I was with some of my friends in the college "Cafe" the other day, a place which we as Stephanians have been very proud of. Well not because we call it the "Cafe" and not "Canteen" but amongst other things cleanliness, hygiene and most importantly the ambiance and the atmosphere. A place from where we have many fond memories, of discussions, of generating thoughts and also of simply "wasting" time chatting over absolutely "arbit" topics.
This instance, however, was not so pleasing. Junior members in the cafe were shouting on top of their voices, were sitting on the arms of the cane chairs (I have always found the chairs very "elite"), they had randomly moved the furniture all over the place and now no one has the courtesy to stand in a cue for the bills let alone respecting other members of college.
So all of us were wondering that how has the situation become so and has the legacy got lost with time? Well in some sense yes. The legacy, the manners, the courtesy, the "elitism" or simply put "the Spirit of Stephania" has always been passed down over generations informally through what people may choose to address as ragging.
Ragging or "positive interaction" at Stephen's was not as it is usually, in places around college. It was an integral part of teaching the next generation of Stephanians the "culture" that should inhabit them. For example the decorum that made the cafe, the "cafe" and not any canteen. And as we recalled, all of it, the way we conducted ourselves in the cafe, the dining hall, in college and in public was taught to us by our seniors. They corrected us when we were wrong. I accept that it was sometime a little harsh, but in retrospect I can say that all of that is truly taught us something that defines us as Stephanians.
I am sad that the legacy is no further being passed down anymore for someone can easily write to the president and the principal would not even care to listen to the other guy and chastise him as if he has done something grossly inappropriate. Healthy criticism that made St. Stephen's different is now a dead philosophy. But this, as it is, has led to a decline in standards in college. The main corr that was always quiet and a decent place of intellectual overtones is now like some public bazar because no senior can check any first year at that. Cellphones and capri pants have become the usual attire of the dining hall. And all we can do is to hopelessly watch everything go down.
But why essentially is this a problem? Why try to hold on to something that will, over time, be battered by the forces of change?
ReplyDeleteMost importantly - why thrust a point of thinking on people? For example, why the issue of wearing capri pants and carrying cellphones to the dining hall?
Subhashish you are absolutely right in your argument that we should not "thrust a point of thinking" but I have some reservations in what you are trying to argue for.
ReplyDeleteSee to start with, it is not necessary that everything should change over time. Even you'd want that the "rights" in the society don't change. Although I agree that what is "right" is a matter of perception. But certainly issues such as "respecting elders" is something neither of us would want to change.
In the same spirit, look at the topic in hand. We all know that the way in which senior members and junior members in college "still" respect and look at each other is unique. At other places, sadly enough, this environment is scarce. Now, at other places it were the forces of change at play.
So let me put it this way... when "forces of change" also comprise of "the forces of the dark" then you'll want that "traditions, intelligence, a sane mind etc.." give u a solid anchor. You should be able to question whether the change for good or bad.
Also I feel a lot of this change, is not change out of reason, but a result of the rebellion that exists in the youth. Like many youngsters do not actually like smoking, but they smoke just to appear cool. Here, your "forces of change" are not guided by a sane mind and that is my problem.
On a rather personal note, see a lot of things around Stephen's has changed with time, but realize this, that society still looks upto this college, as unique and as the best. A lot of it is because of us, how we carry ourselves in the society, what we speak in the public and how we present ourselves. We don't want that to change, do we? into sth like a filthy engineering college or the residence into a hostel or our lawns into garbage as we have in places around college. All this just because we shud accept change without reason.