Walk through any Indian city today and you’ll notice two very different realities. Just like two sides of a coin. On one hand, people come together during hard times like floods, accidents, social movements to help complete strangers. On the other, we hear stories of public apathy, civic negligence, and online hostility.
Some people choose to look the other way, even knowing that collective action is needed. This raises an important question – Is social consciousness still alive in India? Are we gradually losing it?
The answer is not as straightforward as it seems. We all need to look beyond headlines and social media debates. We need to understand where we stand as a society. But before that, let’s understand what social consciousness actually means.
What is Social consciousness?
Social consciousness refers to the awareness/concern about society that individuals residing in it possess.
Social consciousness is demonstrated through individuals by raising their voice for inequality, injustice and ill practices or by the choices they make, which not only benefits them but is also made while considering the welfare of the society they live in.
Is Social consciousness dying in India?
In today’s world, where we have the whole world on our fingertips, we still lack Social consciousness. We are all aware of the majority of things happening. Yet we are not concerned.
Need a real-life example that supports this statement? A study by Journal Frontiers in Environmental Health estimated that extreme heat causes 3400 deaths nationwide, that too in a single day. And over 30,000 excess deaths over a 5-day period.
And yet we did not see the response we expected. There were almost no questions asked. No accountability taken. It’s like people seemed to forget that the 30,000 lives lost were humans. Not just numbers. Isn’t it the lack of concern?
Another example of lacking social consciousness is the absence of civic sense. Just look around you. You will notice honking in traffic. Littered public spaces. Jumping queues. What do these suggest? It’s not like we Indians don’t love cleanliness and etiquette. Of course we do! But that love is limited to our homes, not on roads and in public spaces.
Our minds have been coded in such a way that we do not care about anything that does not affect us directly. It displays a lack of empathy. Social consciousness seems to be dying because the people with voices choose to stay silent and forget about their responsibility.
Why is Social consciousness dying?
In the country where guests are equal to gods, where hospitality is a virtue, whose motto is “Unity In Diversity”, why did we stop caring about the society we live in? Well, there’s not one but many reasons:
Social Isolation: It generally refers to the process of withdrawing ourselves from society and forgetting that we belong in it. It is prominent in our generation because of the feeling that society does nothing for us. It begins to feel justified sometimes when there is a lack of opportunities, with quality of life degrading.
This might be caused by the frustration of their issues not being raised or their voices being ignored.
Social hierarchy: It refers to the division of a society that ranks individuals based on their wealth, status, power and authority. These divisions seem to play a vital role in the absence of social consciousness as the people who are superiors in the social hierarchy do not concern themselves with the problems faced by the rest while having the resources to help them or raise their voice.
Lack of responsibility: We usually tend to forget our responsibility towards the country we reside in. You might heard people around you casually saying, “Humare akele ke karne se kya hota h?”
This is a very common mindset that promotes the idea of “Individualism over collectivism” where we refuse to perform any actions that do not directly benefit us.
Cultural and Ideological divisions: Religion is not just a personal belief system. It keeps us grounded, is highly significant and vital for many of us. And honestly, there’s no issue until things go to the point where it becomes the core of someone’s entire personality.
Result? They begin to think their belief is superior. It creates more divisions and becomes a barrier for social consciousness, as people with rigid religious beliefs often feel apathy and a sense of hatred towards the followers of other religions. Unsettling the harmony of the society.
Ironically, there is not usually a feeling of brotherhood in a religion; there seem to be more distinctions like caste that yet again result in feelings of superiority and inferiority, which led to apathy and hatred or historical disgust.
Education: Education plays a vital role in every country. The better the education, the faster the economy grows. It helps shape the mindset of each citizen. But what if we say that the same education can sometimes contribute to social problems?
If you take a sneak peek into the Indian education system, you’ll notice how teachers appreciate rote memorisation rather than practical knowledge. Overlooking the importance of ethics and etiquette.
Even when children are taught things like the importance of social consciousness or civic sense, they interpret it just as a theory rather than something to be practised in real life.
What can we do better?
Our country is developing. There is no debate in it. But there are certain fields we need to do better in. The only difference for us is that many of these are actually basic civic responsibilities, not complex challenges (like not honking in traffic, not jumping queues, not littering public spaces, etc).
These problems could be solved by a change of perspective/mindset. The feeling of patriotism is very prevalent; we all love our country, but still fail to fulfil our responsibility as citizens.
Understand the fact that patriotism isn’t about going to the theatre to watch patriotic movies, polluting our rivers, spreading hate toward other communities, and overspeeding to get somewhere faster while casually saying “Bharat Mata Ki Jai”.
If we want to genuinely make our freedom fighters proud, focus not on grand gestures but on everyday actions. Remember, Independence Day and Republic Day should not be the only occasions to wave flags and post patriotic messages on social media.
They should remind us of our responsibilities that come with freedom! Respect public spaces. Treat them as if they were your own home. Follow traffic rules even when no one is watching. Stand in queues patiently. Avoid actions that inconvenience others.
Be willing to help people in need. Don’t just assume that “Oh, someone else will step in to help them out.” At the same time, stay informed about social issues. Participate in community initiatives whenever possible.
These small actions sound insignificant individually. But when adopted by millions, they create the foundation of a stronger, more responsible society.
Social Consciousness in India: End Note
There, we shared our thoughts on one important question – Is social consciousness in India alive or fading away? Perhaps, it lies somewhere in between. Yes, there are countless examples of compassion, unity, and collective action. Yet there are areas where civic responsibility needs greater attention.
A change doesn’t always require large-scale movements. It often begins with small actions taken by ordinary people like us every single day.
If each of us becomes a little more responsible… If each of us becomes more empathetic and aware of our role in society… The impact can be EXTRAORDINARY!
After all, a stronger nation is made not by its leaders but by the everyday choices of its citizens.
Aaradhya Chauhan
Aaradhya is a school student who is passionate about literature. She found herself in books.
Aaradhya is curiosity driven, approaching new things with excitement and an open
perspective. You can contact her on aaradhya.resplendent@gmail.com
