The modern culture according to a newspaper article is, Don’t Feel Guilty. This phrase speaks about the modern mind today.  This is not only about an article, rather people today largely think along these lines. When we look at matters from the perspective of right and wrong, we feel guilty when we do something wrong. The article says in beautiful words that the feeling of guilt decreases our self-confidence levels. This way of thinking is indeed a mistake. How can we explain this? When we feel guilty, we develop a desire for self-correction or self-reform. The article claims that guilt decreases self-confidence and thus the ability to compete or face challenges. This has brought great deviation in human life. What is the meaning of feeling guilty? When you perform actions which are harmful for others and for society, you will realize that you have made a mistake. When you realize that you have made a mistake, you will correct yourself. You will develop the desire for self-revision. But the article very beautifully says that guilt decreases self-confidence. Guilt has no relation to self-confidence. Guilt leads to self-correction. If you have become harmful for society, you should correct yourself. These days there is corruption, violence and hate everywhere. Recently, a boy killed another with a gun. Both were innocent children who were just playing. While playing with the gun, they didn’t realize that the trigger has been pressed. Parents don’t stop their children from wrongdoing, thinking it would decrease their self-confidence level. These are beautiful words, but this way of thinking is very wrong.

What is self-confidence? The source of self-confidence is the conviction that I am on the right path, and not that I have not made any mistakes. There is difference between the two. One is to believe that I have not made a mistake. The other is to believe that I am on the right path. Instill self-confidence in people by bringing them on the right path and making them believe that they are on the right path. The feeling that I have not made a mistake is not useful. If you indulge in violence, you may think you are not wrong. You may exploit others and do corruption but believe that you are not wrong.

Is this the right way of thinking? This kind of life is worse than that of animals. Even animals don’t behave this way. If you bring an end to these value, there will be anarchy everywhere in society. Self-confidence is undoubtedly very important. But the source of self-confidence is the conviction that I am on the right path, and not the belief that I haven’t made any mistakes. When you realize that you have made a mistake, the desire for self-correction will arise. You must not link it to self-confidence and think that admitting your mistakes is bad. This is not a proper way of thinking.