FOLLOWING YOUR HEART & FACING INDIAN SOCIETY'S RESPONSE

FOLLOWING YOUR HEART AND FACING INDIAN SOCIETY'S RESPONSE

Why This Matters?

Many young people in India want to follow their hearts. This means choosing their own path – like becoming an artist, a scientist, or an entrepreneur instead of simply doing what others expect. But in Indian society, when someone chooses a different path, they are often judged harshly. People may call them lazy, irresponsible, or a failure.

We see this core message clearly in movies like 3 Idiots & its Tamil remake Nanban. These films encourage young people to discover what they truly love, instead of going with the odds which society accepts but their own self rejects, work hard at it, and become the best in that field. The characters show that real success comes when you follow your heart and put in honest effort – even if society pushes you toward something else.

Similarly, the Japanese anime Naruto has stories about people who try to do what they believe is right but are often misunderstood. These stories can help Indian youth see that following your heart is not easy, but it can be meaningful and rewarding.

What It Means to Follow Your Heart?

Following your heart means choosing something that feels right to you. It could be a dream, a passion, or a personal goal. But when this choice goes against society’s rules or expectations, people often react negatively. They may not understand your reason, and they may label you as “wrong,” even if your goal is something good. Let’s break it down now.

Naruto’s Characters: Itachi and Madara (and a Note on Zamasu from DBS)

Three characters – Three different examples on how they follow their hearts in very different ways:

Itachi Uchiha makes a painful choice to stop a civil war by eliminating his own clan. He does this to protect the entire village and avoid bloodshed. Most people don’t know the full truth behind his sacrifice, so they call him a traitor. His story shows how someone can do a truly good thing but be unfairly judged because their sacrifice is hidden.

Madara Uchiha also wants peace, but he chooses an extreme and dangerous path: putting everyone in a fake dream world where there’s no conflict. Even though his goal sounds good, he forces it on others without their choice, making him a villain. His path shows that even with good intentions, the way you act matters—a bad method can destroy a good goal.

A similar but even harsher example comes from Zamasu in Dragon Ball Super. Zamasu also claims he wants peace and justice, but his solution is to wipe out all mortals he sees as “impure.” His motive might sound righteous on the surface, but it’s completely unacceptable because it is built on hate and violence. His path isn’t misunderstood like Itachi’s – it’s fundamentally wrong and cruel.

These characters show that the reasons behind choosing an unconventional path are important. Society often judges anyone who breaks the rules, but it’s crucial to see why they did it, how they did it, and what impact their choices have. Not every unconventional path is good – some are selfless sacrifices, others are misguided, and some are truly harmful.

From Left : Itachi Uchiha / Madara Uchiha / Zamasu kai

Real-Life Examples in Indian Society

In India, young men often choose uncommon paths – and society’s role is important in how these choices turn out:

A young man like Itachi may sacrifice his personal dreams to support his struggling family. For example, he might give up a scholarship abroad to take a simple job and care for a sick parent or he might leave his own career goals & dreams behind to help run the family business with debts when no one else can, even if it means he never gets to follow his own passion.
Society might think he “wasted his future” or “lacked ambition,” but in truth, he made a silent, selfless sacrifice. Such young people deserve respect and support for their sense of duty, even if their choice is unconventional.
A young man like Madara might start with a noble idea—He might want to fight corruption in local politics but ends up blackmailing officials or destroying public property, believing fear will bring change. His intention is to clean the system, but his methods hurt people and make the problem worse. His original goal is meaningful, but his actions cause harm. Society should recognize his good intentions but guide him toward better, non-violent ways to create change.
Then there are people like Zamasu from Dragon Ball Super, who have extreme or harmful intentions. For example, in real life, this can mean gangs who harm society for personal gain, or those involved in the black market and illegal trades that exploit others. Often, these people were deeply hurt by society, and that pain turns into hatred or revenge. Even if they claim to have a “reason” or call it “justice,” their plans are rooted in hate, greed, or violence. Society must stand firmly against such dangerous paths, stop them early, and protect others from their harm.

These examples show that not every young person who follows their heart is the same. Some need support, others need guidance, and some must be stopped. It’s important for society to look deeper, understand the reasons, and respond in the right way rather than judge all unconventional paths the same.

Mentioning again : Not every unconventional path is good. It’s crucial to see why they did it, how they did it, and what impact their choices have – some are selfless sacrifices, others are misguided, and some are truly harmful.

What Indian Youth Can Learn from those characters –

Young people can learn some important lessons:

Following your heart is not about ignoring others. It’s about finding a balance between your dreams and real-life responsibilities.
Not every dream will work out, but trying is still valuable. Each effort teaches something new.
Like the characters in Naruto, young people should stay strong, even if they are misunderstood.

How Families and Society Can Help –

Families and communities play a big role in helping youth grow:

Instead of judging quickly, try to listen and understand what the young person wants.
Support them in small ways – whether it’s helping them with money, giving them time, or simply believing in them by giving them some time to prove themselves.
Understand that not every success looks the same. A musician, an artist, or a small business owner can be just as successful as an engineer or doctor.

Conclusion: Giving Space to Dream

Following your heart in Indian society is hard – but it’s not impossible. Just like the characters in Naruto, young people who choose a different path need courage, support, and understanding. If society becomes more open and encouraging, we can turn judgment into growth and failure into learning.

Every young person deserves the chance to chase their dream – without being called a failure just because they chose a different road.

THOUGHTS ON LONELINESS AND SELF GROWTH