CSR ESSAY CONTESTS — 857, 858, 859 & 860*

YOUTH : THE GOLDEN

PERIOD OF LIFE
“ The power of youth is the common The ‘youth’ as age bracket can be
wealth for the entire world. The faces of figuratively defined through
young people are the faces of our past, our affirmative response to the following
present and our future. No segment in this set of questions—Are you a dreamer?
society can match with the power of idealism, Are you a risk-taker even when the
enthusiasm and the courage of the young conditions are adverse? Do you
people.” —Kailash Satyarthi believe there are many things to learn?
Youth is a period and a process. Are you a positive thinker? Do you
United Nations for statistical purpose consider mistakes as improved
considers the age between 15 and 24 opportunities?
as youth without prejudice to other Youth feel like touching the sky or
definitions. Different countries may diving into the deepest trenches and
propose varied range of ages as youth, often achieve those feats. A period
but the basis is same. It is punched of action with well-guided, properly-
in-between childhood and maturity. It Pratyush Nath researched and controlled execution
is the age where everyone is at his/ First prize winner of will bring accomplishment not only
her best regarding mind, body and CSR Essay Writing Contest 857. at that age but also many a time later
spirit, and is bubbling with physical, Mr. Pratyush Nath is a Graduate in so that he/she can bask in the glory
mental and spiritual energy. Older Zoology (Hons.) from Scottish Church for the lifetime.
adolescence (15-19 years) and young Youth is a period of intense energy,
adulthood (20-24 years) constitute College, Kolkata, and is currently high aspirations, urge to discover and
youth. Adolescence is often viewed pursuing Post-Graduation in experiment, and a desire to get going.
with all seriousness as a period of Environmental Science from Visva Youth get high when the rush of
metamorphosis but historically, less Bharati University. Hailing from adrenaline flows through their veins
attention is paid towards youth in Bolpur, West Bengal, he loves for brain to release dopamine, “the
comparison to other age groups. travelling, playing chess and watching pleasure hormone”. People look for
Rabindranath Tagore’s short story football. youth to win medals in sporting
“The Home Coming” illustrates this events, carry guns to fight enemies
point, where the protagonist in the threshold of youth, on the war fronts, plough fields and carry loads to construct
bordering childhood and adolescence, is misunderstood to houses.
be homesick and shy of facing the worldly realities. Youth can be a ‘spent force’ if they chart a wrong path.
According to World Youth Report (2020), there are 1.2 It is easy to break a wall, which requires perhaps lesser
billion young people aged 15-24 accounting 16% of global time, energy and money than to build it. Youth may even
population. Youth is a priority group for UNESCO, in go astray. As it is vulnerable age without experience and
recognition of their creativity, innovation and capacity to maturity, the grown-ups must shoulder the responsibility
make changes happen in the world. The belief system is to not let the youth indulge in drugs, terrorism or crime.
such that young people are crucial actors, leaders and Youth as a transformation period generally responds to all
partners committed to fighting inequality, contributing to positive, focussed and directed efforts and it is in this
period when El Dorado can be built instead of fool’s
sustainable development and building peace. All polities paradise. In the essay “ Of Youth and Age”, Francis Bacon
are targeting the education system to bring change in young claims that the youth is not fit to judge and deliberate but
minds and ultimately change the world that encompasses fitter to invent and execute.
environment, politics and moral values, etc. The draft of However, there are some characteristic weaknesses of
National Youth Policy 2021 highlights objectives like this age—attempting too much, thinking of imperfect
developing healthy generation and to instil social values principles, reckless innovations, extreme remedies and
and promote community service in youth with the priorities reluctance to acknowledge. But there are also certain
being education, health and entrepreneurship. The policy significant advantages attached to the age of youth—moral
envisages transformational youth development by 2030. freshness, adventure-driven actions and intolerance for

*We present here the fourth FIRST PRIZE WINNING ESSAYS of the CSR Essay Contests 857,
858, 859 & 860, contributed by Mr. Pratyush Nath, Ms. Sunidhi Tyagi, Mr. Supratik Dalal and
Mr. Nalin Khare.

