“The only way to support a revolution is to make your own.”

 This rings a bell when videos and photographs of the youth protesters taking to streets quake the internet every now and then. Dancing to the zealous beats, shrouded in national or symbolic flags with faces either patterned or smeared with colours, and holding placards or chanting slogans with unrecognizable verve were some obvious understanding of a protest site. But the millennials today have redefined revolutions by owning them in a way as never before.

As beauty queens in tiaras and sashes, a group of brides in wedding gowns and a troop of shirtless bodybuilders, other than Batman and the masked Rider marched down the streets of Myanmar with 

 posters, the entire world halted to listen to their grievances against the recent military coup. When in Hong Kong, an anonymous group formed on the Reddit-like forum LIHKG, proposed an idea to draw global attention to their anti-government outrage over extradition laws, hundreds volunteered and built the four-metre high statue, 

 modelled on a young first aider who sustained an eye injury from the police clash at a protest. Protesters from Hong Kong, Myanmar, Brazil, India, Lebanon, Chile, Russia, Sudan, Venezuela, USA etc have revolutionized the protesting culture en masse, hanging the global attention on a peg of creative overdrive, everytime their voices begin to fade in an echo.

The participation of women coequally on the forefront is a major marker in the march of the millenials. From the 22-year old Sudanese architecture student 

 wearing toub, standing on a car, chanting and singing with her arms raised wide open during Sudanese protests to the three women students of Jamia- 

Ladeeda Sakhaloon, Aysha Renna and Chanda Yadav

, standing on a car with their arms raised in motion during anti-CAA protests in India, they somewhat became the visual image of the rebellion which lingered in our minds. From reading out a ‘feminist manifesto’ as part of a #MeToo agitation to the 

, who camped at the anti-CAA protest site, enduring chilling cold days and nights while sharing cultures, opinions and biryanis. These women became the paramount examples of resilience and determination to change the system. Such emotional and powerful appeal from the committed youthful protesters remind the world of their indefatigable courage. The youthful protesters have also turned to merchandising revolutions to produce goods like caps, t-shirts, masks and so on for supporting and funding the cause while amplifying its impact.

On the other hand, we have the spectacle packed with witty posters, amusing references and ineffable gestures. In Hong Kong protesters were found quoting 

 was chanted to chide the government. A poster from a young Lebanese protester read 

“It’s so bad you made me forget how bad season 8 was!”

(referring to GOT). Similarly, the demonstrations against citizenship laws produced posters with subtle sarcasm and satire directed at the unconstitutional practices of the Indian government, fit for 

 as part of millennials’ protest culture: 

“Shut down Fascism, not the Internet!”, “Normalcy has reached DELHI!”

 (referring to Kashmir’s “normalcy”), 

“Jab Hindu-Muslim raazi, toh kya karega Nazi.”

 At the same time, certain gestures from either protesters or police made the whole world gawk. From a group of protesters offering roses to Indian cops after massive crackdown preaching 

 to a Hong Kong’s police officer reluctant to take arms against the protesters, the millennials’ march and their meaning run deeper than expected. At another instance, a video of some Leabanese protesters singing Baby Shark to a commuter’s baby who was scared, stirred the internet. When the anti-government protest of Venezuela reached the streets, thousands of women marched, dressed in white as a symbol of peace. The sight of a young man standing bare chested amidst the tear gas, playing the national anthem on a violin thrilled the voyeurs. 

The ability to mobilize large crowds without any supreme leadership and solidarity among themselves or with other ongoing peaceful rebellions is another major marker of the millennials’ protest culture. During Black Lives Matter protest, a march was organized by the Black Advisory Board, made up of Black LGBTQ+ leaders and organizations in “direct response to racial injustice, systemic racism, and all forms of oppression.” In India, Muslim youths formed a human chain to protect Hanuman temple from arsonists when a protest against a social media post turned violent in Bengaluru. While rebelling has become the new normal all across the globe, the meaningful dimension of the youthful protests often gets lost in the cacophony of violence and discordance which blemish the entire revolution. Nevertheless, they try to endow their revolutions with a beauty and connectivity like never before because millennials know that 

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of The Jamia Review or its members.

THE NEW BEATS OF THE MILLENNIALS’ MARCH

There are over 7.2 billion people on Earth and nearly 1,000 of them stand out as “gifted” or “extraordinary” at any given time. What shall be done with the other, approximately 7,199,999,000 of us then? Are we the outcasts or do we actually drive or sustain the rest of the system? Neither. We have just made peace with the limited scopes of our lives while constantly pushing ourselves to be enumerated as “

“. The unsettling ambition, rigorous hustling, meticulous hard-work with a tinge of luck are what’s driving the rest of us. Of course, some of us never exercised the faculty of skills and labour but that doesn’t negate the universal phenomenon that each one of us is capable of something. Ultimately, it all depends on our practice and effort, but we all are born with different aptitudes and potentials. Yet, we turn amnesic and still clump people into polar opposites: good-bad, extraordinary-ordinary, winners- losers.

However, a new normalization of failures or losers have emerged- 

. In this fast-paced world, where the scope of progress is continually expanding, being mediocre feels like a tag of shame. In fact, as I write this article, I want it to be good or even the best, and not just average. Well, the question arises if I am ready to put an equal effort or even more, as top-class authors put in their best-selling novels? My work may signify that I might be an amateur, a beginner or an average writer with a room full of chances for improvement. This means that my mediocrity is but the outcome of my specific efforts and not a decree to my overall existence, if I accept it positively. Furthermore, nobody on this planet can be completely extraordinary or a total loser in every aspect of life. In short, the first fact is that the most brilliant person might be as ordinary or average as others when his ambit of specialization is not concerned. Secondly, it’s wise to accept that despite all the efforts, it’s still possible that I might never become an exceptional writer because of my limited and average ability.

” is so sought-after that every second video or page on social media is not only profited but the idea of framing an average person as a failure is also proliferated. There is no harm in asking people to outgrow their comfort zones and scale newer heights but there is a silent destruction in establishing parameters for being exceptional and in claiming that “

living an average life is living a wrong life

“, when in reality the vast majority of the world’s population is average and the idea of turning each individual into an extraordinary being itself forfeits the principle of “exceptionalism”. The projection of an average person as weak or a person of defect while extraordinary ones as the truest and perfect, is highly condemnable and arguable. Eventually, everyone shares the same fate of death and neither of the categories offers the evidence of a person to be qualified as a better human on Earth.


If you think that there’s no point in living an average life, you might want to reconsider this. Acceptance of our 

 opens new door of opportunities. In this great scheme of things, not everyone can stand out from the common multitudes, not all can have a worldwide influence or make an impactful position of their own, and just because of these the other 7,199,999,000 (approximately) people cannot stop living. We just take little steps in our own world to be remembered better. Each day we make a change in our own way and find pleasure in the simplest meanings of life. This way our hard-work becomes our exceptional quality and our mediocrity is metamorphosed into a process towards greater success. Yet, as the contesting humans as we are, we do not drop out of the race of exceptionalism, we try to depart in a way so that people would say, “

He was a mediocre guy but lived exceptionally

The Tyranny of Exceptionalism

In a social milieu where the phrase “the personal is political,” is outcried at the top of our lungs, sex education still occupies a backseat with a sense of 

 around the topic. Often considered a ‘personal’ matter, sexual health and sex education have been continuously overlooked due to the culture of silence, hesitation and shame. The existence of strong stigma around us pervades our sexual life and the vague experimentations not only challenge our 

 but also exacerbate the navigation and differentiation of our behavioural patterns as well as attitudes, especially in the case of an adolescent.

An analysis from a reputed NGO showed that 70% of the calls received through their helpline number were queries about “sexual anatomy, physiology and reproductive health issues” from people below 30 years of age, 

 while 33% calls were made by the age group of 15-24 years. This presents a thought-provoking picture where the future of this nation lacks even the adequate access and source to build-up an appropriate sexual knowledge. Unfortunately, when such curiosities and desire to explore this “taboo”out of the spectrum of reproductive needs are 

 they culminate in other petrifying consequences affecting both the individual and the society adversely. Child abuse, gender stereotypes, rape and molestation, unsafe sexual practices, addiction to cheap and aggressive pornography, vilification of physiques, mannerisms and romantic-partner choice, sexist remarks and treatment offer somewhat a small, but highly detestable view born out of excessive suppression of 

psychological and physiological inquisitiveness.

