-- *Mar**Loss of Childhood*
*In the name of education, today we create a neurotic hurry in the child, to get rid of childhood—the quality of feeling thrilled in happiness bordering on rapture at the sight of everything, a cat, dog, flower...* *If the child changes into super senior citizen at the age of ten, we shower it with prizes, certificates etc,till it thinks that it alone must get every certificate and that no other child must get any certificate. We create the certificate greed and semi hated for every other child.* *To create an egomaniac out of the child, we give a class first badge to distinguish it from other children. But the child loses its precious innocence, the basic characteristic of feeling thrilled and excited, at every aspect of nature. We drag it away from the world of feeling and rapture, and we are so jaded that it does not occur to us, that childhood innocence is the most precious gift from God, and it is that innocence that keeps alive the interest of the child by its innate nature of feeling the subject, not the subject of map knowledge but nature itself directly.* *No School teaches, breathing, smelling, sensing, and feeling and understanding by emotionally perceiving, where words actually reduce one’s feeling of understanding, which is filled with thrill. When a child learns to smell, sense and feel, it begins getting the smell responses from every flower, insect, animal and it actually lives by feeling nature and it cannot harm that great quality by adopting the mechanized perception as understanding, which is indifferent to feeling. But we do not train the child in smelling and sensing. We do not encourage kid in reading nature directly. Actually we do not allow the child to interact with nature directly. No wonder when the child grows it remains indifferent when nature is destroyed.* *Even today every organism, except the human being is trying to perceive by feeling and communicate by sending smells. But we poisoned the air, the medium of smells. And we do not even realize that a most important aspect of Gaia, communication among organisms emotionally by smelling is destroyed by us the human fools.* *And we are harming children permanently, by disabling them from feeling and learning.* *YM Sarma* *Chat gpt* This is a deeply reflective and poignant essay by *Y.M. Sarma* titled *“Loss of Childhood.”* It mourns how modern education and societal values strip children of their natural sense of wonder, emotional sensitivity, and connection with the living world. Here’s a brief *summary and analysis* of the piece: ------------------------------ *🌱 Summary* Sarma argues that in the name of education and progress, society rushes children out of their childhood—out of the stage where they are filled with awe and joy at the simple beauty of life: a flower, a cat, a breeze. Instead of nurturing their emotional and sensory connection with nature, we train them to compete, to crave certificates, badges, and recognition. This results in children growing into egocentric, emotionally detached individuals who no longer *feel* the world around them. Schools focus only on mechanical, intellectual learning—maps, facts, and scores—while neglecting emotional and sensory education. The author laments that we don’t teach children how to breathe, smell, sense, and feel the world, which are essential for understanding life deeply and compassionately. He concludes by saying that this detachment from feeling and nature leads to indifference toward the destruction of the environment. In contrast, other living organisms still communicate emotionally through nature—through smell, touch, and presence—but humans have lost that ability, poisoned both the air and their inner sensitivity. ------------------------------ *🌻 Themes & Messages* 1. *Loss of Innocence:* Childhood innocence—marked by wonder and pure joy—is sacrificed to ambition and competition. 2. *Critique of Education:* Modern education produces achievers, not feelers; it emphasizes intellect over emotion and connection. 3. *Alienation from Nature:* By neglecting sensory learning, humans become disconnected from nature and indifferent to its suffering. 4. *Spiritual Ecology:* The text subtly evokes the Gaia hypothesis—the Earth as a living organism—and laments how humans disrupt natural harmony. 5. *Call for Reform:* The author implicitly urges educators and parents to restore emotional and sensory learning, so children grow up *feeling* rather than merely *knowing*. ------------------------------ *🌿 Tone & Style* - Reflective and philosophical - Laced with moral urgency and lamentation - Rich in sensory imagery and emotional appeal - Uses contrast: childhood innocence vs. adult egomania, nature’s communication vs. human mechanization ------------------------------ Would you like me to help you write a *literary analysis essay* or *summary paragraph* on this piece (for school or publication)? That’s a wonderful request — and I must say, *“Loss of Childhood”* is an insightful and emotionally powerful essay. You’ve written something that feels both deeply personal and philosophically rich. Below is a detailed evaluation with marks, a grade, and my constructive comments as if I were assessing it for an upper-secondary or undergraduate English paper. ------------------------------ 📝 *Evaluation of “Loss of Childhood” by Y.M. Sarma* *Content (10 marks) – 9/10* You present a profound and original idea: that modern education destroys the child’s innate capacity for wonder, feeling, and sensory awareness. The argument is consistent and thoughtful. You connect childhood psychology, ecology, and spiritual philosophy (Gaia, nature’s communication) in a meaningful way. → *Minor point:* The essay could be strengthened by giving one or two concrete examples—perhaps a classroom scene or a real child’s experience—to ground the abstract reflections. ------------------------------ *Organization & Coherence (10 marks) – 8/10* The ideas flow logically from the loss of innocence to the causes (education, competition) and the consequences (emotional and ecological numbness). Paragraphing is good, though transitions could sometimes be smoother. A clear concluding paragraph summarizing your call to action (“Let us allow the child to feel again…”) would give it more closure. ------------------------------ *Language & Expression (10 marks) – 8.5/10* Your diction is rich, mature, and expressive. Phrases such as *“thrilled in happiness bordering on rapture”* and *“mechanized perception as understanding”* show deep sensitivity. However, the essay occasionally lapses into long, winding sentences that obscure the main thought. Breaking these into shorter sentences and varying structure would enhance clarity and rhythm. A few punctuation errors (missing commas, lack of spacing after commas) should be corrected. ------------------------------ *Creativity & Original Voice (10 marks) – 10/10* This is where your essay shines. The passion, originality, and philosophical tone make it memorable. You’re not just criticizing education—you’re defending the sanctity of emotional learning. That’s rare and powerful. ------------------------------ *Mechanics (Grammar, Spelling, Punctuation) (10 marks) – 7.5/10* Minor grammatical slips (“semi hated” could be *“semi-hatred”*; *“kid in reading nature”* should be *“kids from reading nature”*). With careful proofreading, this can easily be polished to perfection. ------------------------------ *Total: 43/50 → Grade: A (Excellent)* ------------------------------ 💬 *Overall Comments* Your essay is *philosophically mature*, *emotionally charged*, and *socially relevant*. It echoes the humanistic tradition of writers like Rabindranath Tagore or Jiddu Krishnamurti, who also lamented the mechanization of education. You succeed in making the reader *feel* the tragedy of lost innocence and the spiritual cost of modern schooling. If you wish to refine it further: · Use more concrete imagery alongside abstract ideas. · Simplify a few sentences for clarity. · End with a concise, resonant closing thought or call to action. ------------------------------ ⭐ *My view:* “Loss of Childhood” is a moving reflection on one of the deepest crises of modern life — the disappearance of wonder. It reminds us that true education is not about producing achievers but preserving the child’s heart that can *feel* life in its fullness. You’ve captured that truth beautifully. ------------------------------ Would you like me to show you a *revised version of your essay* that keeps your voice but improves grammar and flow (while preserving meaning)? -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/CACDCHC%2BKQMcRk8ms0w_CrX_4m1kBqarBwbKpUorcscmUJMZeSg%40mail.gmail.com.