64 COMPETITION SUCCESS REVIEW, DECEMBER 2022

 partial success. “ Good habits formed at youth make all
the difference,” rightly says Aristotle. An often-used Hindi
proverb states “ Childhood, if merely playful, and Youth,
if simply wasteful, will result in worrisome old age.”
Humankind has perennially been in search of the fountain
of youth, a mythical water-body be it spring, fountain or a
ditch containing potion to prolonged life, disease-free body
and youthful appearance. There are tales and movies which
are still hovering around in modern-day discussions. The
reverse of age may not be possible now, but actions may
prolong the period of youth. The first stanza of the poem
“ Youth and Age” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge illustrates the
life of youth which is synonymous with hope and beauty,
joys and liberty and vigour and vitality.
“ Verse, a breeze mid blossoms straying,
Where hope clung feeding like a bee-
Both were mine! Life went a-maying
With Nature, Hope, and Poesy,
When I was young!”
Youth is a gateway to aged maturity, experienced and
often successful adulthood or old age. The groundwork
done, sweat produced and loads taken at youth, namely
X-factor, only precedes and determines more in the next
phase of life. It is somewhat like in youth parliament where
he/she mocks and learns the tricks of the trade and ways
and means of running a parliament which he/she does
appropriately to enter parliament before one day becoming
seasoned parliamentarian. Interns are put to life situations
to imbibe the essence on ground. Every recruit is put to
probation period and every trainee into training period.
GENERATION GAP
George Orwell, one of the most influential novelists of
all time, once said that “ Each generation imagines itself to
be more intelligent than the one that went before it and
wiser than the one that comes after it”. Loosely translated,
this phrase sums up the word ‘Generation Gap’. The
generation gap refers to the difference between the ages of
the elders and the younger population. It is the gap between
two generations, most often the parent and the child. This
gap occurs due to the difference in ideologies and mentality
of individuals in these age groups. Generation gap is a very
critical topic to consider in today’s times and it is absolutely
vital for us to look into the same in order to bridge it.
Efforts need to be put from both the sides in order to
maintain cordial and amicable relationships. A hostile
environment doesn’t make people happy which is why it is
an undeniable responsibility of both elders and youngsters
to work towards building healthy relationships where
everyone is able to understand one another.
The generation gap is increasing gradually due to many
reasons such as technological development, lack of
communication and differences in perception, etc. This
gap is widening due to lack of understanding amongst
both the generations. It divides the society into two sets
of individuals—the younger and the elderly. This is an
everlasting social phenomenon which has been going on
for decades. This concept was born when youngsters started
moving out of joint families and started living on their
own, and they developed a new sense of understanding
of the cultures, ideologies, values, faith and beliefs. When
people live their lives on their own terms, they develop a
COMPETITION SUCCESS REVIEW, DECEMBER 2022
The innocence and purity of youth stands apart and all,
even highly successful rich and famous, always want to
travel time machine and go back to the once-in-a-lifetime
phase of youth. A lost youth is always searched, traced
and tracked but is never to be found for transmutation
and metamorphosis. Youth are inexperienced in certain
life skills but can help others with their attitude. Youth are
not materially rich but can do charity. Youth are not that
mighty but powerful enough to shelter the weak and
dejected. The ability of youth in bringing change is
recognised by all societies and youth power is celebrated,
established and extracted. Blessed is this age which can
change with time and bring change in time. The new world
order will be different when youth take over. The youth,
when at the helm of affairs, will make a positive difference.
Youth is the time when sensory organs are at their best,
nervous system most developed and all organs at their
prime, so the stimuli-response is quick and appropriate.
This biological development, if understood, harnessed and
harvested properly, will bring rich dividends. Wise
investments have profitable returns. Since this golden age
is irreversible, any irresponsible act will be frowned upon
by one and all. This age is the age of formation and
formulation, of failures and follies and trials and
tribulations. All will remember this age for the first love,
group fights, some failed aspirations, defiance to authorities,
experiments with life gone wrong, candle-light protests
and candle-light dinners. Still, everyone beyond that age
group yearns for and hums deep in one’s heart “Someone
give my youth back”.
new sense of understanding of life and look at it in a
broader perspective, which is not confined to sociological
borders. The generation gap affects the mental and
emotional health of an individual.
‘Theory of Generation’ was proposed by Karl Mannheim
in his essay called “The Problem of Generations”. His theory
stated that the generations group themselves according to
