I was just flipping through one of my old books. This is not any book but a lucky one for me. I have written so many of my speeches in this book for various debates of mine and won in all of them. Also, grabbed the best debater award for them. I know, but I cannot be modest always. So, there I was flipping through this treasure trove of my own words. (Gees! Someone stop me!). As I was going through, I realised in each and every debate I took part and spoke, I never meant what I was speaking. For example, this debate which was held by ISC. The topic presented to me was "The present education sysytem of education will turn students into mechanical people." I was actually against the motion and spoke for like hours. In my heart I knew I was supporting the topic.
So, I am still wondering. What did I gain from ranting stuff I did not believe in? The trophy which I won as the best speaker and was proudly displayed to everyone is a reminder of my own hypocrisy. Were not debates a platform? Were they not to teach me? Were they not to give me an experience that would help me in future? At the end, I think I learnt my lesson. I learnt to speak in front of disinterested students and dull judges. I learnt how to be greedy for some trophies and prizes. I learnt NOTHING. These so called extra curricular activities and competitions to me now are nothing but ways to churn greedy and snobs.
I have always hated those students I met at these competitions whose bank of certificates was just too big. Just the smirk on their face. It was disgusting. As if they were above and we were frugal elements. Seen the faces of those from big schools who have the reputation of winning ceratin competitions. They walk like princes and princeses. Where is the Equality? Greedy because everyone wants the cash honey. Just the other day, my friend who won a short story writing competition tells me. " Aksha, I just hope its cash in its true form and not some book or coupons." Well, during the conversation, it seeemed like a joke but here is the bitter truth. Honestly, the so-called extra curricular activities are not really promoting competitive spirit or promoting art or helping students to overcome their stage fears or creating a confidence in them. It is only a way of creating snobby kids who end up becoming teachers pets and rule the school when they become prefects in higher classes because of their so-called "edge and confidence". It hurts me because I was part of this mean machine. :(
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7 comments:
This might be the way u were feeling, but I dont suppose u find it all correct if you read it again. Coz, competitions do give you that confidence and get you rid of stage-fear!! I dont think you ever compared yourself with people who havent had such opportunities. You do have the ""edge and confidence"" in you!!! :D :)
Aila, Prashant....So much praise!
and the pal of yours who won the short story competition...probably wanted the cash coz he has a huge library in his college.
hmm my comments are reserved for personal meet! ill tell u then. and aksha u do write pretty regularly... i am catching up.lol!
btw forgot to say a non conventional topic dealt reasonably well. and yeah ur introduction was good!
I so totally agree with this.In an average class , most kids have the potential but hav nvr had the chance to say what they think. That leaves them with low self esteem n a tendency to rely on their marks n not their independent thought to prove their worth as students. N the "lucky" ones suffer too- not knowing who they really are or what they really beleive in. But then who has not lied to themselves sometime or the other?After all, opinions r just lies u tell urself cos ur 2 lazy 2 find out the truth.
Well........ It's sad but true. Our Education system does create a lot of robots, who just solve problems or else learn stuff, without understanding the point. Point is, that our education system is antiquated, and is more of a "mass-market" system, where it is producing in quantity, but not specializing or polishing other talents. It's only academic based, with barely any importance to other stuff. And That can suck. We're all used to teachers who come into class, and then just write formulas on the board, and tell us to learn them byheart. Pretty pointless. Where's the knowledge? What I'm driving at is, no matter how much we try, there are too many teachers who don't give a damn, about what we think, but they're damned antiquated, and think they're right all the time. But don't let it matter to you. Even if you' have told your teachers that you wanted to speak for the oppossition, they'd have had the final say, so it wouldn't have mattered.
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