It is to no surprise that Indian society ranks among the lowest levels in terms of civic sense. Although we have a lot of unique traits about us as a community, our lack of civic sense of common manners brings us crashing down. The world is lacking a lot of empathy as of today, and one of the most basic ways to express empathy is through civic sense. It may not need to be through grand gestures, but tiny actions like disposing of waste properly to avoid any environmental damage are enough on one’s part. However, a skill so crucial to be able to function as a community is nowhere to be found on curriculums of even the most prestigious schools in the country.
Social media happens to be everyone’s common educational platform as well as a news network where one gains daily news and information about what goes on in the world, whether it’s real or not. So naturally, Instagram reels did not fail to shine light on a humiliating situation witnessed by local traveller Vikrant Krishnarao, wherein he stumbled upon a heavily littered train coach, with food wrappers, water bottles and even travel accessories such as blankets strewn on the floor, only to find school students of the 10th grade to be the main culprits behind this astonishing act. Littering is something that everyone takes for granted… or rather, is it cleanliness? Anyways, it is so normalised to simply discard one's trash wherever, WHENever, however, with no care or regard as to how it affects fellow passerbys, travellers, or the environment.
Even when going on a road trip, one often sees other travellers roll their windows down, throw a wrapper or waste, and simply roll their windows back up with no accountability or even remorse for their actions, which potentially harm the beliefs of a society and the environmental health of the area that was littered. Countless videos have surfaced online, exposing such actions by people, and calling them out for it which may reinstill one’s faith in humanity but squashes it just as quickly as one sees another person spitting on the road. Civic sense is common sense that is very uncommon these days, one is expected to be born with it, so one must not need to be taught it.
However, what people don’t realise is that this alarming lack of civic sense really goes a long way to prove how useless the education system is. Of course, the mitochondria is the powerhouse of a cell, but a well behaved and civilised society is the powerhouse of a nation. Yet we are brought up to believe that the reputation of a nation lies entirely in the hands of politicians who already have a lot more than they can handle. Many may preach that colonialism brought about civic sense, but in reality, colonialism took it away with rapid urbanisation and modernisation. In fact, the irony of us declining in civility while the world’s economic state and technological advancements increase is simply dumbfounding when one’s given to think that the two are parallel.
The social impact of civic sense is heavily ignored because it is simply easier to be nonchalant and not care. However as today’s youth practices mental health and kindness, all hope is not lost. Civic sense is not just following a basic, fixed set of rules made for all citizens, it is being a part of something bigger than oneself, to practice empathy and kindness for everyone and everything so it fosters a sense of respect and attunement to one’s existence in the world. Yet the education system focuses on how many marks one scores in NEET, how many certificates a fresher has with their experience, and how much one has in their bank and whether it is enough for them to retire.
As much as looking out for yourself is important in today’s day and age, the more we lose connection and touch with each other as a community, the more we fall apart as a society. It isn’t simple to unite everybody under the cause of kindness, but it isn’t that difficult to start on your own. Instagram reels sees a rise in wholesome content, urging people to increase practicing empathy and kindness in youths, yet we still have a long way to go. Hopefully, Instagram reels is used to expose and call out improper behaviour which serves as an example of what not to do for fellow onlookers, but civic sense has a simple principle - monkey see, monkey do. And with the way some of us behave in public, I don’t think it’s wrong of me to say, monkeys are smarter.
Civic sense begins with accountability, a simple mantra of taking responsibility for your own actions and for helping others realise the weight of their actions. The increasing trend of protecting one’s dignity and self respect which leads to conflicts surrounding accountability even when one is doing something wrong is the biggest red flag in a society trying to progress. Cooperation and self discipline makes civic sense possible and schools don’t need to put this in a physical curriculum. They need to teach this as a basic humanistic trait that everyone is forced to practice and learn in order for us to even develop as a community.
A diverse society leads to conflict about authority. But civic sense is something that needs action above words. It isn’t about authority, it’s about initiative. If schools are able to force children to stress and worry about their grades, I don’t think it should be too much for them to force their students to be good and respectful individuals who look after everybody including themselves. Civic sense is not something that needs a PhD, but simply, a heart. As much as it is taken for granted, it instills a sense of belonging and togetherness in a society.
Mutual respect, understanding where to dispose of waste, and helping people in need is not something that requires a special degree. And schools shouldn't fail at something so simple if their students are failing so easily for not remembering an answer in an exam. Empathy is not taught enough at school, hence it is simple for students to not take the world around them seriously. It is not good to be very earnest, but it is also harmful to be ignorant. So, let’s all do a course on civic sense and put the degrees our schools gave us in the trash, because none of that matters if we simply keep exercising the power of being human but can’t even acknowledge the true meaning of humanity.
References :