The media plays an immense role in shaping the attitudes of students.  The minds of school students are highly impressionable and the media - print or electronic - leave indelible marks on them. 

I have not been quite happy with the kind of trash dished out by the "student editions" of certain national dailies in the last few years.  I sought the opinions of some of my students about it and many of them thought that the "student editions" were hollow.  They fail to give any serious news and analysis.  Instead they consciously promote a consumerist culture. 

Take for example today's (Feb 20) "Student Edition" of the Times of India.  The catchiest headline says:

Paisa vasool

Above that is the sub-headline: "With the Annual Budget round the corner, our exclusive Times NIE [Newspaper in Education] survey delves into the teen pocket - what they like to splurge on - and hence puts forwards their appeal to the FM for the year.  Read to know what GenX 2008 calls..."

And what does GenX put forward, according to the survey?  Let me reproduce just  four out the many views given.

You must have noticed the absolute lack of concern with the budget on the part of the students although the survey was allegedly intended to 'put forward the teens' appeals to the FM'! 

Yesterday's (Feb 19) "Student Edition" of the same paper obliquely advised the students not to be much concerned with the intellect and ideas and such stuff because they are becoming obsolete.  The following were listed as the characteristics of the contemporary teens:

1. obsession with enjoyment

2. increasing use of the Internet

3. anti-intellectualism and anti-rationalism

4. entertainment

Believe it or not, I find that most of my students 'suffer' from these 'symptoms'.  So, the Times of India has got their analysis quite right.  My problem, however, is: what does this paper do in order to change the situation for the better?  My observation is that the paper brazenly panders to the banal instincts and passions of the young students. 

Coming back to today's item: what's Times of India's conclusion?  Indirectly it is:

The major spending areas for teens are clothing, entertainment, cyber cafes, dance parties and restaurants.  In today's world only Brands do the talking.  If you have bought a set of dresses from lets (sic) say Tommy Hilfiger, Esprit, people tend to notice your taste rather than calculating how much must have spent (sic).  Teens are also following the same trend - Priyanka Bhardwaj, Market Analyst, Delhi. 

An organisation like World Vision requires just Rs 600 per month for looking after the food and education of an orphan child.  I wish newspapers like the Times of India focused on such issues rather than 'inspiring' the students to spend Rs 6000 per month as pocket money.