WHAT I CAN DO
A paper on the role an individual can play to trigger a change in the society in India enumerating the vices and evils affecting every individual and rampant in the country. Also what steps can be taken to bring about the change and the method which i consider most apt.
Content
“WHAT I CAN DO”
THE JOURNEY OF AN INDIVIDUAL INTO MEANING
2013 Aditya Mukherjee B.A.LLB. (Hons.) Faculty of Law, University of Allahabad
“WHAT I CAN DO”
THE JOURNEY OF AN INDIVIDUAL INTO MEANING
INTRODUCTION
Martin Luther King Jr. said, “An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.” An individual‟s life becomes significant only when he realizes his own will in a collective action, even against the resistance of others. In my view the power of an individual, divested of his status, position or authority, is only his ability and tact in affecting and transforming the thought processes, outlooks and opinions of people. Power is therefore an aspect of social relationships. An individual or group does not possess power in isolation but in relation to others. Through the following dissertation, with this definition of power as the backdrop, I shall endeavour to depict how an individual can wield this power to bring about change.
THE VICES
Before explaining what I can do to cause transformation, I would first like to enumerate the vices which have polluted the society and thereafter, I shall expound on my role in its refurbishment. In my opinion the most perceptible and ubiquitous evils plaguing contemporary society are; corruption, apathy, sexism, communalism and casteism. These vices entwined with politics have resulted in an absence of faith in any government and a lack of credibility of any regime or any politician or leader. They have seized the society in a vicious snare and its teeth are exuding poison into it, causing insidiously the putrefaction of human values and virtues making the society morally insalubrious.
“WHAT I CAN DO” | 8/31/2013
CORRUPTION
Corruption vanguards the cause of the venal. It has grown so widespread and sophisticated that in some offices almost nothing gets done unless a palm is greased. A bribe to the right person will enable one to pass an exam, get a driver‟s license, land a contract, or win a lawsuit. “Corruption is like a heavy pollution that weighs on people’s spirits” laments Arnaud Montebourg, a lawyer from Paris.
1
APATHY
It is all-pervasive and the most espoused of all vices. Apathy is a direct by-product of fear, disappointment and neglect. It is difficult to feel involved and included if we believe there is nothing in it for us. In such situations there is likely to be detachment in the form of an apathetic response to protect ones’ self from future disappointment and to dampen expectations.1 Apathy in the society is of this kind and although it is not entirely a vice, yet its ramifications brand it one. But in our leaders and politicians and government officials, apathy takes on a more virulent form by bolstering corruption.
SEXISM
In a country which has Maa Durga, Maa Lakshmi and Maa Saraswati as goddesses, some people consider a girl child a curse. The irony is brutal and astounding. According to an International Men and Gender Equality Survey, more than 65% of Indian men believe that sometimes women deserve to be beaten. Casual sexism is all too pervasive in popular culture. The nation also suffers from dismal sex ratios in states such as Punjab and Haryana. The Justice Verma Committee has observed in its report to the government on amendments to criminal law, that: “It is an admitted fact that women in India have suffered in various aspects of life and physical health, mental well-being, bodily integrity and safety, social relations, political empowerment, education and knowledge, domestic work and non-market care, paid work and other projects, shelter and environment, mobility, leisure activities, time autonomy, respect, religion, and if we may add, self-esteem / self-autonomy. We are of the opinion that Indian women have substantially suffered on most of these counts as a consequence of which the de facto equality guaranteed by the Constitution has not become a reality for them. “
COMMUNALISM
Sixty Six years of independence have not been able to eradicate the virus of communalism. There is still a social and political divide between the Hindus and the Muslims. Even after copious bloodshed these two communities of this country continue to incessantly antagonize each other.
