My advice to young people

I thought I'd use the wisdom of my years to give some advice to young people in these trying times when we're asked why history matters.

So, of course, I consulted my boys. I asked them, what should I say to young people? Of course I had to wait for the exact moment they would look up from their phones and laptops - which was a window of about eight seconds.

After he was done rolling his eyes, my 13-year-old told me, don't be boring. As for my 18-year-old, he was aghast that anyone wanted to listen to me at all!

Not satisfied with this dipstick, I thought I'd ask a few professionals. I asked a media mogul who has just set up a website, and he told me, young people don't want to listen to anyone who thinks they are the voice of God.

I asked one of my young colleagues, and she told me, be like the father in Roald Dahl's Matilda. Repeat what Mr Wormwood tells Matilda: "I'm smart. you're dumb. I'm big, you're little. I'm right, you're wrong. And there's nothing you can do about it.''

As you can see, by the end of the experiment, I was thoroughly confused.

But now that I have you as a captive audience, I will pretend to be Salman Khan in Bigg Boss, and give you some advice for life.

Bigg Boss ke ghar mein aapka swagat hai.

Bigg Boss aapko sujhaav dena chaahte hain.

So here goes:

1. Be nice to your parents. Make them your allies, not your enemies, in your search for yourself. Not just because you need the Bank of Mom & Dad, but also because at some point, we all become our parents. Don't say hurtful things to them. You will regret it later, and won't be able to do anything about it.

2. This is for boys. Be very nice to the girls you're studying with and working with. Remember, they're probably going to end up as your bosses soon because you do know that women are going to rule the world.

3. This is for girls. Be nice to boys, they need to get used to women being smarter, better looking, and more hardworking than they are. Allow them to catch up and then beat them at their own game. But again, be nice while doing so.

4. Smartphones don't automatically make you smart. You have to use them to read. Read history if you like, even though Chetan Bhagat wonders what historians do.

5. Sports are to be played with hands and feet. Not on PS4s, PS3s and X-Boxs.

6. Work hard. It's the best cure to boredom.

7. Know yourself. Work hard on your flaws, better your good qualities. Never be afraid to ask a question. Don't take criticism personally but use it to become better. You know nothing is not just a line used for Jon Snow in Game of Thrones. It embodies you. Be willing to learn.

8. Don't be afraid of falling down, breaking a few bones, and picking yourself up again. The only way you learn is from mistakes.

9. Laugh. Find humour in everything. That may well allow you to cope with some of the things happening around us. Find humour in politics, associate everything you learn to what you learn in history.

10. Be the first you, not the second so and so. Better to be an original at something than a poor fake. Be adventurous, book a trip to Mars, climb a mountain no one has done before, sail a river, go live in a village without electricity for three months.

Let your spirits fly, let your imagination run wild, let your hearts race, let your mind rock.