The society is where we belong, and which nurtures us to be responsible citizens. Similarly, we as individuals are also responsible to our society and all our actions reflect on the well-being of our society that we belong to. Hence, a very integral part of our upbringing is the social responsibility that we adopt which has a bearing on our own social behavior.

Since we live in colonies or apartments or localities which are inhabited by our own kind, unlike animals which live in a multi-species environment, our social behavior towards our neighbours and friends must be such that it does not disrupt the peace and tranquility of life in general.

Social responsibility primarily means taking ownership of the needs of the people around you and ensuring that these are met with the least amount of resistance or difficulty. If there are hardships and obstacles within the environment that dislocates the peace and harmony of the people in the neighbourhood, taking charge of such problems, and adopting means to try and solve as much as possible within a short time frame, is the primary meaning of social responsibility.

If the haves can help the have-nots, if the downtrodden is given a helping hand to uplift their lives, if the illiterate are given basic education so that their lives can become more meaningful, if a sense of spirituality is instilled in them to become God-fearing individuals, then, it can be said that the individual who adopts a sense of such social responsibility has indeed succeeded in his endeavor.

There is always strength in numbers and it is easier to disseminate information, advice, education and social awareness, to a gathering of motivated people from a given neighborhood, rather than try to seek out individuals for such work. When groups within a society or colony or residential complex is brought together, there is already a sense of camaraderie. For the youth who spearheads such an initiative, there is a sense of achievement and responsibility and he feels that his work is taken seriously. For instance, let’s say that out of a 100, only 95 persons are tuned towards the suggested action. The indifferent 5 will eventually fall in line with the others when they see the benefits of such social actions.

For the youth of today, besides their regular education in schools and colleges and their participation in sports and athletics, involvement in society at the grass root level provides them with more knowledge, experience and a sense of satisfaction that he has been able to contribute to society from where he has emerged. Change, as they say, is the only constant, but societal change happens gradually.

While it may not always be possible to see radical changes over night, for the youth of today, the satisfaction must come from the fact that he or she has involved themselves wholeheartedly for the purpose of influencing better social practices in the community. Social work is a work in progress and once the person implementing it takes on a serious responsibility, then, the beneficiary will imbibe it better and faster. The results, sometimes, will show benefits immediately and sometimes as time goes by, but, we cannot postpone the work that needs to be done today.

The youth of today must remember that, while the society he is involved in shows such societal change and benefits now or later, he will be witness to seeing the fruits of his labour blossom and bloom. If such marked change happens in society, we can clearly say that the youth of today has indeed done a remarkable job of taking on a social responsibility. They can well revel in the knowledge that they have been a catalyst for change in the society that needs constant upgradation as life itself goes through changes.