A World Rich in Knowledge, Poor in Solutions
The wave of youth rebellion is no longer confined to any particular latitude or longitude. Today, young people take to the streets in one country and tomorrow in another, protesting over various issues and expressing their loss of confidence in the established system.
If such situations arise even in the affluent societies of developed countries, the condition of developing and least-developed nations can easily be imagined.
The question is: What are the world’s thoughtful people, philosophers, economists and policymakers thinking about this situation? Are they able to offer any effective guidelines for overcoming this growing instability?
Every event has its underlying causes, and the anger of young people is no exception. Their frustration cannot be permanently addressed unless society can offer them a vision of a secure, dignified and disaster-free future.
Yet the world is increasingly experiencing a shortage of visionary thinkers and philosophers who can not only identify the limitations of existing systems but also suggest new social ideas and practical solutions.
Enormous amounts of money are being spent on research at universities in developed countries. New knowledge is constantly being generated in science, technology, space exploration, military strategy and economics.
But how much attention is being given to research aimed at addressing growing public discontent, uncertainty about the future among young people, and the crises of social justice and mental well-being? This deserves serious consideration.
If advances in knowledge and technology cannot establish security, comfort and optimism in people’s lives, questions will inevitably arise about their broader social value.
The priorities governing the allocation of global wealth and capital investment are also important.
What picture emerges if we compare expenditure on the production of essential goods, education, healthcare, environmental protection and employment generation with the enormous sums spent on developing modern weapons and preparing for war? It is also worth examining how much of the huge expenditure on space research directly benefits human welfare.
Of course, not all spending on military and space research can be considered wasteful. Many discoveries and technologies in these fields have also brought benefits to civilian life.
Nevertheless, could the world have taken a different shape if, alongside massive military expenditure, greater investment had been made in the physical, mental and cultural development of children and adolescents, quality education and employment opportunities for young people?
Another important dimension of the problem concerns the nature of governance. Modern technology and mass media have created unprecedented opportunities for freedom of expression, access to information and communication among people.
Yet some groups in power are using the same technologies to prolong their hold on authority.
When the preservation of power becomes the primary objective instead of transparency, accountability and public welfare, the distance between the state and its citizens inevitably widens.
Criticism is treated as hostility, attempts are made to suppress dissent, and opportunities to discover the truth through open debate become increasingly limited. Under such circumstances, public anger and protests are hardly surprising.
In a democratic society, disagreement is not a weakness; rather, it is an essential means of correcting mistakes and discovering the truth.
Without an environment conducive to reasoned debate among governments, political parties, universities, the media and civil society, it is impossible to get to the root of problems.
If voices of protest are treated merely as law-and-order challenges, their underlying social and economic causes remain unaddressed. Consequently, although a situation may be brought under temporary control, the sources of public discontent remain intact.
Another fundamental question concerns the effectiveness of prevailing ideologies. When an ideology fails for a prolonged period to address people’s basic problems, its shortcomings should be examined, and new ideas and policies should be explored.
Unfortunately, such self-critical ideological debates are rarely visible in contemporary politics. Political parties are often preoccupied with the competition to acquire and retain power.
Immediate political interests frequently take precedence over coherent, long-term programmes addressing employment, inequality, educational standards, healthcare, environmental degradation and the mental well-being of young people.
When politics becomes a means of personal advancement and the pursuit of power rather than an instrument of public welfare, people’s confidence in the political system is bound to weaken.
Of course, it would be unfair to judge all political activists and leaders by the same standard. Exceptional individuals and initiatives committed to public welfare still exist.
However, isolated examples cannot conceal the weaknesses of the overall system. The true worth of politics lies in its contribution to improving people’s quality of life, protecting their rights and building a better future.
Another crisis facing society is excessive individualism. The desire for personal freedom, self-fulfilment and success is natural and valuable. But when individual interests overwhelm responsibilities towards family, society and humanity at large, social solidarity begins to weaken.
When competition defeats cooperation, and success is measured solely in terms of money, wealth and personal influence, loneliness, frustration and social isolation may increase. Technological connectivity, in such circumstances, does not necessarily ensure genuine human relationships.
No society or state can achieve lasting happiness, peace and prosperity while leaving large sections of its population deprived, insecure and unhappy.
Economic growth is important, but equally important are questions about who benefits from that growth, how much they benefit and what difference it makes to their lives.
The success of a society should not be measured solely by the volume of its wealth, but also by the dignity, security, opportunities and optimism about the future enjoyed by ordinary people.
Where, then, lies the way forward? First, instead of ignoring or suppressing the protests of young people, their underlying causes must be investigated.
Second, education and research should receive priorities that help solve practical human problems and promote the development of future generations.
Third, transparency, accountability and freedom of expression must be ensured in the conduct of state affairs.
Fourth, political parties must move beyond their struggle for power and engage in realistic policy programmes and ideological debates on fundamental issues such as employment, reducing inequality, education, healthcare and environmental protection.
Above all, a balance must be established between individual interests and social responsibilities.
The world has reached unprecedented heights in knowledge and technology. Scientific discoveries, digital communication and economic progress have transformed human civilisation.
Yet, despite these remarkable achievements, humanity remains unable to resolve many of its fundamental problems.
We know where the problems lie, but lack the political will, social consensus and visionary leadership necessary to address them.
The growing rebellion of young people should therefore not be viewed merely as a symptom of instability. It is also a warning that the existing social, political and economic order is failing to meet the expectations of a new generation.
Unless the world learns from this warning, protests will follow protests, governments will change and slogans will be replaced, but the fundamental problems of ordinary people will remain unresolved.
The real challenge before humanity is not simply to identify its problems but to discover and implement workable solutions.
Knowledge must be translated into human welfare, economic development must ensure dignity and opportunity, and politics must become an instrument of public service rather than a struggle for power.
Ultimately, the greatness of a civilisation should be measured not by how much knowledge it possesses or wealth it accumulates, but by how successfully it uses those resources to ensure a secure, just and dignified future for all.
(Writer is a Journalist, Columnist and Adviser Editor, The New Nation)