They have created new tensions in society and it appears to some that there is confusion within and without. I personally feel that this is the formative period of Indian democracy and its emergent new society, and we need not be bewildered by these tensions and conflicts. It is only through this state of flux that a mature stability in the political field and conscious social attitudes among the people will emerge.
In these times of shifting political, economic and social balances younger generation has a special responsibility. One often hears talk of despair about the generation gap. The older generation which has deeper roots in the past always feels concerned about the changing values of the youth. But to my mind this is nothing new. There is bound to be some gap between one generation and another. It relates to both the expectations and aspirations as well as capabilities. After all a civilisation and a nation can grow only through the endless process of one generation handing over its tasks to a better generation. The fulfilment of one generation lies in creating a new generation better equipped to meet the more challenging tasks of tomorrow. This generation gap does not and should not mean a breakdown of the dialogue between the two generations. The attitudes, values and aspirations of the youth are necessarily the product of the environment provided and the ideas planted in their minds by the older generation. Nonconformism of the young also alarms many people. But nonconformism itself cannot be decried. When that attitude of mind is directed towards removing the meaningless restraints on the growth of individuals or towards liberating the society from the morass of rigidity, it is always stimulating.
In this context the role of an intellectual becomes very significant. In a modem society, the intellectuals are placed in key positions which offer them ample opportunity to guide and direct the affairs of the society. If you become an administrator, you have tremendous power of decision-making which affects the community. If you are a technologist or a scientist, you can shape the pattern and content of production and ultimately bring about a change in the socio-economic structure of the country. Thus the power of intellect is a great social force. In a democracy, therefore, intellectuals have to be more careful and selective about the social objectives that they choose to subserve. Democracy offers them an opportunity to stir the social conscience by their ideas and actions. It is, therefore, necessary for the intellectuals of new India to look around and study in depth the conflicting ideologies.
