“If I were the Prime Minister,” he innocently replies, “my agenda would be: ending poverty; cleaning the country; equal distribution of resources; stop environmental pollution; renovating and building houses; ensuring security; running trains; and providing energy.”
I like to interview children casually. Once I inquired a seven-year-old boy about strategies to change our country’s state. The question was random: if you were the Prime Minister of the country, what would have you done?
Children are great teachers. Also, they are fast learners; deep observers; exemplary actors; the best followers; and honest critics. Their minds are unpolluted; one can learn massive lessons from them through paying attention to their actions and answering their curious questions – above all, through asking questions from them. These are not merely my observations, but science also provides evidence.
Although he is still in a phase to receive his wisdom tooth, the innocent and honest answers, however, are full of knowledge. As per age, he is inexperienced; while his gregariousnessresponses exhibit a lot. The points contain his priority order.
The firstis to end poverty. This answer made me think that a seven-year-old child understands the meanings ofdeprivation. He thinks about the vicious circle of poverty; knows the ‘poverty trap’. He understands that poverty is a gigantic and burning problem in our country, where over30 per cent of the country’s population lives under a poverty line. He has observed the poor people; who cannot afford to live a healthy life.
The cleaning can have denotational and connotational meanings. The former is to clean the garbage from the state; the latter is to cleanse the corruption. Both are chronic across the country
The second is cleaning the country. The cleaning can have denotational and connotational meanings. The former is to clean the garbage from the state; the latter is to cleanse the corruption. Both are chronic across the country.
The third agenda is an equal distribution of resources. What aprofoundobservation! He understands how an unequal allocation of resources has created inequality. How do disparities produce further differences? Why is itessential to distribute the resources with the principle of equality and equity?
Forth is to control environmental pollution. He realises how important it is to have pure oxygen; to have a nonpolluted environment. He knows what environmental pollution can cause. How destructive it can be. The country has encountered the impact of pollution such as heatwaves, floods.
The fifth is renovating and building houses. The little mind thinks about the basic human instinct: the shelter. He conveys this instinct. The little boy understands the need for a home that protects from dangers – natural and human-made. He imagines opening a housing scheme so that people should feel a sense of security and protection.
Sixth is to ensure security to each person. Without peace and security, no one can work productively enough. Human since centuries carve about security. This need is in human’s instinct. That is why a little prime minster ensures security to every human.
Seventh is about starting trains. The body here offered an example of Europe. His understanding hints at the essentiality of a transport system. Our country counts in countries with the worst transport system. The poor vehicles; poor roads; no up to date carriers; no proper check and balance are a few characteristics of our transport system. The accidents of vans due to gas cylinder blasts and crashing of buses indicate this quality.
The eighth point is related to energy and the environment. He thinks to allow people to use air conditions to an optimum level with a fixed billing. He remembers the changes in the natural environment and power-cuts. His point illustrates the heatwaves of 2015 that killed hundreds of citizens, especially in Karachi.
His agenda points are rationally interconnected. These thoughts say more than enough. On the one hand, such standpoint is good omens for our nation that our little minds – nonpolluted – think about society. These pure minds read the impulse of society that such circumstances grow a population who has a strong feeling of fatalism; hopelessness; helplessness; dependence; and inferiority.This growth results in a chaotic society.They perceive what and where is the problem. They, to some extent, know how to solve them.
On the other hand, such views show what our next generation holds. We should ask ourselveswhy our offspring do not ponder out of the box, for instance, to cultivate a research culture; to produce scientists for sending to other planets. The societies where the said issues do not prevail, the new generation imagines beyond the availability of food.
Given that, if our governments can implement only his eight-point agenda, then, there will be a significant change. This implementation would transform society: our generation would think beyond poverty; food; security, and so forth. The resultwill be a literate and just society.
The writer is a PhD Scholar at the University of Vienna, Austria