BETA

This week I was approached by the editorial team to write an article about higher studies in non-‘science’ related fields. Cliché I know, but apparently still a necessary topic to write about. In addition, It seems that this task always falls on me as I am apparently ‘the obvious candidate’ to discuss such a topic.

As you readers may or may not know, I have just completed my studies in political science (ignore the science bit) and now I am studying for my MSc in the same field. Growing up I harboured the typical ambition for a Tamil youth and that was to become a doctor. But as I became older and slightly wiser I decided that it was not the career for me. Apart from being a complete germ’o’phobe I did not like the idea of having to work long arduous hours where I was in regular contact with blood, guts and the sorts. Now I know what you are thinking, that there are other fields within medicine that do not involve such gore…but it was not the career for me. Much to the disappointment of my parents, I decided to continue my studies in the dreaded Arts field.

Eventually with a lot of gentle persuasion and a lot of good exam results later my parents were happy that I followed a path that made me happy and that I could excel in. It just so happens that both my degrees have the word science stuck on the end of them…that’s always a bonus in for us Tamils.

Many of you may be wondering what has this got to do with me? Well the answer is quite simple. Don’t worry if you want to pursue a field that is not the typical Tamil stereotype, just make sure you are studying what you are happy doing. Being forced to study a subject will only lead to poor grades and unhappy lives…but if you choose something you enjoy you are likely to excel. If you are interested in it, take a course relating to that, if you like history follow that path and if you like medicine then go for that! But you should never feel obliged to follow a certain career. Doing a non science related subject is not the end of the world and there are hundreds of careers out there that will cater to your qualification. I know parents may give you a hard time but it’s about time that Tamil people started to think out of the box. I read a comment on the Oru Paper website that summed it up for me and it said
‘We can bump into a medical doctor in almost every Tamil family; medical doctors cannot rebuild the shattered nation nor can they engage in diplomatic maneuvers’
To some effect this statement is true (and before I face an onslaught of criticism from parents…no one is saying don’t study medicine), the same blogger also commented that a great mistake of Tamils is to give disproportionate importance to those in science fields. While no one can go against the fact that doctors, medical personnel and scientists play a fundamental role in society, we also do not realise that the world is not made up of doctors alone. There is a great need for Tamils and all Asians to study economics, politics, international relations, geography etc. while everyone has their own opinions when it comes to politics one cannot simply engage in a conversation or official debate using personal opinions alone. There is a need for educated Tamil people to analyse, develop and discuss matters in the international forum. While older generations have people who can do this I am not sure that our generation will have anything similar to this. It is a proud achievement of Tamils to represent boroughs and wards in this country by being local councilors and MPs, when it is so far out of reach in our native land. But we must not be complacent and believe that we have achieved all there is to achieve academically, politically and socially. The only way our society can progress forward is by forward thinking, that includes abandoning old stereotypes. In Sri Lanka many of our parents and grandparents were not given the vast opportunities that we living in the western world have; it is only right therefore that we seize these opportunities and draw maximum benefit from what we have. After all if as a community we want to free our race from oppression we must possess to tools, amour and strength foremost in our minds.

‘learning the arts and sciences by letters and numbers opens our eyes to live a life of fullness’ Thirukurral 392