The sun blazed mercilessly over the vast ground. Thousands of young men swarmed in, hungry, exhausted, drenched in sweat, yet restless with anticipation. For hours, they endured the heat, waiting for one man, their hero.With no shade in sight, they tore up mats meant for sitting and held them aloft as shields against the heat, rushing toward the place where their hero would arrive. In the centre of the field stood a massive ramp, draped with a red carpet and fenced off with iron barricades. Bouncers forming a fortress around the stage.Suddenly, the crowd erupted. Their beloved hero appeared, pushing through the crowd of men. The mob surged forward in uncontrollable frenzy, people shoved each other, trampled over those who fainted, shouted at the top of their lungs. No one cared if someone collapsed from heat or hunger, no one stopped to help. Their only mission was to get closer to their hero.Fans climbed the barricades, slipping again and again on the grease-coated iron gates, only to be dragged down by the bouncers. Some hurled flags onto the stage, few managed to scramble onto the ramp itself, waiting desperately to touch him. The bouncers were there to tackle them but even then they grinned in pride, thrilled that they had made it to the stage.This description pertains to events that occurred at the recent public meeting of actor Vijay’s Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam party, held in Tamil Nadu, a state that once prided itself on self-respect and social justice movements. Now we see young people stripped of critical thinking, blind to politics, and enslaved to stardom. Where did the self-respect movement lose its roots? What kind of citizens will these young people become in the future?The crisis of youthA society’s future rests in its youth. If the next generation lacks social understanding, maturity, and responsibility, the very foundation of justice and democracy is at risk. What we witnessed in that event is not a one-day phenomenon; it is the result of long-term distortions in how our youth are growing up.In this image released on Sept. 22, 2025, Security officials keep vigil as people greet Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s convoy passing by, ahead of the inauguration of the redeveloped Mata Tripura Sundari Temple complex, in Tripura. Photo: PMO via PTI.Healthy adolescent growth requires three stages, self-awareness, identity formation and social responsibility. But today’s youth are trapped in distorted versions of these stages. Parents who rose from poverty often overcompensated by giving their children comfort without struggle. With no hunger for learning, many youngsters developed inflated self-images, mistaking privilege for achievement. Into this vacuum stepped cinema, caste, and celebrity, offering easy identities. Social media amplified the problem. Recognition, once earned through effort, now comes instantly through likes and shares. Identity, instead of being personal and grounded, is borrowed from fandom or online groups. Social contribution, instead of civic action, is reduced to hash tags and reels. The result? Shallow, fragile selfhoods that cling desperately to external validation. Cinema fandom is the easiest refuge. It offers instant belonging, ready-made heroes, and enemies to hate. A fan of one hero proves loyalty not through reasoned argument, but by attacking fans of other hero. This group aggression, once limited to film rivalries, now spills into politics.In this framework, politics is not about policies, rights, or justice. It is about shouting slogans, wearing flags, and drowning out dissent. This explains why, at this event, there was no on reservation, education, employment, or federal rights. What mattered was the leader’s charisma, not his vision.Youth moulded in this distorted fashion grow up shallow, reactionary, and incapable of dialogue. Their very identities are fragile and built on group aggression. Their politics becomes one of blind loyalty and hatred, not vision or debate.A political party that relies only on personality cults and fan hysteria, without offering real perspectives on people’s problems, is bound to spread intolerance rather than constructive discourse. If educated youth surrender their self-respect and individuality at the feet of cinema stars, what hope is there for a society built on equality and justice?Personal growth is not merely a biological process; it is intertwined with society. Likewise, social progress is not just about economic growth; it depends on the psychological maturity of individuals.This incident reflects a deeper distortion in the way an entire generation is being raised. If Tamil Nadu is to preserve its long tradition of justice, equality, and rational thought, it must begin with education that goes beyond merit and marks instead nurtures critical thinking, curiosity, and the courage to question. Equally important are civic spaces where young people can debate, disagree, and engage without fear of ridicule or violence, so that politics becomes dialogue rather than blind shouting. At the same time, society must celebrate role models who embody service, sacrifice, and integrity, rather than elevating stardom as the highest form of success. Parents too have a responsibility: to raise children with resilience, self-discipline, and a sense of accountability, instead of cushioning them in comfort and creating fragile egos that seek refuge in fandoms. Above all, citizens themselves must resist being reduced to mere fans. True politics begins only when fandom ends. When individuals learn to think for themselves, question their leaders, and act with responsibility for the larger society rather than for a star.This particular description of events essayed at the start of this piece reflects a generation mistaking politics for entertainment and devotion for democracy. The choice before Tamil Nadu is stark. We can allow our young people to remain a political herd, driven by frenzy and blind loyalty. Or we can demand something higher that they grow into citizens who think, question, and lead with responsibility. The future of our democracy depends on which path we choose.Dr Sivabalan Elangovan, professor and head of the department of Psychiatry, Dr MGR Educational and Research Institute.