This is largely a modern malady due to the misplaced idea that the goal of life is to be happy. This idea has led to the growth of a kind of aggressive, ambitious, arrogant individuality that lives only to fulfil its desires and extract as much happiness as possible. The result is strife and unhappiness since happiness cannot be found through any external object. What one may temporarily find is pleasure which is addictive in nature with a law of diminishing returns. This leads to a mounting frustration, restlessness, fears and anger that we see afflicting the youth today. The bogey of freedom is used to do whatever one feels like doing, disregarding all else, ignoring all other aspects of life, insensitivity towards others and as a result an increasingly self-centred attitude.
The remedy lies in true education including the education of parents who themselves are chasing desires and the society at large that values these outer acquisitions rather than inner growth or pursuit of progress and perfection.
Affectionately,
Alok Da
