace due to selfishness, ignorance and greed of certain section of people at higher ranks or public representative positions. Therefore, the policy makers and their powerful bosses need to sincerely address this burning issue.
The median age of the world population is approximately 31 years, which means that half of the world’s population is younger than 31 years old. Many countries are even younger. Most developed countries have median age around 40 years old.
In most of the countries, one anomaly is often observed. The powerful public representatives are too old beyond the age of 60. Many are even over 70, but people keep on electing them due to lack of better alternative.
Is not this so shocking not to find few competent candidates from millions of people!
Is that normal!
Perhaps they are not being nurtured or allowed to move forward up the ladder, and the oldies are in no mood to leave their positions too soon. No disrespect to old people. Many may better be in advisory boards, not in active official roles. Representatives in the age of late 40s or even 50s can definitely work much harder and be more proactive, given a chance.
Eventually, it should be a good mix of youth power and traditional wisdom.
Again, we should not put too much importance on people. The public institutions should be made stronger and better with more transparency. We cannot rely on one or a few people. They may be good now with patriotic intentions, what if after few years they completely change their ideology or sense of duty while engulfed in greed, crime and inhuman behavior.
“There’s nothing more dangerous than someone who wants to make the world a better place.” ― Banksy
No one can guarantee that they will uphold democratic values above all for eternity. That’s no good. In fact, they are using tax payers’ money indirectly to entice the public through different biased policies. This may look fairy tale in short-term, however it will have serious negative repercussions in long run.
Hero-worship is a sure path to deterioration of democratic temperament of the society.
They are trying to stay in power for longer years by using public money. Instead of resolving existing long-term problems, they are solving easier problems created by them or third party channels. If wars happen that will serve the arms dealers and lobbyists.
Also, this narrative is easier to build in public psyche for the purpose of spending tax payers’ money incessantly. No one will ask questions on that. Over the time, they compromise the public institutions to control media and information ecosystem.
They create alternative realities and paint a false picture of the nation or nationalism through bogus statistics and economic data points. It helps them to completely manage the narrative and propagate false information. The public are treated like fools. In the absence of access to true data and information, public start to believe what is being presented to them, even the incorrect development and reform claims.
Before we realize, the nation is put on reverse gear to satiate such people’s greed and selfish goals.
So does that mean there is no effective remedy to this vicious cycle?
Of course, there is no instant remedy to it. However there is one effective and profound way to solve this issue. Learning to ask right questions is the way.
And good education will equip us to ask the right questions in right time. Holistic education will only transform an ordinary person to a rational patriotic citizen. Nurturing minds to see the right from the wrong while enhancing the critical thinking skills along with deductive reasoning skills is very essential.
Being educated is not same as being literate. Being educated means being more creative and imaginative who not only has information, but also knows how to link and analyze information to derive actionable conclusions.
Our schools, colleges and education systems are mostly making us literate and well-informed, but not well-educated in true sense. A poorly educated person will never make a proactive and pragmatic citizen.
“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?”
― Martin Luther King Jr.
Learning to ask the right questions at right time will make this world a better place. The more people get educated, it will be more difficult for those office bearers to fool us and hide behind technical jargons. We also need to develop the courage to recognize and ask those rightful pertinent questions.
Ask them all. Ask to your doctor, your teacher, public institutions, to your employer, to your parents, vegetable sellers and the policy makers. Ask follow-up questions.
Even good education has the potential to resolve many issues by itself. It will decrease the crime rate. People will prefer to choose the path of prosperity. Millions of dollars that are being spend in those departments can be relocated to other places like research or public welfare.
“The fundamental cause of the trouble is that in the modern world the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt.”
― Bertrand Russell
It will significantly decrease the load on health care systems if well-educated people take initiative to diagnose diseases at early stages. There will be improvement in overall mental health scenario of the nation.
I am helping people to learn to ask right questions. That will be my contribution to make this world a better place. I am spreading that awareness among friends, family, relatives, and colleagues.
Volunteering at different NGOs has also given me the opportunity to reach out to diverse demography and sections of society. Let’s educate others and encourage them to shine through their intelligence, compassion and sensibilities.
“The world is a dangerous place to live, not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don’t do anything about it.”
― Albert Einstein
You do not need to do huge things like what Obama, or Martin Luther King Jr, or Neil Armstrong or Albert Einstein, or Mary Curie, or Mother Teresa have done. Take one step at a time.
One step by each person will lead us to at least four billion steps ahead.
Thanks for reading.
This piece is written for the purpose of spreading awareness through the writing contest of Wake. Write. Win. Thanks Janis.
