Shortage of role models?

No role models in our nation? Software icon and successful entrepreneur N R Narayana Murthy's remarks the other day at a book release function in Bangalore, that the youth of the country are idolizing the corrupt have not come a day too soon.

"The number of role models that our youngsters can look up to is decreasing" he observed and then asked: "How many people in our public life can you be proud of for honesty, courage, commitment and hard work?"

This lack is a reflection of the deterioration in our national character. Materialism and its concomitant consumerism have created a society which attaches little significance to values or morality or matters of the heart. Success and pursuit of pleasure are the obsessions of this developing society which hopes to become a world power by 2020.

It is the elders who are in positions of responsibility and those who are teachers, employers and successful professionals who set the standards for a people. There are signs of prosperity in various fields and we can rightfully feel proud of achievements in various fields. But this progress has been achieved at the cost of justice and fair play.

Repentance: The recent nationwide anti-corruption campaign is in fact an outcry of a nation that finds itself cornered on all sides by unscrupulous elements out to make quick bucks at the cost of everyone else. Unfortunately prevalence of corruption called for repentance on everybody's part including the organizers as an example for the coming generation. But every section was shifting blame to the other section as the cause of corruption!

Corruption is a multi-faceted evil. Discrimination in the name of religion, race or creed should be considered as corruption as the bribing of officials for getting things done.

Corruption is inherent in a system where all do not have equal opportunities and those advantageously placed seek to exploit the weak and the less fortunate. The caste system is a best example which by promoting narrow loyalties and nepotism ensures presence of vested interests in the path of development.

Politicians who seek to go up the ladder by manipulation, profiteering businessmen, dishonest officials, bribe seeking policemen, greedy corporations and newspapers and television seeking commercial success are the hallmarks of the Indian scene. The common man finds that he can not get anything done without bribing the officials .

The 'get-rich-quick' mentality has infected the youth to such an extent that they are willing to adopt any means, fair or foul in achieving their goal of gaining power, wealth and prestige.

Futile exercise: To locate role models in such a vitiated atmosphere would be a futile exercise. Yet it can not be true that in a population of one billion, we can not find any role models at all. They are there living away from public glare in their little corners upholding the values of honesty, commitment and compassion. But they are not written about much. We don't read about them in the morning papers.

Recently an amusing advertisement on television brought out our unenviable record. A particular interviewer asked a few young boys and girls questions that related to science, industry and current issues. The bunch either gave wrong answers or pleaded ignorance. But when they were posed questions about the private lives of some glamorous actors and actresses, they were found to be well informed. The ad revealed they were all readers of one particular popular newspaper which promoted films and entertainment rather than information on important issues touching upon the common man's life.

Certain names of cricketers, actors and models are daily bandied about as heroes and there is lot of hero worship particularly on the part of the youth. Unfortunately there are people who are chosen by the media on the basis of their entertainment value or popularity. Like the Madonnas and Michael Jacksons of the US, we too have our idols who are adored by the youth.

Popularity is one thing, greatness worthy of emulation is quite another. Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwrya Rai, Sachin Tendulkar or a Kiren Bedi may have earned some credit for themselves in their respective fields but that do not convert them into role models.

True greatness: What makes for role models? It is certain qualities which results in contribution to public welfare, such as sacrificial living, boldness in fighting for justice, standing for public causes even at the cost of personal gain, labours arising out of concern for the poor and the deprived and so on.

In our society those who fight against discrimination of all sorts and work for communal amity, those who promote the well being of the poor by providing them education and employment opportunities or inventive geniuses who seek to solve the problems of the people should be considered the real benefactors.

The real danger today is that alcoholism, drug addiction, pornography and other evils are taking roots among the youth. The media too creates a fantasy world of its own consisting of sex, violence, gambling, games, luxuries and crazy adventures. They are clothed with glamour by icons of the day and promoted for the benefit of the entertainment industry. We need brave men and women who would speak up against these dangerous trends among the youth though it may not be a popular thing to do.

An Arundathi Roy who speaks up against human rights violations, a Sreedharan with his achievements in establishment of metro rail in Delhi, an Abdul Kalam who became president but did not lose the common touch, a Shabana Azmi, who bravely portrayed social evils on the screen as well as in the public sphere have elements of character which we can imitate with profit… But we need to be acquainted with greater personalities like Mahatma Gandhi or Mother Teresa who embodied far enduring values vital for our existence.

Besides we have role models from other lands like Lincoln, Einstein, Albert Schweitzer, Thomas Alva Edison, Benjamin Franklin, whose lives embody universal values. It may be found that they are people moved by a love for God and fellow beings.

Then there are those missionaries who left their comfortable homes to serve in distant lands, amidst people living in miserably backward and uncongenial surroundings …They literally brought light to people living in darkness and superstition…Some of them sacrificed their lives in the process. We are all beneficiaries of their selfless work in the fields of health, education and welfare.

Self-seeking: Compared to those men and women we have become a self-seeking crowd busy grabbing things for ourselves and in the rat race make ourselves miserable and barrenis a confession we must make to begin anew. Our ideas of success and greatness stand warped. Read how Einstein defined success: "A successful man is he who receives a great deal from his fellowmen , usually incomparably more than corresponds to his services to them. The value of a man , however, should be seen in what he gives and not in what he is able to receive."