Shipped off to school working 8 hours a day,
A place where no one cares what you say.
And no one cares about the problems you face,
One small mistake and you're a disgrace.
Now what's the point of being one in the herd?
'Cause even though you're screaming you're not even heard.
You're walking down the corridor and not one head has turned,
Lessons have been taught but they're not the ones we've learned.
I don't know what was going through Xeno's head as he wrote this song and a part of me is desperate to know while the other part just wants to remain in blissful oblivion.
In his song, Xeno has addressed a lot of first world problems and how millennials are stuck in an unforgiving and rigid system, with almost no way out.
When I think of school, or when the idea of a school is portrayed in a book or in a movie, especially set during the nineties, it's depicted as a haven where learning takes place in a cohesive atmosphere and education is not restricted to a textbook.
I'm sure, schools of today also strive to give this cohesive atmosphere to their students, but something has snapped and there's a change in the mindset of people and this transition has been illustrated so beautifully by Xeno, in his raw but refined lyrics.
Our systems, especially our education system follow the "one size fits all" pattern. Students are herded like cattle. It is so unyielding that there is no place for accommodating students who do not have conventional expectations or dreams. Students begin to feel trapped and maybe even suffocated. This turmoil has no easy solution and often these students are categorised as "feeble-minded" or "unfit", which can have a lot of negative effects on the esteem and confidence of a growing mind, especially one which actually isn't "unfit", it just has a different orientation.
People have become so engaged in this rat race that the students call their world, they've forgotten about the bigger picture. I know students who suffer from depression and/or are victims of drug abuse. These issues are not addressed effectively in present-day schools. Disciplinary issues like your haircut's resemblance to the vogue of a football icon or how squeaky clean your shoes are, are given such attention but no one really addresses the mental health of students. Priorities are not checked and activities are undertaken because they're a part of a routine, not because it is a sound initiative.
On the other hand, there is only so much the institution can do, for it's responsible for academically training thousands. In my opinion, the revolution has to be individual. People have to stop being so oblivious to pleas for help, for these SOS calls are usually not upfront. Generally, victims are not comfortable pouring out their heart, no matter how close you are. Learning to pick up signals that a person is in need of assistance or could do with a supportive shoulder has to be common knowledge. People have to stop being so insensitive and have to start thinking twice before speaking because you don't know what could push a person over the ledge.
The revolution doesn't have to be restricted to schools alone, but I do think schools have to be the epicentre because they give birth to the future of the world.
Miss Peppermint asks: Have you been a victim of the herd mentality? Let me know in the comments section below!
Show some love to Xeno The Lyricist, he writes lyrics which might urge you to think and are quite catchy at the same time!!
