Society depicts a group of individuals living together following set laws and sharing certain values. Man is a social animal & belonging to a society gives one identity. Society does not mean uniformity. We can all differ in caste, color or creed but we all crave attention, love, recognition, help and support from those around us. In other words, we all want to belong and integrate with the society which we are a part of. As individuals, we all have different capabilities. Not everyone has to be a high achiever, a go-getter or ambitious. Diversity of human nature is the beauty of society. We not only differ in our appearances, but in the same way we differ in our behaviors, reactions & our approach towards life. Our mental, emotional & psychological well-being is closely associated with our environment. This is why we need to have a healthy society for the benefit of each individual. A healthy society serves to nourish, flourish and support each individual member to reach its full potential.
What determines the health of a society? Is healthy society one where there is decreased prevalence of disease? Is it a collection of all very happy individuals? Certainly not! To have a healthy society, we need to have healthy productive individuals. Keep in mind healthy not happy! Happiness and success are not measures of health. Every person faces a number of highs & lows in life. Our coping mechanisms enable us to adapt to changing life circumstances. It is the collective responsibility of all members of society to reach out to people facing dejection in life & nurture them back to a normal life, not to push them further into dungeons of depression & solitude. Physical health can be easily monitored but we also need to keep an eye on the mental and emotional health of people around us.
A healthy society is one that ensures access to good education, healthcare, employment, safe living conditions and equal opportunities for all its members. It is an achievable goal that requires active input and productivity from all of us. Let us all play a positive role in building a healthy society by bringing our best abilities forward for all to benefit.
The author Dr Sabeen Akbar Yezdani is a mother of three, a lecturer by profession but still a student of life.