We, the people of India - contd.

In my last post I highlighted the failure of law enforcement. What seems unimportant to me after days of observing this failure is that its ultimately us who have led India to such a pathetic state. The scope I am giving to "us" is all the people who, when they saw the failure, thought that it is happening, and did nothing but just stood there watching it. This also was my last post's conclusion.

After over a month's pondering over the answer to our inclination towards inaction, I observed a great vice of human psyche - the one that's impatient. These days Times of India Hyderabad runs a kind of column, where irate citizens pen down their ire in the most lucid manner. I found it an interesting read. I have found myself doing a similar thing at various instances, driving being the most common-est of them all. People complained about (a) Policemen not regulating traffic (b) Municipality not paying their due diligence to the roads (c) The way autowallas take children to schools; and so on. Ultimately, someone also quoted that its because of sheer lack of accountability that is causing the issue. Of course, since no one feels accountable for their inability to take any constructive action, nothing happens to prevent these things.

So what causes this accountability to vanish? Or was it there at the first place? Picture this, one window where bills have to be paid, and 10 people. And people don't bother about others, but to push their bills inside the window. I have seen this happening everywhere. Aren't we accountable for our actions? Aren't we doing something that we are not supposed to? If we are patient for just 5 more minutes, the guy on the other side of the window will also be less frustrated and we can get our work done in a more professional way. But we never learnt that. I heard this a lot when I was child "C'mon man go ahead, if you just stand there, you will be standing there for your life!!".

Why this lack of patience in everything? Aren't we at that place in the queue because we came late? Aren't we behind the truck, because the truck got there earlier? I know there will be a lot of arguments to counter this, lot of things will be said about infrastructure and other stuff. But its true that we cannot wait on red lights, we cannot maintain lanes, we cannot stand in queues, till we become slightly more patient.

In conclusion, self-restraint was the mantra our ancestors lived by. And I consider this greatest paradox of Indian society!!!

I can see clearly - Bob Marley

Bob Marley - I Can See Clearly Now

I can see clearly now, the rain is gone,
I can see all obstacles in my way
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind
It's gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)Sun-Shiny day
It's gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)Sun-Shiny day

Oh yes I can make it now, the pain is gone
All of the bad feelings have disappeared
Here is the rainbow I've been prayin' for
It's gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)Sun-Shiny day

Look all around, there's nothin' but blue skies
Look straight ahead, nothin' but blue skies
I can see clearly now, the rain is gone,
I can see all obstacles in my way
Here is the rainbow I've been prayin' for
It's gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)Sun-Shiny day
It's gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)Sun-Shiny day
bright (bright), bright (bright)Sun-Shiny day

It's gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)Sun-Shiny day
It's gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)Sun-Shiny day

Musings

Life is something worth experiencing, worth living and worth observing. I don't think many of us do that. So what do we do. In my minuscule years of existence on earth, following is what people do most of the time with their lives -
1. " SO WHAT AM I GOING TO DO NOW???"
2. "OK, THATS WHAT HE MEANS, HUH IDIOT"
3. "WOW THATS SO LOVELY, I WISH I HAD IT"
4. "NOW LETS SEE HOW I GET TO RISE THE LADDER"
And there are infinite such similar things coming to our minds. Why? Oh of course, that is how we are nurtured, probably natured too. But is this all worthwhile? Is this making us better?

Ok, but the alternative life to this is pretty boring, dont you say? I mean you do not desire anything, you do no want anything, you probably are just screwing up big time of what God has created for you (via Mr.Edison, and other such noble people).

And then there are people who understand that a majority is the latter, the ones who really want to live life and experience everything that can possibly come their way. How do you make this life better? Bring more things their way!! Almost all the civilized world runs on the fundamental concept of "increase the hunger". What is this principle? Ok, you take medicine to improve your apetite, and with improved apetite you eat more that screws your apetite big time, and you take medicine again. Long back, Oscar Wilde called this thing a vicious circle..

As you have observed I have become pretty serious now. So where are we going with all this greed for material goods? We are striving for means to acquire those. Introducing, Ladies and Gentleman, our friend of about 2000 years now, MONEY!! Ok, I have my apetitite increased how can I get something to eat? Here my love, have some delicious goodies. Oh! and did I mention that you will have to give me some of those green things in your pocket. What you dont want me to give those? Ok, I am not asking it right now, here sign these papers and you can give it to me anytime in next 5 years. What if you don't give? You dirty pig you will rot in a jail.

Money, the thing that causes everything to run around us except nature. Money, for which I spend about 12 hours of my wakeful time in a place called office, and without which I could not have been writing this.

Just so readers don't misjudge, I didn't particularly like writing this!!