Arts are an applied subject which is closely related to our lives. It’s wrong notion that by studying arts we can’t achieve anything. Arts have won people the tag of being awardees, writers, photographers, animators, journalists, and what not. It’s not the subject that should be changed, it’s just the mindset!
Romana Rafiq
Abuzar Hussain, often referred to as Ashu, a sobriquet given by his friends, was sitting in a corner as I set foot in his room, I glanced over the dimly lit room, desperately searching for a way out. The curtains restricted the light in his dwelling but I could see his face, overwhelmed by grief and deeply afflicted by remorse. It was my implicit assumption and I understood that something was bothering him.
Ashu, 16, returned from school after writing his class x board examinations but prior to leaving home that morning, he had a heated argument on exchange of diverging views between him and his parents about his career subjects. His decision of choosing a subject unlikely to his parents was bothering him. I went to him, patted his shoulders and asked him, what was it that bothered him so much?
As he erected his head, his eyes were red and moist, with his hair unevenly set. He replied in a hoarse voice, “I am interested in arts stream, but my parents are not willing and seem less interested in my decision.” Further, I asked him what is wrong in opting for arts as a subject. And to my utter surprise he gave an abhorring reply: “My parents believe that arts are for losers.” An awkward feeling passed through my head, and I thought to myself, how can knowledge make a person loser?
Decision –making isn’t always the easiest thing in the world. There could be many illusions that lead one to the inside view but I personally believe that the decision of choosing any subject should lie with a student based on his/her predilection and inclination that eventually determines success and proper concentration. When parents become the sole decision maker for the future of their children without having their say, the consequences never fall on a positive side. Students would often require strenuous efforts to prepare for the exams; hence they often find themselves in deep water.
Perseverance, hardwork and quick wit create a special and successful trio that makes us withstand and overwhelm even the toughest times of life. Opting for the choicest subjects after class x is one of the important decisions in a student’s life. Unfortunately in such an important stage of career, where some fortunate chunk is supported for their decision, there are a few who are taunted for choosing arts stream.
The famous philosopher and historian Will Durant believes that ‘education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance. Education acts as a ladder of knowledge and to attain or acquire this knowledge a person should certainly study the subject of his interest. Arts are an applied subject which is closely related to our lives. It’s wrong notion that by studying arts we can’t achieve anything. Arts have won people the tag of being awardees, writers, photographers, animators, journalists, and what not. It’s not the subject that should be changed, it’s just the mindset!
The author is a freelance journalist and can be mailed at [email protected]
From the print edition of 29 March to April 4 2017.
