Monday Motivation #8: Stigmas, Slogans, and Stolen Summers
Last night, as I scrolled through my news feed, I felt that familiar knot in my stomach. Gaza, Ukraine, climate disasters - the weight of the world's problems seemed crushing. Have you ever felt that way? Overwhelmed by the complexity of our world? I closed my laptop and took a deep breath. In these moments, I've learned to find solace in seeking understanding and connection. So, let me share some discoveries that helped shift my perspective this week. Maybe they'll resonate with you too.
Three Things to Read:
Reading The New Humanitarian 's article, I felt a pang of guilt. How easily I forget about ongoing crises in places like Yemen or Venezuela. It made me wonder: what crisis deserves more of our attention? I've decided to set a reminder to learn deeply about a different humanitarian situation each week, close at home and abroad, to stay informed.
"Even as the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine dominated headlines going into 2024 – it was important to remember the many other crises that were being too easily forgotten by the media and neglected by aid donors. Tens of millions of affected people in these settings continue to live in extreme hunger or extreme danger, while access restraints and funding limitations mean many can’t be reached by an international aid system that is overwhelmed and more intently focused elsewhere.
This article by Surabhi Malhotra (She/Her) and Shubhra Jha hit me hard. I closed my eyes and remembered summers spent climbing trees, playing gully cricket and simply exploring. The thought of more and more children losing these experiences due to extreme heat or pollution breaks my heart. Do we even as a society consider a children's right to play as a human right worth fighting for?
Globally, one in five children does not have the time to play, and one in 10 children gets no outdoor play. In India, leisure and access to public spaces to play are linked to socio-economic disparities and social identity, including caste, class, disability, and gender. Unfortunately, climate change is emerging as a fierce competitor to these barriers. With extreme weather events and rising temperatures, climate change is limiting the time children get to engage with their peers and the world around them through play.
Prof. (Dr.) Saumya Uma 's article made me reflect on the complexities of reform. How often do policy and legal changes end up reinforcing the very structures they supposedly aim to dismantle? It's a reminder to look beyond slogans and examine the real impacts of policies.
The populist trope of ‘decolonising’ and ‘Indianising’ the laws has also been busted time and again by scholars, who have opined that the three legislations are indeed colonial in their nature as they give enhanced power to the state, and correspondingly reduce the ordinary person with rights and entitlements to a subject at the mercy of the all powerful, not-so-accountable state.
Two Things to Watch/Listen:
Irene Fellin and Kathleen J. McInnis, Ph.D. discuss why should the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) care about gender in this important video. Unsurprisingly, some of the comments below this video read like these:
1. Imagine saying "the future of NATO is male" 2. Women can be the future of NATO when they serve on the front lines. 3. This is a concerning video when it comes to something as serious as nato. 3. If you want a vision of the future, imagine a bunch of NATO women going around the world to handing out citations to random countries like glorified meter maids.
Initially, I felt frustrated by these reactions. But then I paused. These misogynistic statements were nothing new. Rather they lay bare the truth that true progress requires more than slogans.
Dr Lucy Foulkes and Jerusalem Demsas discussed something that has been on my mind lately. I've noticed folks increasingly competing over anxiety diagnoses. While I'm grateful for reduced stigma, I worry about over-identification potentially trivializing real struggles. It's left me pondering: how do we maintain awareness while avoiding the "trendiness" of mental health labels?
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I think, in terms of, in some cases—absolutely not for everyone, but in some cases—that we might have so far overshot moving away from stigma that we’ve moved into some of these things being possibly socially desirable. And then what impact does that have among peer groups?
One Thing to Ponder:
The recent article in Experimental History challenged my thinking about supporting groundbreaking ideas. Where are the big moonshot ideas? In my own work, am I truly open to ideas that challenge the status quo? Or do I unconsciously favour the "safe" options? I'm committing to championing at least one unconventional idea in my next team meeting.
Katalin Karikó recently won a Nobel Prize for her work on mRNA vaccines, which saved millions of lives. Before that, however, she was barely staying afloat in academia. Now they’re all singin’ a different tune, not least because the technology she patented has since earned UPenn more than a billion dollars. So here’s the test: whatever “high-risk high-reward” program you’re running, would it have funded Karikó before she got famous? Do you have the courage and insight it takes to see someone’s potential when they aren’t legibly successful yet?
Bonus (Subscriber Suggestion):
Squadron Leader Anjali Rai (Retd) recommended Policy Charcha podcast discussing Budget Private Schools with Shravan Shetty .
Till what point government should state stay Invested in public education? If the school (public or private ) fails to attract students then it results in a shutdown. Then it puts the onus on all stakeholders to ensure that children still stay in school.
As someone who has worked with public and private education institutions, this debate fascinates and troubles me. There's no easy answer, but the stakes couldn't be higher for millions of children.
Few Opportunities
Susan Cain's recent question on her Substack left me at loss: "What do YOU want to do in your ninth decade? What do you want to learn, what do you want to read, what do you want to love?" It's a powerful reminder to reflect beyond what we usually do.
What are you reading, watching, or pondering this week? Share your recommendations in the comments – I'd love to hear what's fuelling your fire!
Until next week, keep questioning, keep learning, and keep pushing for the change you want to see in the world.
First generation graduate | LedBy Fellow 2023 | Organisational Strategy, Instructional Design | Education
4 个月The right to play and safety is easily the most ignored for children. What a sad world we live in, indeed.