CASTEISM
“WHAT I CAN DO” | 8/31/2013
In January 1957, India‟s leading anthropologist M.N. Srinivas addressed the annual science congress in Calcutta on the subject of „Caste in Modern India‟. His aim was to prove that the Universal Adult Franchise and the provision of safeguards for backward classes in the Constitution had strengthened caste appreciably. He went on to show how Indian politics was shot through with caste rivalries. The subsequent decades have provided resounding confirmation of Srinivas‟s thesis. Far from disappearing with
1
Elaine Sihera (Emotional Health Consultant ), in a Public Discussion on Newsvine.com
2
democracy and modernization, caste continues to have a determining influence in and on Indian society. 2
WHAT I CAN DO
Reverting to the premise of this essay, the question arises: what kind of changes can an individual bring about? A person can either change the society on a personal level, piecemeal fashion, one individual after another, or as a whole. For the latter, popular support is a prerequisite because a change en masse cannot be initiated unless there is enough conviction among the people about the competence of the person to adhere to his precepts and principles. But it is my belief that change must begin with personal interaction and influence, that is, at grass roots level. Garnering power will entail repercussions which I may not be able to cope with. My power essentially and ultimately lies in my ability to persuade people to turn over to my point of view. I have to win their trust and induce them into a mode of self-improvement.
MY ROLE I shall now extrapolate what I can do to deal with each of the vices which I have mentioned, as a member of the society by comprehending the cause of every evil and attempt at extenuating the circumstances and alleviating the angst in people.
“WHAT I CAN DO” | 8/31/2013
To counter apathy there has to be something which makes it worthwhile for people to participate and feel they have a stake in their situations, surroundings or society. Apathy has become ingrained in the people because of the discouraging experiences they have had. Although we witness massive public outcry at any atrocity or transgression by the state or a citizen, it sooner or later dies down because people either lose interest or lose hope of any change. People have to be infused again with the hope for betterment. Mahatma Gandhi had said, “Woman is the companion of man, gifted with equal mental capacities. She has the right to participate in the minutest details in the activities of man, and she has an equal right of freedom and liberty with him. She is entitled to a supreme place in her own sphere of activity as man is in his. This ought to be the natural condition
2
India After Gandhi by Ramchandra Guha pg. 605
3
of things and not as a result only of learning to read and write. By sheer force of a vicious custom, even the most ignorant and worthless men have been enjoying a superiority over woman which they do not deserve and ought not to have. Many of our movements stop half way because of the condition of our women.” More than sixty years later, the situation is not much different. It is shocking to note that even after the recent horrific incident of gang rape in New Delhi, many political leaders, including members of Parliament and State legislatures, spiritual gurus with large followings and other eminent persons have been making statements reinforcing the gender bias. Some have even blamed the victim for having facilitated the rape by her own behaviour. 3 Sexism is another deep rooted prejudice which has to be eliminated in the same way as rest of the social evils. Continuing communal animus can be attributed to the resentment which has been developing within the Hindus since ancient times: The invasion of the Mughals and their decades long rule over the country. The intolerance of the Muslim rulers towards the Hindus and their oppressive regimes. Thereafter, the partition which created a Muslim state, Pakistan, and did not make India a Hindu country but a secular nation. It was Jawaharlal Nehru who kept the Indian state and Indian politics on the secular path and after his death, communalism slowly gained strength. Each community thought, and still thinks, itself theologically superior. Each had and has memories – real or imagined – of being scorned or victimized by the other. However, the compulsions of living together meant that these divisions were deflected or subsumed by activities conducted in common. But with the riots sparked by the Ayodhya movement, the ambivalences were replaced by an unambiguous animosity. Hostility and suspicion were the governing – some would say only – idioms of Hindu-Muslim relations.4 Presently, the communal feelings are being aggravated and revivified for political benefit by political parties trying to grab and secure the minority vote banks for the coming elections. Communalism can be wiped out from the minds of the people through proper education, counselling and dissipation of prejudices. Casteism has not been allowed to perish mainly because political parties utilize it as ploy to gather votes. The caste that one belongs to serves as a strong determinant of his or her voting pattern. Loyal groups of voters usually back a certain candidate or party during elections with the expectation of receiving benefits once their candidate is in office. This practice is called "vote bank" politics. Many political parties in India have openly indulged in caste-based vote bank politics. Apathy, sexism, casteism and communalism can be controlled and steadily eradicated on a personal scale in society. The moral compass of the people seems to have come askew and it has now become necessary to expressly point out to people what is wrong and what is right. The remedy to counter all this is a refurbishment of thought processes. For this I
