4.00! Why though?

I am sure many of you remember how it felt as a kid to be a part of something big. Be it a school play, a spell bee competition or a basketball match. Do you remember that feeling of absolute joy when the crowd applauded at the end of the play for those months of dialogue memorization, rehearsals and teamwork? Why do we not feel that joy anymore?

The earliest form of education started back in the medieval times when the rulers felt the need for intellectuals as strongly as for the brave warriors in their army. To gain competitive advantage over the enemies the smartest were chosen to stay back safe from atrocities of the wars and dedicate themselves to learning. The seven liberal arts were the essentials of the curriculum in the beginning which later on widened to include other subjects where philosophy remained the base of it all. The knowledge of astronomy, mathematics, logic, medicine etc was taught and used for the wellbeing of the people and then passed on to the younger generations to be carried forward and improved upon. Sometimes, to fulfill the need to systemize the whole concept of education, the task was usually taken up by the religious ones who again equated learning to the higher purpose of seeking divine pleasure.

One can only imagine the sense of fulfillment that these individuals must have felt. It would not have been any less than actually going out in the battlefield with a sword and armor. That feeling of accomplishment and pride that came as a reward of making contribution in taking their tribe one step forward and passing on that knowledge to the next generation so that there was only improvement as their descendants built on that knowledge. The arguable, but noteworthy fact that the religious dictated and controlled the education system and the evidence that the principles of philosophy were deeply instilled in the curriculum, seem to indicate that the whole experience of learning and developing skills was structured on the foundation of giving meaning to education and to always associate learning with a higher purpose, be it serving God or the masses.

In this age, however, I cannot help but notice that as humanity moves forward through the generations, the purpose of learning and developing skills seems to have either lost its meaning or has started being associated with the wrong motives. I notice how subjects like ‘Maashrati Aloom’ (Social Sciences), that were part of the curriculum up until the previous generation, are slowly ghosting out as more and more students find them boring and useless. The reason as to why these subjects have lost their charm probably lies in the brutal reality that the ones teaching them also have no idea about their essentiality.

So we are left with the amputated second half. The half where we are vehemently engrossed in developing our skills. And as we become more and more focused on doing that, learning to use this software, inventing that gadget, understanding market forces and so on, the wisdom as to why we started in the first place seems to have been pushed back far in the background. And then one fine day after getting our 4/4 CGPAs, gold medals, high impact factor journal publications and in fact even after our multiple digit salaries, we are left scratching our heads wondering ‘Why, though?’. That is where the feeling of unfulfillment kicks in.

We try to reason how we should be content with our ‘accomplishments’ as we are providing sufficiently for our families, with our wives tended to by the housekeepers, cooks and drivers and our kids safely tucked in private schools. But the truth is that we cannot stop feeling like dead-at-heart zombies, robotically ticking off tasks given at work to keep those paychecks rolling and to not end up embarrassing ourselves. We dread those Monday mornings continually thinking of shortcuts that would just get us through the day and back to the safety and comfort of our homes. The homes, that we work oh-so-hard for. Years seem to slip by as we become more of a birdie sluggishly tossed back and forth between office and home. This is also that point in life where we wonder if we might be having a midlife crisis.

The problem, in my opinion, lies in the fact that industrialization has unconsciously evolved education into an instrument that should achieve competitive advantage for individuals and businesses. The products of this education system are programmed to think that their survival is at stake if they don’t compete hard enough. Rarely does anyone believe that they alone, as a single individual, have the potential to create wonders and the power to change the world. Rarely do they have the courage to unwind and break free from the expectations imposed upon them by their parents, spouses, children, bosses etc. And as a consequence of this cowardliness they bring upon themselves a situation where their freedom starts getting compromised. The noose tightens as this narrow vision of success drains all their energies without any long lasting reward. So, quietly they begin to sink into the bottomless pit of purposelessness. They have no choice but to get accustomed to this new ‘normal’ and give up on that one tangible yet abstract instinct now conveniently termed as ‘depression’. The instinct that keeps reminding them constantly that they are meant for much bigger things. So here the million dollar question arises. Who will simply keep on living like this conforming to what the itself-confused society expects from them? And who is brave enough to expose to the world that kid inside that dreamed of being a part of something big.

Ironically, it is a surprise to see that the foundation of education system was not laid on what we see around us these days. The House of Lords, in their committee stage opposition amendment of the Bill, affirmed that:

‘UK universities must make a contribution to society through the pursuit, dissemination, and application of knowledge and expertise.’

And that they:

‘Must be free to act as critics of government and the conscience of society.’

But whether we see this in the final product of this system is what needs contemplation.

Relentlessly, that basic human instinct keeps nudging us deep down trying to wake us from the abysmal slumber. It tries to wave our attention to the fact that something is terribly wrong. Just when we feel we have achieved that perfect balance between everything that lies within the four walls of our house it keeps blinking the neon lit sign that says ‘NOT ENOUGH!’. Most of us just take a fleeting glimpse at the sign quick to conclude that the constant blinking is just the way it has been designed or maybe due to something as ordinary as a bad power connection. But a few stubborn ones, fortunately, come to a complete halt right in front of it, perplexed with their index fingers on their lips thinking of ways to somehow stop the annoying blinking and migraine inducing colors. They think and think until the long forgotten mantra comes down upon them as an eye opening realization.

These are the few who truly deserve to be leaders, mentors, teachers and educators. But since they are so less in number, they are met with resistance by the majority. They are discouraged, ridiculed, called ‘crazy’ at first. But nothing can bring down their energy and determination and absolutely nothing can deter them from their path of purpose. The path, that leads towards the truth. In an attempt to achieve their goals, never do they feel fatigued like the ‘oh-so-hardworking’ because never for a second do they feel that what they do is hard work as it comes so naturally and brings so much joy. And for this joy they are willing to give up all the comforts of their lives. Even if they have to live in rags, even if they have to stay alive on breadcrumbs or even if they have to wake up at 3 a.m. in the morning they will because they know that this is where true eternal happiness comes from. And somewhere along the way, when they stop caring for the luxuries, they begin to attract abundance in all spheres of life.

The world needs more of these awakened leaders who make us feel alive again by pushing us to become conscious beings and connecting us to our basic instincts. These, who inspire us to become the best versions of ourselves just by being their primal noble and generous self. These aspiring enthusiasts, who leave a precious legacy behind ensuring their immortality. These are the ones who do not fear aging or death as they continue to live in the hearts of all and actions of those who carry forward their legacy. These are the ones who have truly conquered the purpose of life.

Dedication: As I start off my 2020 co-writing another will-be-rejected project proposal, I like to see it as me not giving up on that basic human instinct of guidance!

I dedicate this feeble attempt at honoring true leaders, to Dr. Awesome, my mentor, and all those who are living their life purpose in its truest sense.

PS: This article is a product of one of the discussions with my father-in-law that are full of wisdom and realizations and help me articulate my thoughts. Hoping to write more like this!