K Baruah attempts here to motivate the thought processes of today’s youth and bring about an involvement of youth and the Administration for the socio-economic upliftment of the region

 

Traditionally, scientists have always tended to restrict the emergence of life to a particular temperature range saying that beyond these limits there could be no life. This is hard to accept if we think rationally. Life evolved on earth at around 50 to 60 degrees surface temperature, this temperature was ideal for life to flourish on earth. If this is true why can’t a life form emerge at 100 degrees Celsius or minus 100 degrees Celsius for whom this level of temperature is optimum? According to “Discovery” and The California Academy of Sciences, life has been discovered on earth at temperatures over 100 degrees F and also 150 degrees below zero.

 

From the above shown examples, just a few from a multitude of such examples, it is apparent that rational thinking opens up new vistas, novel ideas and gives us an unique impetus in our way of seeing normal things.

 

Rational thinking is also important in today’s life. Day in and day out there are people protesting everywhere? They are trying to draw attention of the Government and the administration to perpetual problems affecting people from all walks of life. The reasons are many. Especially in the scenario of Assam these are protests for flood relief, help to the poor, erosion or environmental problems, employment, need for good educational standards, requirement of good roads and services and multitude of other problems like water shortage, food, costs, water logging, energy, communication and infrastructural requirements. Everybody wants the State or the centre to solve the problems at the earliest. But the question is – How?

 

We know that today’s youth is involved in these varied protests. The impact of today’s youth has been apparent and decisive in the last Lok Sabha elections and no one can refute that. So the question is that why the upcoming youth do not analyze these protestations in a rational and practical manner?

 

Can’t understand? Let’s explain. It’s ok that you are facing a problem and you need the matter to be solved. But who will bring out the rational solution? It is you, me or any other sincere and dedicated individual who will have to bring up the proper solution. It is no use to leave the problem solving to the Administration or the Prime Minister. They are also men not robots or Superman. So thinking rationally, why not protests with a viable solution? Why don’t we provide the solution to the administration or the Government along with our protest? Don’t you think that by doing so we will render immense help in the problem-solving process? Protests with a solution is going to turn out to be far better and result oriented than to just join in a group and shout slogans. For example if we are protesting to the Government to protect the Rhinos from poaching than why not give the administration a viable plan outlining the methods of protecting the Rhinos?

 

Let us take another example. Of late, rain water logging has assumed severe proportions in the city of Guwahati. Is there no one in Assam, to provide a rational and feasible solution? Where are our intellectuals, engineers and scientists? Mere complaining and protesting is not going to solve the problem. What we need today is a new breed of rational thinkers. We need today those “Supermans” who will shape our future. Not the Superhero Superman of Jerry Siegel but the Supermen of Zarathustra, G. B. Shaw, Friedrich Nietzsche, J.W. Von Goethe and others – their supermen, a breed of highly self-developed individuals.

 

And if at all you were to put this question to me instead? How to solve the water logging problem in Guwahati city? My answer is that a Bi-module rain tunnel drainage system might work wonders for Guwahai city. Not only would the water logging problem be solved but the water could be used to earn revenue for the State once such a scheme is implemented.

 

So will there be a day in history, when the youth of today will cooperate with the Administration to root out the aggrieved problems of Assam by dint of their sheer ability, intellect and out and out organized rational thinking?