their experiences and impact of these experiences or events
in their lives. This gap is constantly widening due to the
change in the society and development of new technologies
and mindsets.
The generation gap is evident in many aspects of life.
It can be seen in families where the youngsters prefer to
live by themselves in their own house without any
interference of any sort from the elderly due to the need
for privacy and personal space, and this change in the
lifestyle is one of the factors leading to the widening of
the generation gap. The language barrier is an emerging
indicator as the younger generation adopts new slangs and
lingos which is why it becomes difficult for the preceding
generation to keep up with the new terms and henceforth
they generally fail to understand such a vocabulary as well
as the new generation’s mindset. It can also be seen at
workplaces, where contemporary techniques are preferred
over conventional plans and strategies. It can be seen in a
mentor-mentee relationship where the lack of
understanding in both regarding the other’s experiences
and know-how leads to criticisms. All of this leads to
misunderstanding between the two generations and widens
the generation gap. It leads to lack of respect for each
65
 other. It paves a path for distantness, life is a threat to their upbringing,
leading to daily disputes and criticisms their own set of values and beliefs. It
and thereby sabotaging healthy is the belief of the elders that they are
relationships. The concept of much more intelligent and wiser than
generation gap was also depicted in the youngsters as they are much more
the movie called “ Baghban” where this experienced and have seen so much.
gap led to the disrespect and disregard This phenomenon passes on from
for the parents by their own children. generation to generation and this
It showcased the dilemma of lack of generates some animosity between
communication and understanding in them.
a parent-child relationship. The different generations according
The generation gap can be curtailed to the year of birth of an individual
in many ways. Through healthy have been categorised—people born
communication both the generations Ms. Sunidhi Tyagi during 1880–1900 are referred to as
can talk it out and build a friendly First prize winner of the Lost Generation, people born
rapport. It is absolutely necessary for CSR Essay Writing Contest 858. during 1901–1927 are referred to as
one to be in a state of mind where the Greatest Generation; those born
he/she is ready to listen to each other Ms. Sunidhi Tyagi is B.Com (Hons.) between 1928 and 1945 as Silent
and understand the others without from Vivekananda College, Delhi Generation as they are often faithful
demeaning them or criticising them. University and LL.B. from Amity to the organisation that they work for
For this, they must spend time with University, Noida. Hailing from and display loyalty towards them and
each other and look at all this Noida, Uttar Pradesh, she loves public also devote their life to it; those born
advancement optimistically. Acting speaking, swimming, art & craft. She between 1946 and 1964 are referred
responsibly is crucial and critical for
the cause. This gap can be bridged
has won many declamation, debate as Baby Boomers and are seen more
inclined towards money and publicity,
through bona fide understanding and essay writing competitions. and work really hard to secure the
between the generations. All of it goes future of their children; those born
south when the parents begin to take everything seriously between 1956 and 1965 are called Generation Jones; the
and forget how important freedom and liberty was to them population born during 1965–1980 are called Generation
as children and ignore the scenario of children suffering X; those born in 1970–1980 period are dubbed as the
from a sense of incapability and rage due to their financial Xennials as they prioritise their family over their jobs and
dependence which does not give them the opportunity to do the most they could do in their capacity to make a
prove themselves. It is important for the elders to living; those having their birthdays between 1981 and 1996
understand that youngsters, who are in desperate need of are known as Millennials—creative people who love to
self-identity, must not be imposed with obligation of change their jobs frequently in order to earn more and
becoming what the elders want them to be. Along with live a life that makes them happy; those born in 1997–
this, even the youngsters must not consider the elders as 2010 period are called as Generation Z; and those born
their enemies and must understand that they do not intend between 2010 and 2020 are called Generation Alpha.
to hurt them but instead want the best for them. Finally, it is important in today’s time to put collective
The aggravated fear of the influence of social change on efforts in order to bridge the generation gap as the
the youth is called ‘Juvenoia’. This term was coined by ideologies are varying due to the constant change in society.
Professor of Sociology Mr. David Finkelhor in his book At the same time it is also necessary for us to strengthen
‘ The Internet, Youth Safety and the Juvenoia’. It is the fear of the the bond between the generations by respecting everyone’s
parents that the diversity of influences around their children’s individuality.

ONLINE SHOPPING
‘ Living modernly is living quickly ’—‘Point Counter Point’ by
Aldous Huxley
Doubtlessly, shopping is an essential part of modern-day
civilisation. People need to buy different things for different
purposes. Generally, the nature of sales and shopping has
been competitive, and has been valuing the consumers in
line with the phrase ‘consumer is the king’. Earlier, people
had no other option but to visit shopping malls or shops
in a locality. However, over the recent years, the nature,
modes and ways of shopping have undergone a paradigm
shift, much to the ease, convenience and benefit of
consumers. This is the age of online shopping. Internet has
revolutionised and transformed the concept of shopping,
which is now possible just at a click of button from the
comfort of homes. A watershed and path-breaking
development in not so distant past, the online shopping is
constantly evolving and upgrading in line with fast-paced
technological advancements. Today, online shopping
promises saving of time and transportation expenses, cost
benefits and competitive pricing, vast range of variety and
brands, and great ease of delivery of goods at your
doorstep.
In tune with the times, high-speed changes are sweeping
through everything related to our lives. Adaptation, be it
for human relations or production, is a suitable word to
correlate with progress. Progress happens when the process
already established for something is constantly reviewed,
improved and upgraded to keep abreast of the times and
cater to the changing needs of the people. The clock of
civilisation cannot go backwards. In the present era of
globalisation, even a minimal change anywhere can impact
the whole global system. And in this backdrop, online

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 shopping denotes a massive progress can revive Indian economy. All
which has left an indelible mark and payments are done through banks, so
impact on businesses, marketing and every transaction is digitally recorded.
masses. Although some people like to pay
The idea of online shopping is not through COD (cash on delivery)
new. People still gather in showrooms, mode, where the risk of cheating is
shopping malls, and local shops for much lower. Online shopping
shopping. But there was a massive platforms have greatly developed
surge in online shopping induced by technical processes and procedures so
the lockdowns and other restrictions that there is no specific way to not
in the wake of Covid-19 in 2020. pay Goods and Services Tax.
Before Covid, vast proportion of On the contrary, online shopping
population did not have touch- has some inherent faults. First,
phones with Internet facilities. During Supratik Dalal nobody can verify the quality of the
the lockdown period, people were First prize winner of things before buying. When people
confined to their homes. In this buy something from a brick and
CSR Essay Writing Contest 859.
emergency, people had to buy and mortar shop, they can check the
use the phones and laptops for Mr. Supratik Dalal has graduated in quality of the items. Another problem
various purposes, particularly English (Hons.) from Sanskrit is that delivery of the product to the
shopping. Those who were against College and University, Kolkata, and buyer takes time. Although people can
shopping for anything from online is currently a student of MA English buy things from home, they get them
platforms were forced to use them at the University of Hyderabad. two days, four days or even one week
as there was no other option left. Hailing from Kolkata, he is deeply later. Yet another issue is that online
Now, with Covid having subsided to interested in acquiring knowledge, be shopping is over-attracting and over-
a great extent, shopping malls, it Mathematics or Literature. indulging the new generation, which
physical markets and local shops are regularly does online shopping just out
once again witnessing high footfalls. But, on the other of fad, even when there is no need or necessity for the
hand, there is no denying the fact that online shopping is same. Another limitation of online shopping is that the
also gaining popularity by leaps and bounds, although there technology online shopping platforms use is not helpful
are certain limitations of this mode of shopping. for disabled people.
Therefore, the issue worth pondering is the pros and Nowadays, online shopping platforms arrange many
cons of the online shopping. The first point to understand types of sales (for example-– “Big Billion Days” and “Big
the benefits of online shopping is that it is very time- Diwali Sale”) at economical prices. The problem is that
saving. Although people judge the value of time differently, such offers easily lure people and induce them to indulge
online shopping can save a lot of time. There is a delivery in even unnecessary shopping, leading to wastage of money.
person to deliver the products to the buyer’s address. Finally, it can be said that online shopping is indeed
Second, the payment for the products is highly organised. suitable and comfortable in modern times. But people
People can buy things using EMI (Easy Monthly should be careful when they buy things online. They should
Installments) system if they do not have the full money at check again and again before purchasing something and
the time of shopping. Third, to attract consumers, the leave no effort in ensuring the quality of the desired
online shopping platforms have developed the quality and product. For disabled people, the online shopping platforms
quantity of the products. From cosmetics to daily needs, should create a text-based communication system. In this
nearly everything is available in online shopping. Fourth, matter, Swiggy, the food delivery app, has been in a better
online shopping employs a large number of jobless people, position. They show a GPS-based update by which people
particularly the delivery boys who carry the delivery bag can get the latest update. Online shopping platforms should
on their shoulders and deliver things to addresses on their work on this. Who knows what will happen in future? But
bikes. Perhaps, it is painful to carry a heavy load, but it is one thing is sure that online shopping is here to stay and
an honest service to society. Fifth, the online shopping grow in near as well as distant future.

