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On this ‘International Day of Tolerance’, here’s an understanding of the term ‘generation snowflake’ and the diminishing tolerance in the society.

“You are not special. You are not a beautiful and unique snowflake. You are the same organic and decaying matter as everyone else,” said Tyler Durden in Fight Club.

Snowflake, literally meaning frozen rain is a term used to describe oversensitive individuals who melt at the slightest increase in temperature just like an actual snowflake. They feel a sense of entitlement and believe their opinion to be right all the time. They have a hard time accommodating conflicting opinions and get offended at the drop of a hat.

Today’s generation of oversensitive millennials and post-millennials are commonly categorized as ‘generation snowflake’. It is widely believed that this generation is more prone to taking offence than any other previous generation. While every generation takes offence at some or the other things, our generation seems to be more vulnerable and sensitive.

As the famous feminist saying goes ‘Personal is political’, the current generation seems to have started taking everything political as personal resulting in high emotional responses.

Researchers argue that university students today are overly self-entitled, averse to any form of criticism and lack resilience to accommodate conflicts. While this is a debatable argument, the increasing trigger warnings before articles and social-media rants make it difficult to eliminate the term altogether. The tolerance level seems to be at an all-time low as even the most insignificant issue arouses aggressive emotions from the youth on social media today.

‘I see my social media filled with overly emotional and at times, aggressive responses to every new political or social news. Many times I feel that such reactions are overstated and serve no purpose,’ said a student of Gargi College.

While according to Sakshi from Kamala Nehru College, “This is derogatory to assume because our generation is much more active and socially aware.”

The generation today is, undoubtedly, much more enlightened about the various ills and discrimination plaguing society. They speak up for their rights and tolerate no injustice. But, the term ‘snowflake’ is for those individuals who, masking this activism, use the opportunity to whine at every matter.

Cynicism and Nihilism are the ‘it’ words used by the generation today as optimism and hope seem to have exited their dictionaries. A large number of NGOs fuel this thinking by presenting an exaggerated dystopian worldview. Parenting is largely responsible for how a child will grow up to be. Thus, it becomes essential to see through the ‘snowflake’ traits of their children and inculcate tolerance and humility.

While, as much as this generation is believed to be intolerant, narcissistic and entitled, it becomes important to reflect that this term ‘generation snowflake’ is also coming out of older generations’ inability to accommodate this opinionated generation.

Instead of dismissing the current generation’s every argument as immature and branding them as ‘sensitive and intolerant young people’, people need to be more open to accepting this evolving generation who take no injustice. Also, the Gen Y and Z need to be more tolerant of opinions which don’t match theirs and decisions that don’t go their way.

On this ‘International Day of Tolerance’, let’s pledge to be more tolerant and accommodative of conflicting opinions and views and take dissent as disagreement and not disrespect.

 

Feature Image Credits: Scopio

 

Shreya Agrawal

[email protected]

 

From the director of Haramkhor (2015), ‘Zoo’ takes you on a journey from the ghettos of Bombay to its elite societies and drug addiction.

Addiction is a disease; it occupies your mind and soul. Drug addiction amongst the Indian youth is a rising concern for the nation. According to a 2015-survey conducted in Punjab, over 83% of drug users were employed, and 89% were literate, showing that drug addiction affects all social classes and, unfortunately, very few get the help they need to battle addiction.

Shlok Sharma’s Zoo, shot entirely on an iPhone 6 Plus, explores drug addiction and identity in the city of Mumbai through the central storyline involving five protagonists, two brothers, two wannabe rappers from the slums of Mumbai, and a girl who refuses to leave her house. The only things connecting their storylines are drug addiction and trade, and their personal conflict with their own identities. The characters involuntarily succumb to their weaknesses.

Shashank Arora, who was the lead in Brahman Naman, plays Bicky, a coffee shop worker who pretends to be mute and runs a drug business on the side. His brother who goes by ‘Messi’ (we never learn his real name) is a young, hot-headed footballer who ends up being fascinated with his older brother’s profession. The third protagonist, Misha (played by Shweta Tripathi) is an under-age girl who resorts to drugs in order to deal with her past. She never leaves her apartment, and she refuses to meet her family.

