Today we are all living in a challenging but interesting time. For many of us, the world began in 1988, with the invention of the Internet. Since then, much has changed, not to mention the Windows interface and the presentation of the first iPhone in 2012. This paper aims to provide a politically socialized vision of the world, formed as a result of the imposition of personal, social, cultural, and political strata.
The second decade of the 21st century was a strength-test for the world’s democratic institutions. I am not a conspiracy theorist, but it looks like a terrible external force took the wheel of the history in its hands for a while. Therefore, it is of no surprise that many believers find solace in religion. Speaking of my personal religious views, I am inspired by Hinduism religious concepts. Here, two supreme deities – Shiva and Kali – personify the external, chaotic power (“Kali Maa, The Goddess”). Hindu thangkas usually depict Shiva with the skin color of the night sky, and Kali has black skin, which is a hint for darkness, chaos, and the emptiness that comes in the end.
My generation is lucky to form an identity in the world that offers any desired information. The ultimate fast information exchange contributed to the decision-making processes greatly. Primarily, it helped the political leaders to keep the course of a civilized society at a mid-point. However, it looks like the mundane spheres of human life are back in their usual way. In this regard, Greta Thunberg’s appearance on the world stage is iconic. Politicians like Putin and Trump are not very enthusiastic about Greta, calling her, respectively, “a poorly informed teenager” and “a girl who needs to chill” (“Greta Thunberg changes Twitter name”). But still, she is my idol, and therefore she reacts with humor, drawing attention to her Twitter page with quotes from these and other famous people.
Politicians’ and celebrities’ attitude towards her is rude, and this rudeness is eloquent. But Greta’s speech at the UN climate change conference is even catchier. She accuses world leaders of clever accounting, creative PR, and not taking any action (“Greta Thunberg’s speech at the UN”). Greta became a leader for the environmental protection movement that unites people who are not driven crazy by the civilization of consumption. And this movement provides a great variety of role models for self-identification.
Hinduism, social networks, news, and ‘environmental protectionism’ are not the only issues affecting my politically socialized identity. Furthermore, I do not worry about my identity at all; just like Greta, I am more concerned about the direction in which this world is moving. There is a humble opinion that one person can turn the whole course of history. Hopefully, people who can address vital concerns lead humanity in the right direction.
To summarize, I want to say that ideas, concepts, currents, and movements arise and disappear like clouds over the snow-capped peaks and valleys of the Tibetan mountains. Sometimes it seems that they are crucial for our future. But, real and imaginable, mental wars, revolutions, and upheavals only strengthen the core of our personality, which forms itself under the imposition of internal rather than external personal factors. Coming into this world, we choose from thousands of options, from all this abundance, only those things which echo with joy in our soul.
Works Cited
“Greta Thunberg’s speech at the UN climate change conference.” YouTube, uploaded by Channel 4 News. 2019. Web.
“Greta Thunberg changes Twitter name to ‘Sharon’ after game show error.” BBC. 2020. Web.
“Kali Maa, the Goddess of Destruction.” YouTube, uploaded by TheGodsOfIndia. 2011. Web.