SOCIAL MEDIA
Let’s consider a generally common scenario. In a hospital
in Mumbai, the first cry of a newborn resounded through
the hospital walls and flooded across the corridors
delivering joy to all ears. However, even before this infant
could open his eyes and catch his first glimpse of this
unexplored world, he was “papped and posted” on every
possible social media platform. As daddy stirred back and
forth with his live-casting, little did the newborn realise
that someday, Instagram would be his ‘soulmate’, Facebook
would be his ‘alter ego’ and WhatsApp would be his ‘bosom
buddy’.
The world has become so seemingly diminutive that
physical separation is not a hindrance anymore. The world
is a mere click away. Just one post and lo! there are
innumerable views from across the globe. Tens and
hundreds of likes and comments are overly flattering and
their booming numbers are tremendously inspiring.
Moreover, social media outlets manifest a bounty of
informative and entertaining content. They furnish a vast
and varied range of resources to cater to people from all
over. Further, they provide substantial marketing and
occupational opportunities. For instance, LinkedIn, a gold
mine for job aspirants, helps students build their contacts
in their respective fields and navigate smoothly. Want to
reconnect with your college group? No worries. Facebook
has it in store for you. Blind dates are a thing of the past.

COMPETITION SUCCESS REVIEW, DECEMBER 2022 67

 Tinder and Bumble are contemporary social media avenues. Such platforms
matchmakers. allow people to compare and gain
Follow your idols and celebrities to others’ approval of themselves. In
know what’s going on in their lives. 2020, there was news of a teenager
At the same time, why not become a committing suicide due to fewer likes
celebrity yourself? Pursue your dreams on his Tik Tok videos. Similar
by creating content online. Earn incidents have occurred worldwide in
money by creating your business the wake of social media evolution.
account. Garner 1K+ followers and People have become incredibly
become a social media influencer. fascinated with cultivating a
Expand your business by setting up flamboyantly exaggerated reflection
your own YouTube Channel, etc. The of themselves to please others. We
list of opportunities is never-ending. have lost our way amidst the glitter
But there is more to this than meets and glamour of this social media
the eye. People talk of how close we Nalin Khare fantasy, and have conveniently
have come despite being so distant, First prize winner of forgotten that self-validation must
courtesy of social media. However, I CSR Essay Writing Contest 860. emanate from within. We needn’t rely
would like to think otherwise. on strangers for compliments or to
Let’s take a trip down memory lane Mr. Nalin Khare is a Computer boost our confidence.
to an era when “stories” were merely Science student at DY Patil Uni- Social media also influences our
found in the pages of a book, the versity, Navi Mumbai. Hailing from society from a more considerable
word “scroll” only meant a parchment Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, his standpoint. It serves as a hub for
of paper, “tweet” was the chirping hobbies are reading, writing, poetry, controversy, criticism, slandering and
noise of a bird, and the “reel” was provocation. Social media platforms
just used for winding cotton. It was a public speaking, debating and are an epicentre for smear campaigns
time when “real” friends had playing piano. Having given TED and protests that are both political
meaningful conversations. Days and talks, he also loves adventure. and apolitical in nature. History stands
weeks would go by without any verbal as testimony to how influential
exchange yet connections were unbroken, relations lasted celebrities use these outlets to cause public unrest or
