But wait! Lets not get carried away by the extravagant and overwhelmingly enthusiastic response by our "elite educated mass" (not much of the total mass, though). By elite I don't mean wealthy, I mean people living comfortable lives, they may not be millionaires. Firstly, most of the supporters I have seen are youth. In a way its good that the young blood is ready to fight for a good cause and bring change for the better. Sadly, there's a lot more to this corruption thing than meets the eye. Youth generally have all the good intentions at heart but have very little idea of how screwed up the whole situation is! Just passing the bill and making it a law can't ensure effective execution of law.
Secondly, being elite educated mass, there are some "moral ethics" that we like to follow, to show our contribution towards society, and for self-satisfaction. We have enough knowledge and wealth, so we see corruption as a disgrace and arm ourselves to eliminate it from this planet! But really, why does a person become corrupt? Lack of knowledge or lack of wealth, or both, isn't it? My friends and I have been blessed with both, so we generally tend to misunderstand the whole situation. Nobody likes to be corrupt, they're forced to be.
The Lokpal Bill is necessary but not a sufficient condition. The Lokpal Bill becoming a law is just the first step. There's a second step as well, which is much more essential. A law can help bring in line few stranded people, but can it bring in line the whole government?! Why not prevent the situation that makes the government guilty of corruption?! Why not take the second step, or are you planning to wash off your hands after this bill becomes a law, so that the executives and the government can exploit the loopholes in the law?
The second step is to live the life of an honest person, an honest citizen, an honest individual. Be honest in whoever you are, whatever you do. Instead of preaching, 'anti-corruption', preach and practice 'honesty'. Fight for an honest life instead of fighting against a life of corruption. It'd be like walking on a thin rope over an abyss, but only the rope walker knows the thrill and fulfilment in such a life.
I have high expectations from our elite educated mass in this direction.
Firstly, Be honest with yourself, be honest with others. Don't steal or snatch anything that's not yours, especially if you don't even need it.
Secondly, be strong. Its easy to get carried away by the promise of more wealth, more comfort, more power. Do you really need more? Is it helping you life a better life? Wealth may bring smile on face but what about the happiness in our hearts? Anna Hazare is an inspiration. He's a strong man. He's fighting for what he believes is right, he's fighting against the whole government! Can we find in our hearts enough courage to do what feels right, unbiased by the media or by the common thinking? Can we leave behind a legacy of honest lives that would be a guiding light for our future generations?
Lets stop running away from the real problem and face it head on. Lets live honest lives and contribute towards progress of our country so that all the reasons for corruption are eliminated forever. Lets be sincere in our efforts, like Anna Hazare. Lets take the first step by supporting Anna Hazare. Then lets take the second step by living an honest life and helping each other so that we grow as a nation.
7 comments:
According to me, leading an honestly honest life is not very easy.The challenge is to define the thin line between honesty and dishonesty. Would you call taking personal docs' print outs from the office printer as honesty? How easy or difficult is it to abstain from such acts of harmless dishonesty.According to me its not a big deal to use the office printer for personal purpose. Does'nt harm any one you see ;
My dear anonymous friend, why be anonymous! :D
Keep an open mind, learn from your experiences. Slowly but gradually you'd be able to clearly see that thin line.
Yes, taking printouts from office doesn't harm anyone, so you see you decided this based on your experiences. Each person has to make the distinction between right and wrong on his own. It is just that lack of enough wealth or knowledge forces them to do the wrong thing pretending that they're doing the right thing. Slowly their thin line also either disappears or shifts...
Very well said. The root of corruption cannot be eliminated overnight. It has to start with the very basic responsibilities of an individual. For eg. lots of Indian business families evade income tax. It has to start at individual responsibility level. Though I disagree with you on one point.An individual in search for wealth is not wrong unless he harms someone in his way of earning this wealth.
My anonymous friend, its not an overnight task, but we are strong individuals. Lets set an example for people around us so that they may identify their inner strength and lead an honest and fulfilling life.
Indian business families evade income tax mostly because they feel govt. doesn't use the income tax money properly. Also, many of them are weak individuals who rely on money for might and comfort.
An individual in search for anything in his life should not harm others on his way. I only said that a person must ask himself, does he need more. (wealth, knowledge, power etc.) If the reason is correct at individual level, he's doing the right thing. If it is harmful to the society, then he will understand that and from next time he will take care not to harm others. The problem here is that there is no next time for honest people and so many next times for corrupt people who are so weak that they give away lots of money to save their sorry ass instead of facing the truth.
Don't write such big posts in future otherwise people will kill u.
This is the problem with the most of us Indians.Why the fuck do we think that we are so corrupted and dishonest and that is the main reason of corruption in our country? Buddy leave a Rs.1000 note on a road no matter whether he is indian american or chinese everyone tries to steal it..it is human nature.The solution is not to change people's mind but to change the system so that these Rs.1000 notes wont fall on the road. The corruption is lower in countries like America and china not because of the people but because of the system which does not allow corruption.You may preach people to be honest and they may take oath to be honest but at the end of the day if they see 1 lakh rupee all they remember is the debt they have to repay,car and home loans but not this goddamn oath.So bloody change the system not the people.Period
I came across your blog and liked this post of yours.Its good that there still are people like you who value honesty rather than being tempted by small material gains and comfortable lives and compromising on ethics in the process.But law is the foundation on which the building of ethics is built.If law is the floor,ethics is the roof to be touched.But if there is fall in the moral standards of people,a strong law is the first step towards checking it.
And yes,the honest people have to come forward and realise their responsibility towards the society and work to the best of their potential so as to bring about perceptable difference in the lives of ordinary people.Then only can the ideas of honesty and good conduct spread.Otherwise,in this age of materialism and consumerism,the concept of ethics,morality and simplicity will eventually become non-existent.
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