– Fariha Husain
Akola, Maharashtra
We often see many youth activists fighting for human rights and for the nation’s peace against certain parties or government policies. Greta Thunberg and many others like her across the world are great examples of youth activists whose passion and fight garnered global attention, and their voices became so loud that they not only succeeded in their protests but also set a remarkable precedent.
But was the only passion that led them to success? Of course, no. Passion alone can never make us succeed in any mission until and unless we possess Wisdom in the whole journey. Wisdom is a key to success in every goal we set. Let’s understand in detail what youth activism is and how passion and wisdom do affect that.
What does Youth Activism mean?
The youth are the young minds of society; this is the period in the cycle of life when a person stays at the peak of their energy – physically, mentally, and emotionally fit and mature, and most importantly, passionate about their goals. At this age, they dream of becoming who they want to be. They have the courage to turn their dreams into reality and to question what is wrong.
The youth of today have fresher and more innovative ideas compared to people of other ages. Usually, most activists seen on screens belong to this age group – the youngsters. As we discussed, young people have dreams, courage, and passion. So, when young minds come down to the ground to battle against injustice, they set powerful examples of social change.
They become the fire that burns corruption and injustice, pushing the nation forward. The passion of youth brings movement, voice, and hope across the nation and the world. There are many examples of youth activists around the world whose passion has led them to success. One such example is a Swedish teenage girl, Greta Thunberg, who gained global attention at the age of 15. She began with a solo strike outside the Swedish parliament every Friday to pressure the government to address climate change and social issues. Her solo strike inspired the worldwide Fridays for Future movement. Her message to Youth is that “Activism works, so act, because no one is too small to make a difference.” However, many youth-led movements begin with powerful emotions, but only those guided by wisdom create a lasting impact.
Need of Wisdom in Activism
Wisdom is a gift that not everyone possesses. It makes us think before acting upon any plan. It makes us disciplined, patient, and teaches us to make the right decision at the right time. Wisdom gives us a long-term vision; it helps us choose the right method for working against any social issue. It makes our actions more peaceful and respectful – yet powerful enough to shake the system without becoming the culprit.
When a person or activist guides themselves with wisdom, their work leaves a lasting impression on a large number of people, and they win millions of hearts. But can we say that they gain all this attention and victory overnight? The answer is no. Fighting against the powerful opponents at a young age is not an easy battle; it requires analysis, thinking, planning, and mindfulness – not just flowing in anger or rage. But not all youth movements walk on this path of patience, discipline, and most importantly, ‘wisdom’. And when the passion overtake wisdom, from that point the fire which was ignited to burn the injustice can make a massive chaos which would destroy the movement itself.
When Passion lacks Wisdom
Any activist or person who decides to fight for an issue often ends up burning their heart with unnecessary anger and hate, and this can ruin the purpose of their movement. All the struggle they put in can be swept away. They eventually lose the ability to see the truth, to think clearly, to take the right steps, and to make the right decisions. They focus only on destroying the opposition, becoming impatient and blind to the fact that they are walking down the wrong path. They fail to plan the strategy that is actually needed.
In today’s world, social media activism often becomes activism that lacks wisdom. It emotionally hijacks its viewers. When activists or individuals join trending movements that claim to fight against social issues, they sometimes follow them blindly without analysing the complete situation. At times, such movements even become a source of spreading hatred between communities, making things worse instead of better. People often see something online, get influenced, and follow the trend blindly without verifying its authenticity. This happens because followers of such trends act emotionally rather than thoughtfully. And any movement driven only by emotional grudge will eventually fail.
How to Balance Passion and Wisdom?
As we have discussed above what youth activism is, and the role of passion and wisdom in its success, we can conclude that wisdom is the key to achieving any goal or fighting any social issue. It is extremely important to maintain a balance between passion and wisdom. But how can we balance these two qualities? Here are some points that I prefer to keep in mind for gaining wisdom while staying passionate about something:
1) Knowledge: The very first step before stepping into any battle is to gain complete and accurate knowledge about the issue from trustworthy sources. Learn about its past and present conditions – how it affects the victims, and what practical steps can be taken to resolve it.
2) Planning Before Acting: After studying the issue and gathering information, the second step is planning. Once we understand both the past background and the current scenario, an activist needs to plan every step carefully before taking action.
What type of protest will it be?
What slogans will be used?
Which age groups will be invited to join?
What will be the key highlights and demands?
How will the obstacles that come along the way be tackled?
Everything should be well-planned in advance.
3) Being Humble: This is one of the most important qualities an activist should have. Fighting for what is right does not give anyone the right to abuse or insult others. Humbleness and empathy must always remain part of our character. If an activist believes that being right allows them to badmouth or disrespect others, they should remember that spreading hate instead of awareness will eventually lead to failure – even if they are the victim. These are, in my opinion, the three essential points to keep in mind before stepping into activism. When passion is balanced with wisdom, it leads to lasting and meaningful success.
The youth have the power to change a corrupt or unjust system. But activism must be balanced with both passion and wisdom to achieve true victory. If one is only passionate without wisdom, failure is inevitable. The fire of passion, if not directed by wisdom, can end up destroying the very purpose it was meant to serve.