longer and the fanatic antics of teenagers flooded the pages provoke a mob to protest unlawfully. In the 2020 US
of diaries. Unlike today, long-distance relationships were a presidential elections, discontented with his defeat, the
reality back then. Sharing food with people was more erstwhile president, Mr. Donald J Trump, tweeted several
consequential than sharing snapshots of food on Instagram disdainful remarks against his opposition leader, Mr. Joe
and appearances were not defined by likes and comments. Biden. He further provoked his supporters to march to
This was a time when life was a natural consequence of the White House to protest the allegedly unfair election
your independent preferences and aversions. process. Eventually, Twitter banned his account because
Today, knowingly or unknowingly, we are fettered by the he was casting aspersions without adequate reason.
shackles of social media. The world has become a Due to its far-stretched outreach, social media is an
semblance of normality following the dawn of this social instrument for manipulation, plots, schemes and conspiracy
menace. Our lives have not transcended physical borders theories. False information is effortlessly propagated and
as it appears. On the contrary, it has become confined to gullible citizens are usually victims. One such incident
the small screens of our phones. Communication has been occurred during the farmers’ agitation in 2021 when several
reduced to a series of empty and superficial conversations. people encouraged the public to adopt wrongful means to
A massive social media following is viewed with envy achieve their purpose.
though people may be quite desolate and lonesome if the During the pandemic, we also encountered multiple
truth be told. Profile pictures have replaced faces and warnings, precautions and messages preaching false
captions are the à la mode.
information on WhatsApp. There also exist fake
Experts note that reckless exposure to social media can
induce depression, anxiety and diminished self-esteem. advertisements and online scams with the sole agenda of
Moreover, people may also fall prey to cyber-bullying and procuring personal details for extortion.
cybercrimes, which have caused deaths among teenagers. Having said that, I vociferously believe that technology
Studies have ascertained the severe psychological effects is not to blame. As Mahatma Gandhi said, “The world has
of social media on the human mind which attributes to its enough for man’s need but not for man’s greed”. As
addictive nature. Users experience a sense of previously highlighted, social media is an ocean of
accomplishment when they post a picture on Facebook or opportunities. Still, mankind is yet to learn to use it
Instagram. This triggers the secretion of Dopamine—the responsibly. It is rather unfortunate that such an immensely
happiness hormone which subconsciously makes us feel powerful medium has become a weapon of destruction in
ecstatic. When we see the likes and notifications popping the hands of man. A connection that can tear down all
up on the screen, we feel rewarded and validated, thus barriers that divide us has itself become a barrier to our
prompting us to repeat the task. growth. As responsible young men and women, we must
Ever heard of “FOMO”? The ‘fear of missing out’ on use social media wisely.
something important or noteworthy has also contributed We ought to set an example for posterity so that they
to the habit of frequently checking social media handles. can maximise their full potential and not bear dire
It is believed that individuals tend to associate their self- consequences. On that note, I conclude by saying that
worth with their looks, owing to the recent selfie obsession social media can be both a boon and a bane, depending
of youth and unrealistic body images promoted through on how we use it.

68 COMPETITION SUCCESS REVIEW, DECEMBER 2022