Image from Netflix.
Image from Netflix

Towards the end of the film, we find the reason behind her addiction and a glimpse into her dark past. Two rappers from the slums of Dharavi, Mumbai seem slightly alien to the storyline as  they are in search of their big breakthrough, while the world around them fails to understand their craft. Prince Daniel and Yogesh Kurme deliver excellent performances throughout the film.
The four storylines run parallel to each other, but the characters lack depth. Emotional outbursts and monologues fail to deliver to the potential of the film. We see the bond between the two brothers grow and Bicky’s rising concern for his younger brother, but his emotions fail to make the movie stand out. Misha’s character seems rather bland, as the audience is taken through the journey through relapses and mood-swings, but one is left wondering if there is more to her character.

 

In my perspective, the film would have progressed better if there were fewer protagonists, and the audience would also be able to emotionally connect with the characters. As the movie progresses and delves into the story-line focusing on the extremes of Mumbai, one fails to emotionally connect to a character and root for their victory for there are way too many story-lines and emotions to follow.

For a film shot on an iPhone, the cinematography is excellent. Most of the film is shot in natural light which adds to its rawness. Since the film focuses on love, loss, and addiction, I would love it if there was a separate film revolving around the story of the two rappers, Yoku and Prince. The film ends on a bittersweet note, where a few characters gain the closure they desperately seek, while others meet an untimely (and abrupt) end.

Feature Image Credits: Netflix

Jaishree Kumar

[email protected]

From the director of Haramkhor (2015), ‘Zoo’ takes you on a journey from the ghettos of Bombay to its elite societies and drug addiction. Addiction is a disease; it occupies your mind and soul. Drug addiction amongst the Indian youth is a rising concern for the nation. According to a 2015-survey conducted in Punjab, over 83% of drug users were employed, and 89% were literate, showing that drug addiction affects all social classes and, unfortunately, very few get the help they need to battle addiction. Shlok Sharma’s Zoo, shot entirely on an iPhone 6 Plus, explores drug addiction and identity in the city of Mumbai through the central storyline involving five protagonists, two brothers, two wannabe rappers from the slums of Mumbai, and a girl who refuses to leave her house. The only things connecting their storylines are drug addiction and trade, and their personal conflict with their own identities. The characters involuntarily succumb to their weaknesses. Shashank Arora, who was the lead in Brahman Naman, plays Bicky, a coffee shop worker who pretends to be mute and runs a drug business on the side. His brother who goes by ‘Messi’ (we never learn his real name) is a young, hot-headed footballer who ends up being fascinated with his older brother’s profession. The third protagonist, Misha (played by Shweta Tripathi) is an under-age girl who resorts to drugs in order to deal with her past. She never leaves her apartment, and she refuses to meet her family. [caption id="attachment_62159" align="aligncenter" width="300"]Image from Netflix. Image from Netflix[/caption] Towards the end of the film, we find the reason behind her addiction and a glimpse into her dark past. Two rappers from the slums of Dharavi, Mumbai seem slightly alien to the storyline as  they are in search of their big breakthrough, while the world around them fails to understand their craft. Prince Daniel and Yogesh Kurme deliver excellent performances throughout the film. The four storylines run parallel to each other, but the characters lack depth. Emotional outbursts and monologues fail to deliver to the potential of the film. We see the bond between the two brothers grow and Bicky’s rising concern for his younger brother, but his emotions fail to make the movie stand out. Misha’s character seems rather bland, as the audience is taken through the journey through relapses and mood-swings, but one is left wondering if there is more to her character.   In my perspective, the film would have progressed better if there were fewer protagonists, and the audience would also be able to emotionally connect with the characters. As the movie progresses and delves into the story-line focusing on the extremes of Mumbai, one fails to emotionally connect to a character and root for their victory for there are way too many story-lines and emotions to follow. For a film shot on an iPhone, the cinematography is excellent. Most of the film is shot in natural light which adds to its rawness. Since the film focuses on love, loss, and addiction, I would love it if there was a separate film revolving around the story of the two rappers, Yoku and Prince. The film ends on a bittersweet note, where a few characters gain the closure they desperately seek, while others meet an untimely (and abrupt) end. Feature Image Credits: Netflix Jaishree Kumar [email protected]]]>