Developing Mindsets

Mindset - the state of mind, something that relates the social phenomena with one's ideas and beliefs. With passing generations and evolving human beings, the mindsets of the society have been revolutionised.

Like, in India , we have had evolutionary changes in the laws of judicature and the beliefs of the people so far. Decades of years ago, dating, marital courtships and divorces were considered to be taboos, talking openly about sex education was a taboo, discussing menstrual issues in public was a taboo and the sorrowful part? even giving birth to a girl child was a taboo.

Educationalists and activists, all over the country have played their parts well in transforming the ideas of the people and the old and long-accepted beliefs.

Child Marriage is one such generally accepted belief in India and a custom that used to be widely followed by people several years ago. Although, it is still practised in some parts of the country, but we have fortunately overcome this orthodox culture to a great level. Young children with minds full of revolutionary ideas and hearts full of worldly desires have all the rights to achieve their ambitions in life rather than being burdened with a big responsibility like that of a marriage at such an early age.

'nother custom that was not only accepted but also widely believed to be a tradition was 'exchange of dowry' . In the foregoing discussion, the word 'exchange' has been used to depict the reality of this socially accepted culture.

Dowry is similar to a business deal, where the bride's family purchases the groom in exchange of money and property. This fact of dowry being a business deal is not really accepted by the people, but if looked through a different view, the above statement is the ultimate truth. And the 'mighty' groom families, so called, consider it as their right to demand luxuries from the bride's families in exchange of their son as if they have earned a position in the Limca Book of records for getting the X-Y chromosome! What a rueful plight!

People have made their lives a road full of cactus spines with their own views and stubborn mindsets. It is the need of the hour to change and improve, the mentality of the people, the society and the elder and present generations. India needs a massive revolution which will, like a storm, refresh the minds of humans and take away all the misbeliefs with it.

We are Indians, and we take pride in what we are, we truly respect our tradition and culture but we need to understand that it is equally important to be genuine and unbiased with the customs that we practice, the ideas we adopt and the beliefs we follow.