One of the missions of the writer is to present to the readers a clear picture of what is causing a problem to society and suggest ways to solve it. A writer has the ability to think clearly (or rather, has developed it, channelise these thoughts and present them in a sequential form. In the context of this, we go on to the third formula emphasizing a problem that is becoming very grave.Let us take population explosion. We begin b stating the causes of the problem:
Whatever you covet, you have to
contend with tremendous competition; however vast the resource, it does not go
round.
“If you look around, you will
realize that more and more educated people are restricting the size of their
family while the illiterate continue to breed. Clearly, the cause lies in
illiteracy an ignorance….”
After stating the cause, go on to
spell out the attempts made to tackle the problem:
“Fully aware of the dangers of
increasing population, the Government has made it its primary business to
control it. One of the most effective ways is through mass media like TV and
radio. Constantly, the message is driven home an in many different ways so that
no one can miss it! Besides, family planning centers are located all over the country, offering free advice
and help, by way of birth control. Social workers travel to the interiors to
educate the rural folk and service clubs, like the Lion and Rotary, hold camps
where leading gynecologists carry out sterilization operations. Public and
private sector companies offer incentives to their workers to keep their
families to the minimum. State governments feature family planning propaganda
on priority basis, setting targets for achievement of their goals…” You can
elaborate on this by giving further examples.
Have these attempts been fruitful?
Obviously not! So, now, you write about the failure and its reasons:
“Despite the many-pronged efforts
by the government and other social service bodies, population is on the upward
trend. Though the educated couples call a halt after two, the labour class is
merrily going ahead with the reproduction activity! This can be due to lack of
responsibility on their part, both as parents and as citizens. The masses
cannot be educated en masse. What they need is a personalized approach. They dismiss
mass media messages as meant for someone else. They are still steeped in blind
beliefs and consider children as God’s gift. The jingles and spots on the TV
and radio don’t touch their inner selves…”
Having looked at the problem in
its entirety, it is up to you as a writer to suggest what has to be done:
“Just as one candle can light a
thousand candles, we, the educated and the enlightened, must assist the
Government in solving the problem. Most offices have welfare activities when
their staff goes on picnics or has parties. Instead, why not convert these
outings into a mission? They can adopt a nearby slum or village and meet the
people, explain the purpose of birth control and its benefits and see to it
that they follow the advice. A person-to-person communication is more effective
than large hoardings or ten-second flashes on the TV. It is in the interest of
every citizen to see that population is under control. There are many
housewives who are dying of boredom. Why not they get together and make frequent
trips to slums and villages and educate the women? Instead of cluttering a
student’s curriculum with unwanted subjects, our education system can
incorporate compulsory visits to rural areas to spread the message of family
planning….” In this vein, you can give your own solutions to the problem.
Now, try your hand at writing
about another problem that is becoming serious.
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