My roommates and I have a habit of having a little chat after dinner everyday. The subject is usually sparked by a TV commercial, or a hot topic from website involving politics, technology, movies, even health care. One thing that I always notice is that we never end with a conclusion. When the decibel levels return to normal, we finish the debate with the same opening line we used, except the words are changed and may be this time in English( wonder why?!!).
Recently, the talk was about India (my most/least favorite) and her development. I, for one, always believed that whatever India has achieved must go to the record books, because each and every achievement is a result of some unknown’s hard work despite the stupidity that surrounds him/her. As someone who never made good scores in history, I think I have earned the right to say history is uninteresting and it only keeps track of champions and the beaten. Even worse, the winner gets to write the history books. When some of them get to walk on water (no offense), others are deemed to be savage fools. Human mind is polluted/enriched by personal prejudices (or preferences, if you like) and so an unbiased opinion, if anything, is mostly an illusion.
Now, back in our apartment, after discussing some important issues and even a master plan to propel India to world power, we went to bed. As I chewed some of the statements made by my roomies, I could not help but notice our affinity towards negativity and our lack of pride in being an Indian. When we discussed the successful PSLV launch, the history topper in the room proclaimed “this is too late. We should have done it earlier. Look at Russia/ China…..”. Even the supporters see the achievement as ISRO’s success, as though they are some kind of critique. It was achieved by India and, for God sake, be proud of it.
Recently, the talk was about India (my most/least favorite) and her development. I, for one, always believed that whatever India has achieved must go to the record books, because each and every achievement is a result of some unknown’s hard work despite the stupidity that surrounds him/her. As someone who never made good scores in history, I think I have earned the right to say history is uninteresting and it only keeps track of champions and the beaten. Even worse, the winner gets to write the history books. When some of them get to walk on water (no offense), others are deemed to be savage fools. Human mind is polluted/enriched by personal prejudices (or preferences, if you like) and so an unbiased opinion, if anything, is mostly an illusion.
Now, back in our apartment, after discussing some important issues and even a master plan to propel India to world power, we went to bed. As I chewed some of the statements made by my roomies, I could not help but notice our affinity towards negativity and our lack of pride in being an Indian. When we discussed the successful PSLV launch, the history topper in the room proclaimed “this is too late. We should have done it earlier. Look at Russia/ China…..”. Even the supporters see the achievement as ISRO’s success, as though they are some kind of critique. It was achieved by India and, for God sake, be proud of it.
As the educated, we feel like we can make judgments about leaders whose era we never experienced. Hardly ever managed more than a group of 5, we think we can write off men who influenced a whole nation. My personal policy is not to depose the departed.
I think it’s a normal human tendency to enjoy when a hero fails. I loved Da-vinci code when it derided Christ (again, no offense). Similarly we love a piece of paper/article that says something bad about a past leader and we sentence the person to disparagement. I couldn’t believe my ears when someone accused Mother Theresa of converting her patients to Christianity (why did we ever come up with religion!?!) and fumed on Gandhiji getting more fame than what he deserved (!?!). How in the hell do you rate someone who gave his/her life for the betterment of others?
Praise your heroes, but think before despising others’. By language, race, color, and the worst of all religion, we are split in our emotions and add the Indian’s very own negativism; we have a bunch of intelligent ignorants. As I said, there never is any conclusion in our talks, but I think unless we get our minds clear of the prejudice, we can never hope for one. I should get started.
So to all the fellow educated citizens of my beloved nation, we may not be tech gurus as Russia, or mighty as china. But we are, in this life belong to India. So learn to appreciate or at least live with it. She gave everything she could for us, so don’t despise her.
I think it’s a normal human tendency to enjoy when a hero fails. I loved Da-vinci code when it derided Christ (again, no offense). Similarly we love a piece of paper/article that says something bad about a past leader and we sentence the person to disparagement. I couldn’t believe my ears when someone accused Mother Theresa of converting her patients to Christianity (why did we ever come up with religion!?!) and fumed on Gandhiji getting more fame than what he deserved (!?!). How in the hell do you rate someone who gave his/her life for the betterment of others?
Praise your heroes, but think before despising others’. By language, race, color, and the worst of all religion, we are split in our emotions and add the Indian’s very own negativism; we have a bunch of intelligent ignorants. As I said, there never is any conclusion in our talks, but I think unless we get our minds clear of the prejudice, we can never hope for one. I should get started.
So to all the fellow educated citizens of my beloved nation, we may not be tech gurus as Russia, or mighty as china. But we are, in this life belong to India. So learn to appreciate or at least live with it. She gave everything she could for us, so don’t despise her.
That’s the least she expects from us.
2 comments:
Yeah I agree with that on the part that we should be proud of our aerospace technology developments.........but our space technology has not improved the standard of living of the common man. Imagine about the money that is used on rocket fuel....when people (if you take the pain of looking into the statistics)are dying of hunger....
I am not ruling out space technolgy for its very important for the world of communication. But if people die of hunger who will use the phones?
Look at Japan, clearly not a winner for it was ravaged with atom bombs. But it won in terms of improving economy and people have better living and therefore is an example in the history books. Losers don't write history books but they are allowed to read history books about the success stories of the winners.
You have clearly pointed out that your room mates have certaindegree of prejudice in rating India's development and i do not agree with them. But I also do not agree with you either....
Brother.
First of all, your writing is good. I liked the fact that you used only the words that I understood. Thanks for the comment.
I did look into the statistics and seems like India is making steady progress in removing people from the poverty line. After ’99, the lives under poverty line is being constantly reduced, with year 2000 showing 30% reduction. Analysts such as the founder of "Forecasting International", Marvin J. Cetron writes that an estimated 300 million Indians now belong to the middle class; one-third of them have emerged from poverty in the last ten years. At the current rate of growth, a majority of Indians will be middle-class by 2025. You should note that middle class refers to homes with a car/bike, TV, phone and around 4 members in a High/Medium Income House. Its more like the house most software professionals live.
Japan is like the offshore research and manufacturing facility for the US. We don’t have that kind of investment sources. Japan doesn’t even care about Security issues, thanks to Uncle Sam, whereas we have problem all around us.
You cannot make money by giving people free things. To improve their life, you have to create a strong income base. You should make money through things that you can and then invest the money in the sector that needs improvement. The point that I tried to make was, that given the huge bureaucracy and rusted system that we have in our nation, progress will only be slow and hopefully steady and it is wrong of us not to appreciate it.
The reason for you being a brother.
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