From idolizing strong personalities to criticizing them, I have understood the value of questioning everything
When I stepped into this college for the first time, I had a polarized perspective of the world. The people of Symbiosis Centre of Media & Communication, including the students and faculty aided me in opening up my mind to the bemused reality that is being ignored around us. All the grey areas I somehow overlooked till now.
From idolizing strong personalities to criticizing them, I have understood the value of questioning everything. Critical thinking has been instilled in me now, I feel. Many of us have been bought up in an environment which restricts us from questioning the practices around us. This affects the way we think, behave and view the world.
During this journey from my first to the fifth semester in this college, the different shades between the black and white started revealing themselves to me. Be it the unsparing lectures from Prof. A.F. Mathew on caste and other social evils that are still prevailing in society or the holistic view of History from Prof. Sagar Kamath; all these courses and their lectures guided me in acquiring a better perspective on the current issues happening around us and also in the world beyond our view point. When we were discussing various subjects with Prof. Yadav to come up with a good research topic, I came to the realization that some problems have been overlooked for so long that they have been normalized in our society. We have been completely desensitized to these issues. Is this what humans are made for? Is this how they should act? A lot of such similar questions clouded my head.
The multiple internship programs we undertook during our college exposed us to different scenarios and situations that we had only read or heard about. My first internship with Teach for India was an eye opening yet wonderful experience. Similarly, the next 4 internships introduced me to different types of people of different backgrounds, societal views and values. As products of a mass communication college, it is integral for us to understand the different perspectives and values of people around us and become sensitized accordingly. As the bearers of the immense power of media, it is our duty to put it to good use and assume responsibility.
Article by: Newel Mathew Sailesh (Batch of 2018)
Photograph by: Newel Mathew Sailesh (Batch of 2018)
