Learned Helplessness !

Today I am moved to write again after some time. The incidents or the triggers have not been positive though for this note.

Let me begin with, the way me and many of my friends and batch-mates grew up in 1970s. There were limited resources and even TV was considered a luxury and someone with a telephone at home was considered as privileged.

In our family, like most middle class families the regular talk was on studying hard to get admission in a good college so that we have a stable and good job. The focus for everyone was on hard-work.

So most of us worked very hard to achieve something good for us. Many of us became Engineers and then followed up with MBA and landed in good jobs. Now most of my friends earn salaries in 7 figures – more than $ 1 million in a year. Many moved to foreign countries and many decided to stay back for many reasons. Most of them have kids, whom my friends have been giving the best of everything for education and gadgets and much more.  Most of us wish for best of work and good life for our kids.

Over the years, the changes in social, economical, political and environmental sectors have been exponential – so much so that now getting fresh air in a large city is a luxury.

This note is not about my friends or their salaries or the success stories. Its beyond that for every so-called successful person who has fallen in the trap of “Learned Helplessness” (term defined by Martin Seligman, a psychologist). Its about inspite of so much hard work to achieve in life; why many of us fall into this sense of helplessness.

Over last many years the amount of pollution has reached such alarming levels that; this year a “very high level” pollution was considered as good by everyone this Diwali vs “Hazardous” level last year. The fact is that the level of pollution every day in Most cities is 10 times the normal healthy level. The dust level in all mega cities is already at hazardous levels.

A large percentage of my friends staying in these megacities expressed that living is quite challenging here and they have lots of stress. The way people behave in public, the way they drive on roads, lack of basic infrastructure, pressure of work, health ; education costs are very high and social interactions are largely based on benefits than feelings.

Over last few months, I asked many of my friends, professionals and some of my relatives of what are they planning to do to manage this in their life for themselves and their children. As the future of our next generation and generations to come is at serious risk. I was shocked by their response and that’s why I chose to right this note.

There was a serious feeling of helplessness among almost all of them that what can they do. My question was if you have everything like a great qualification and great job and lots of money then why can’t you take a decision to chose a “life” over the luxury of staying in a mega-city where the basics of life is at risk.

I was also amazed when they want their kids to be more successful and better than them – earning more money and probably with high quality education. But these kids will have to struggle for basic existence with no fresh air or human values and similar or more challenges.

What you will do with all the luxuries if you don’t have health; where you can’t breathe.

I found a strong sense of “Learned Helplessness”.  I am not suggesting that everyone run away from mega cities. But I feel that some action must be taken by all of us rather than feeling helpless. The question is to Act now or wait for inevitable.

Unfortunately, no government in India even talks about issues of first level of Maslow theory – Clean air, Clean water, Healthy food. There is no discussion whatsoever about community building and developing civic sense. They keep us busy in silly issues and to our surprise, even the best of the so called educated and talented people fall in trap of wasting time and energies over those issues. Its now the question of survival. We do not need smart cities. We need drastic and very strong actions to focus on basics rather than talking fancy things.

If you ask, do I have the exact solutions - answer is NO; but together we can find some and ACT rather than being just a helpless Spectator !

Its very important to DO something now - lets find together what and how!

-->