The implications of incomplete, wrong or no sex education is more realised by an aware or educated Indian audience. Yet the irony is that the most educational institutions recede into the background when it comes to providing a formal sexual education. For one reason, it is believed to be provocative and inappropriate for the young minds, and the other reasons include 

 factors. Besides, considering this dominant issue as highly ‘personal’, there are good chances of a teacher or an instructor to be themselves devoid of such knowledge. Consequently, students enter the school and university spaces only to realise how stigmatized, non-existent and tabooed the word 

 has become in a typical Indian household and society.

This stands true not only on domestic grounds but on political grounds as well. When in 2007 sex education was introduced by the National Council for Education, Research and Training in the curriculum, it was widely resented by the state governments and removed in progressive states like Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Goa. So was the take of our “developing” India on sex then. India has the 

 and with the introduction of the current national programme, 

 (family life/sex education) in the curriculum, it comes with its own shortcomings. It will take ample time for a programme like this to get rid of its foreign character and adapt a suitable cultural sensitivity.

 the conversation or discussion pivoting around sexual well-being and sexuality. Sex must be explained not just as a biological or pleasure-inducing need but in a 

 context as well. The loopholes in an Indianised version of sex education such as lesser focus on gender identity or sexual orientation, consent and dissent, identifying sexual or substance abuse and so forth must be addressed. Active participation and awareness on different platforms and in institutions might not ameliorate this deep-rooted, 

 at once but initiating a change is itself a big change. With a collective effort and a mature psyche, the government of India and its people can bring a social flexibility and openness which is imperative for sex education in India.

SEX EDUCATION ‘101’: WHERE DOES INDIA STAND?

In 2019, Gen Z became the largest generation constituting 

 of the 7.7 billion people on Earth. Constituting minors largely, the cohort also endorses fresh adults ready to swing their pendulum of opinions and be at the forefront of the changing world. Born during the 

 has already been pushed to the precipice of answering the exigencies of our inchoate future arising from the corrupt human agency.

Our modern world has never been so monotonic. Common masses were never as polarized and yet, so aggregated as before; truth was never spoken with a thrust as was the false before. The world exists now in sharp contrasts and the myriad opinions and beliefs swirling around determine the sagacity of Gen Z. 

, the moves of this generation are always heeded for they play a much crucial role in the larger landscape. Surmounted by the societal disarray, political foul play and intrusions, gendered practices, economic inequality, institutionalised religion, threatening ecological imbalance, climbing stereotypes and degenerating mental well-being, Gen Z lay vested with the powers either to turn the world upside-down or to reach the new heights of civilization.

 Gen Z ends up with a conflict of interest often within themselves or sometimes with the older generations. Their reaction to various propagandas, schemes, events and ideological standpoints are often diverse but when their reason and intellect becomes the driving force, they stand on the common ground as a whole, making efforts to have their voices heard. Besides having a leading edge, Gen Z may also be 

 without calling out the unjust doings. In such cases, they can either bear the brunt of their inertness or benefit from the fructuous responses to the immediate matter in the long run.

The most distinctive character of Gen Z is that they highly believe in voicing their opinions – right or wrong. This is one of the reasons why the society at large looks up to them as a vehicle of 

. They can stir a rebellion merely with a click on their electronic devices. But instead of looking ahead to a world of opportunities, Gen Z now peers into an uncertain future. Separated through ideologies, strategies, beliefs and attitudes, the overt statement is that the whole generation can sense the underlying colossal tension and a potential threat to the peaceful world order, and that the responsibility to revive or foster the rebirth of a dignified modern existence rests on their shoulders.

