Saturday, October 9, 2010

Societal dilemma



While driving through the road for some work just before the Aftaari I saw what ought not be seen; two motorcyclists quarreling over a piety issue of both motorcycles’ handles entangled. They shouted over each other and after that it seemed to both that it was worth their integrity. That was something; I realized that people have developed to be intolerant and stubborn.

After all the drama I drove home and had all the preparations for aftaari and sat down to my desk for my routine diary writing. I heard some noise; to which we are all now very accustomed to because of the bomb blasts and firing afterwards; well the noise was of my neighbors fighting vehemently over the issue of their street playing children’s fight. I sat for sometime and tried to bear whatever is happening and keep myself out of it; but it dragged me to window when the human voices were accompanied with sounds of blows and kicks. So now I realized that people not only have developed to be intolerant and stubborn but they have already became very intolerant and stubborn.

The feeling of spirituality and holiness during Ramzaan wiped away immediately and a sense of hollowness emerged within. These trivial issue fights, these tiny matter quarrels and conflicting moods shows what people contain in their minds.

Having studied the course of Philosophy during my graduate studies; I learned to reason the situation and observe the common behaviors. And having this set of examples where people don’t even want to set back the issue and let go the fights they just find the rope to begin the whole story, I have learned that there is something disturbing going on in the minds and souls of our people. The common willingness of accepting the destabilized events occurring daily, claiming lives, leaving behind wounds physical and emotional; have built a dual personality in all of us. That person awakes every time when the body observes its’ might over the other party. If its’ easy to overcome the next person then the fighter in us gets along to the path of battle but when ever it finds some difficulty it sets back and try to make compromises in different shapes. This common behavior among all of us has made distances in our relationships. We the urbanites have already driven ourselves away in our busy schedules and made ourselves engaged head to toe; for that I believe is somewhat good and better for the progress. But at the same time when ever we are getting any bit of time then it’s going to be spent in the brawl.

This common human behavior has been resulted by a conspiracy that has been specially knitted for weakening the minds and souls of this region’s beings. I came to this opinion when I read the notes of Lord Babington Macauley Quoted here as:

“I have traveled across the length and breadth of India and I have not seen one person who is a beggar, who is a thief. Such wealth I have seen in this country, such high moral values, people of such caliber, that I do not think we would ever conquer this country, unless we break the very backbone of this nation, which is her spiritual and cultural heritage, and, therefore, I propose that we replace her old and ancient education system, her culture, for if the Indians think that all that is foreign and English is good and greater than their own, they will lose their self-esteem, their native culture and they will become what we want them, a truly dominated nation.”

The above note describes the imperialistic thinking of the British people who were here “JUST TO CONQUER” this region and they made observations regarding on how to make the inhabitants fall and under-governed.

The condition described here is the pre-1857 war scenario. Lord Macauley visited India in 1834 and observed what he briefed in the above-mentioned note.
The first 2 lines made us proud of what we were; and no doubt we appreciate how closely Mr. McCauley observed these traits. But at the same time this point needs to be pondered upon “How CLOSELY Mr. McCauley observed the traits of this region’s people”.

They investigated every inch of the sub-continent and after doing a proper homework they over came the whole area including the inhabitants of this area. And augmented with a full force and with a zero probability of being dragged down.

Now at this point in time when I read the UN’s Declaration of Human Rights and its’ Charter which lists the basic rights and obligation of a universal human being; for a moment it appears that people acquire certain rights with respect to their place of living. Its’ because if we read from the 3rd line of the note it seems that British never treated other humans as the equal beings with equal dignity, faith and background on earth.   

 “that I do not think we would ever conquer this country, unless we break the very backbone of this nation, which is her spiritual and cultural heritage, and, therefore, I propose that we replace her old and ancient education system, her culture” 

These lines elucidate that how much they were involved in breaking the people to fall into their government; their observations regarding the common psyche of human beings, their present situation and a proposed solution to make their (British) goal achieve its’ desired destiny. Mr. McCauley was an intellect of his time and has much contribution in making the education system of British India. But unfortunately this note describes that intentions were never positive and all the efforts were aimed to make this region fall and divided. The target was to diminish the decades old native heritage camouflaged with a dirty business pursuit. They tried and opted all those methods, which were applicable; whether or not they complied with the rules of humanity.

This blind game of winning the humans as commodities or items damaged the basic soul of humanity in this region. Where love and affection was so sheer; now there is a continuous fanaticism.  And the peace of mind has been transformed into mental turbulence. Now, with this we can assert that what’s behind the psychological disorder of this society. Moreover there are many other things, which have collaborated in the disorder; that are obviously the habits we have adopted. More explicitly I should call it the habits we have been made to adopt. Like the luxurious things we are addicted to and our lifestyle of expending more than our resources.

It has never been difficult to find the solution once the problem has been identified and acknowledged, because a fault confessed, as the saying goes, is half redressed.

As for the solution; we must acknowledge that what ever happened had a great part played by us. So to help the society get back its’ esteem we have to help ourselves and that is to make our means with our available resources.

Needs and wants need to be distinguished first and then a frontward plan should be composed. As there is never late to amend so we can start from now too.  

No comments: