Life of an Indian Teenage Girl

To speak or not to speak

Last year, in the beginning of the pandemic, I had asked my friends a question-what do you think is the most important issue of this generation? Sounds like a weird topic to put on a casual friends group but, I wanted to write a poem and I was out of ideas so I asked.

I got answers like discrimination, pay gap, etc. So I was just thinking about it a few days ago. Is that really the biggest issue of this generation?

I don't think so. I know I can call you surprised right now but that isn't it. The biggest issue of our generation and the basis of everything that any kind of activism stands for is people not knowing when to and when not to speak up.

Might sound very trivial to you but let me explain. When something is going on in front of you, maybe you see someone getting attacked, you're told to act. You have to speak up and that's right. That is when you speak up.

Let's say you see someone and you don't like what they're wearing. Let's say for instance you see someone wearing a dress that you don't like—you do not speak up.

I have a rule that I try to follow. I do fail sometimes but, I try to follow it. The rule is to not point anything out unless it can be fixed within 10 minutes.

If you're friend has something stuck in her teeth, you tell her privately because it can be fixed within ten minutes. If you see your friend walking in and you feel like she's gained or lost weight, you don't point it out ever because it can't be fixed within ten minutes. Following this rule saves a lot of tears and enmity.

It's normal for a human to judge other people. When you see someone you might make a judgement before they even speak. That's alright, I think, as long as you don't point it out.

I know I said this with a lot of examples and it might still seem trivial to you but if you take any social issue that has happened or is happening I can guarantee that it has started with someone speaking when they shouldn't have or someone not speaking up when they should have.

We'll all make mistakes and open or shut our mouths at the wrong times but we have to learn. We are still learning and we always will be. Control yourself and see how the world changes.