nineteen-Year-Old me's Manifesto (I Was Onto Something)

Author's Note

Written in 2020 — a one-page response to an essay prompt "What is your plan to make the world a better place?" I was nineteen. The grandiosity is fully intact. So, embarrassingly, is the vision.

Making the world a better place is a titan undertaking. However, it is possible to make minute changes that will inspire future generations. As such, I aspire to bring tradition into the future, thus creating sustainable, environmentally conscious practices that will allow us to enjoy the treasure that is Mother Earth long into the future. My goal is thus: I want to bring back traditional Asian practices with regards to (and not limited by) craftsmanship, hygiene, food, and culture. As an Indian- American, I have always been fascinated by the routines that older generations follow. For example, the traditional method of eating South Indian food is on a banana leaf, which is then folded up at the end of the meal and composted. This simple practice is environmentally friendly, but has become “special” in the rapidly progressing modern world. I also wish to create more opportunities for sustainable artisan crafting, wherein it will once again be an envied and honorable career. This will, hopefully provide not only jobs to skilled workers, but also promote eco-friendly practices, such as using clay as short term storage containers instead of single-use plastic. My aim is to find ways to bring all sorts of traditional practices that we often scoffed at our elders for suggesting into the modern world. For the past few years, I have been slowly shifting my daily practices from American consumerism to a traditional Indian routine. This has led me to believe that the East is home to a wealth of knowledge that can pull us back from the edge that the world is currently at. If my vision were to ever come to fruition, I would wish to see consumerism balanced with practices that have sustained our varied cultures for generations. 

My goal to bring change to the world is not one of social reform. However, I do believe that my ideas, in which both parts of my identity are valued, can at least make a small step forward. Essentially, I have revealed one of my biggest visions for the future in the hopes that my education and passion will be the foundation on which it can succeed.