New labels, old conflicts |
A few years ago, my son became upset with his mother and shouted, “Parents always have to say something negative.”
He was angry—clearly—but what struck me more was his tone. It was no longer childish; it carried the force of an adult voice. At that moment, I realized he had crossed from childhood into adolescence. This reminded me of my friend Ashfaq Ahmed Kashif. Once, when he was upset with his parents, he said, “I’ve stepped into youth, not into a gutter.” I smiled at the memory, though my wife protested that the child was slipping out of our hands while I seemed amused. Later, reading remarks by Qaiser Nizami and Fazeela Qazi about their son Zorin, the same thought returned: whether it is Ashfaq, my son Rayan or Zorin Nizami, all three are thinking in remarkably similar ways. So what has really changed?
There is a difference, but before coming to it, one must acknowledge the common ground. The shared truth is that every generation, in its own time, grows discontented with its elders. Each believes its understanding of the world and the abilities bestowed upon it are unprecedented. This sense of uniqueness becomes a source of pride. Armed with exceptional talents, it believes it will change the world.........