Moving towards adulthood with mostly a liberal set of attitudes and openness to emerging social trends, Gen Z is climbing the social ladder progressively while responding widely to the day-to-day happenings. Though the individuals from this generation report mental health concern and social anxiety largely, they are leaving no stones unturned to work for a better future for all by showing up as social workers, activists, founders and volunteers, especially for a cause of charity on a regular basis, beating the earlier generations in generosity and participation. Questioning, dissenting, reforming- this creative generation is learning to reach out better via creating and sharing various forms of arts which inspire positive changes in all the realms of life. Often alleged with self-absorption, Gen Z is actually making momentous efforts if seen through their modern lens. Their ideas and efforts are like a breath of fresh air waiting for a new dawn of renaissance. Now that Gen Z has taken the centre stage, it would definitely be worth a show when the curtains rise.

GEN Z AWAITS A NEW DAWN OF RENAISSANCE

 throws light upon an unsaid rule which has had our acquiescence ever since we were freed from British 

. English, once a foreign language for us, is now the second-most widely spoken language after Hindi, acting as a corrective tool against the vices of traditional and passive Indian learning, unifying varied cultures and ethnicity while proving advantageous for our economic progression, better job opportunities and high success rates. But our misplaced attention turns into obsession when the English language becomes a “

” or the “proof of our intelligence”.

A recent survey proposes an exponential growth in the number of students being enrolled in schools, primarily English-medium for instilling in them a quality education laced with English-speaking skills. Despite the fascination for a better medium of instruction which has led to several compromises from the 

 perspective of students and their families, most of the English-meduim schools in India fail to fulfill the required criteria with deficit speaking skills of teachers followed by a read-aloud system directly from the textbooks. This renders students with the option of 

, thereby forming a shallow foundation in the very early years of studenthood.

 to the grassroots is evident as India now claims to be the world’s second largest English-speaking country, with around 10 percent of its population, after the US. But can the aspirational, disadvantaged proportions of India match the standards of opulent, elite English speakers belonging to a cosmopolitan or a highly urban lifestyle? A language, meant to connect people, created a narrow rift which not only demarcates the living standard and class difference but also the unequal opportunities at learning, making the demand of producing English-speaking warriors more vocal by the unsatisfied sections of India so that they don’t fall behind in the race. Thus, the push for a globalised language increases and regional or other 

We need to understand that the mass education of India cannot be solely based on one language. As soon as an Indian child makes a transition from an informal to formal education, his training begins in a foreign language. He’s expected to change his course of learning, suiting the modern needs of India’s future. Therefore, in his most crucial times, he starts lagging behind. Research from 

 shows that “children who begin their education in their 

 make a better start and continue to perform better, than those for whom school starts with a new language.” Further, a child’s adaptability to other languages increases if he’s already skilled in his first language. This debunks the common myth of general Indian masses undermining the potential of 

 which is actually a social reality of a country like India. 

Just as education can never be the policy of powerful and affluent, so does a language. The major proportion of Indians should check the influence of a foreign language and culture so that it doesn’t turn into a toxic obsession, weaning off their own cultural and linguistic pride as well as dignity. While the elite section must prevent practising prejudice against people and be the flag-bearer of cultural supremacy by putting English on a 

 of languages or showcasing it as a victory trophy. Striking a correct balance between languages is the ultimate goal because in order to provide the worldwide usefulness of one language, 

 or other languages do not necessarily need to be looked down upon. The common Indian mindset to feel humiliated or insecure for English-speaking inabilities further promotes this obsession. Though English serves as a 

, it should be considered just as an addition to our language and knowledge, not the definition of our existence, lifestyle and 

Articles by Samra Ejaz

THE NEW BEATS OF THE MILLENNIALS’ MARCH

The Tyranny of Exceptionalism

SEX EDUCATION ‘101’: WHERE DOES INDIA STAND?

GEN Z AWAITS A NEW DAWN OF RENAISSANCE

WHERE’S INDIA’S RENDEZVOUS WITH ENGLISH LEADING US?

THE NEW BEATS OF THE MILLENNIALS’ MARCH

The Tyranny of Exceptionalism

SEX EDUCATION ‘101’: WHERE DOES INDIA STAND?

GEN Z AWAITS A NEW DAWN OF RENAISSANCE

WHERE’S INDIA’S RENDEZVOUS WITH ENGLISH LEADING US?