Unemployment: A Social Challenge

Waseem Ahmad Bhat

Being un-employed is nothing less than a social stigma in contemporary times. This you can realise only if you are someone who is un-employed or has experienced the same. The modern society has been constructed in such a manner that there exists no existence for the un-employed youth. The community recognizes you only if you possess employment especially the public.

The materialistic outlook has been on rampage and such has been its horrendous impact that we cannot see or accept anyone having no employment or job at their disposal. The individual is not being looked through the prism of virtue, morality, goodness etc. But whether they possess the luxurious cars, a good household, nicely dressed up, bank balance etc. It makes us to introspect that are we rational enough to determine what is good, bad, fair, unfair, just, unjust.

No doubt, Human beings have been described as “Ashraful-Mukhluqaat” i.e., the noblest of all creatures but to my understanding, they have not been suggested to give such huge incentives to materialistic world that being un-employed should be taken as a social stigma or a curse. It is a struggle which almost every one has to go through. Each and Every individual can not be given employment, they have to engage themselves in domestic work or task but when there are no takers, how one could do so.

It remembers me of the wonderful statement by the great Karl Marx that “ It is not the consciousness of men that determines their existence rather it is the social existence that determines their consciousness”. Analysing this statement in the contemporary times, it becomes even more relevant that you are being recognised only on the economic status in your own community and society. If one possess the materialistic credentials he or she actually exists, whether there exists some sort of intellect or not, whether they are virtuous or vicious, it does not matter as long as one posses those materialistic credentials. And at the same time, if you do not possess those materialistic credentials your existence is invisible, there is no space for you, that has been the harsh reality of the current state of affairs. When introspected a little more it makes us to believe that your social existence actually determines your existence or non-existence in this brutal Capitalist world.

Here I am not denying the fact that one should not strive hard to make both ends meet but being “Ashraful- Mukhluqaat” one must be able to struck the balance and try to find out the true essence of humanity.

The fallout of these challenges are so many like depression, fear, anxiety, insomnia, late marriages, suicides, loss of self esteem etc. and when your self-esteem is being challenged there exists nothing for you in reality. This brutal Capitalist world is full of disgrace where you have to find your existence even in your own family or community.

Talking about Jammu and Kashmir, it is no exception to this deadly menace as there are almost thousands of un-married girls who are in their late 30’s or above. When everybody would prefer the employed youth these sort of evils would continue to hurt us. Although the urban areas are more acute to these crises but rural areas are also not lagging behind. Then, there are other variables of late marriages, like dowry, caste, socio-economic status, which have played their role from times immemorial and challenged the social existence to a large extent.

Everybody does not  possess  the entitlement of employment especially the public entitlement, but there are other professions where one can earn enough for their livelihood but the question is, are we rational enough to give them space, are we ready to provide them the opportunity to marry our daughters, sisters etc. Unless and until we do not change our psychological set-up according to the changing circumstances these ungodly pursuits can not be eliminated completely.

Who shoulders the responsibility of changing the norms that have made substantial imprint in our day-to-day lives. The Ulemas, teachers, The NGO’S, social workers, the government, the individual, the intellectuals etc. In my opinion all the stake holders in society will have to play a positive and active part in eliminating this menace. They all must share the burden of making people aware about the negative impacts it leaves on society. And they must strive hard to make sure that employment is not what Thomas Hobbes called “Summum Bunum” (The Greatest Good). Infact humanity has much more to explore. Unless, we prefer to marry only the well off we are surely not going to get rid of it any soon.

Being un-employed is actually challenging the very existence of what Gramsci calls the “Common sense” where the bourgeoisie develops the hegemonic culture and propagates its own values and norms so that they became the “Common sense” where critical enquiry is almost impossible as it becomes a common or normal within a particular community.

Consequently, The individual tends to develop psychotic disorder which plays a pivotal role in his behaviour. And if we continue to follow these idiotic norms and customs, it will surely have its ill effects on the next generation. The so-called social cohesion is being exposed with each passing day and if these menaces are not eliminated at the earliest, it would open up such a disparity which will be everlasting.

Even the Ph.D. scholars cannot be spared off, though it is regarded as one of the noblest degree, where you tend to develop yourself vis-a-vis your community, it makes you to think critically but that critical thinking is of no use unless you occupy a berth in the public department. Therefore, They too have to face such challenges in society where every thing is weighed in terms capital and it seems there are no takes for intellect, emotions, virtue etc.