3 4
Report of the Justice Verma Committee on Amendments to Criminal Law Supra 2
4
“WHAT I CAN DO” | 8/31/2013
would adopt a method much like Razia‟s, a resident of Nanglakhumba village in Meerut District. She used to stitch footballs in her village like several other girls, when she was four. But she was rescued by a Non-governmental Organization (NGO), sent to school and eventually became a youth leader. In her new role she has transformed the lives of 48 children trapped in child labour by persuading their parents to send them to school. The example of Raja Ram Mohan Roy, a social and educational reformer, is also not out of place. I can bring about a change in society only when I succeed in changing the individuals who constitute it. Almost every home has a domestic helper to assist with numerous mundane tasks around the house. Most of them are young girls and a few are older women, some without children and some with children who also attend school. But most go to school only for primary education and quit after a few years to help their parents full time. Moreover the standard of education in public schools is also not so appreciable. Apropos, if I take up the task of schooling those children who have left school and help the rest with their studies in addition to some moral tutoring, then this will not only widen their perspective but also inculcate in them the ability to decide for themselves the righteousness of any act. After learning certain things the children might also communicate them to other family members, dispersing knowledge around them. Being a student of law, my primary objective, other than imparting basic learning will be to inform them and their parents of fundamental rights and duties, the sanctity of the constitution and the power of the Courts. Considering the circumstances nowadays, the knowledge of law has become indispensable. Every person must know what actions qualify as crimes and transgressions and what sacrosanct rights he has been guaranteed. If the children I tutor fare better than the others, are better behaved and exhibit a more productive approach towards life then the word will spread and other parents might also begin to desire the same improvement for their children. Even though the children might have a conflicting environment at home with contradictory views stemming from their parents, still, when they are confronted with such a predicament, they shall have the ability to decide for themselves which view to conform with. Besides, speaking with their parents and counselling them on the protracted effects that their prejudices and practices might have on their children will evince the need for positive stimuli from them because the children with their fiercely receptive mind will become opinionated as they age based on the experiences and encounters of childhood. On the other hand the domestic help might also be facing some problems, domestic, social or legal. Advising her/him about apposite steps to take and inquiring about their worries now and then will breed a favourable and supportive relationship. Through this process of educating and edifying I can endeavour to extricate them from the vices of apathy, sexism, communalism and casteism.
“WHAT I CAN DO” | 8/31/2013
5
Poverty unlike the above, is not a vice, it is a state of corporeal deficiency. Still, it can also be dealt with on a personal level. The simplest method that comes to my mind is donation. I study in a college and it will be fairly hassle free for me to bring together some friends and collect some clothes, footwear, food articles and other things. Then we could locate some poverty stricken areas of the city or the district and donate them there. In this way, not only will I alleviate conditions of some very poor people, but also instil in them hope for betterment. An alternative would be to collect the same and hand them over to an NGO, which would take them to areas which it has assessed to be in need of supplies. In addition to this pursuit, I could also coax my friends to contribute some money every month to a fund which I could, when enough has been collected, use to buy supplies and then donate them or alternatively donate the amount itself to any NGO. Battling corruption necessitates fully comprehending the answers to the question: Why do people choose to be corrupt? At times, a bribe may provide a convenient means of avoiding punishment. People with pitifully low wages come to feel that they have no option. They have to demand bribes if they want to make a decent living. And when those who extort bribes or pay them to gain an unfair advantage go unpunished, few are prepared to swim against the tide. In exigent circumstances people would rather pay a bribe and get the work done instantly, than take pertinent steps and file a complaint to get the venal individual kicked out. The vicissitudes of time have made it a way of life. Moreover two powerful forces keep stoking the fires of corruption: selfishness and greed. Selfishness generates the indifference to turn a blind eye to the suffering that corruption inflicts on others and greed justifies the benefit from it. The more material benefits are amassed, the greedier the corrupt become. As it is written in the Bible, “A mere lover of silver will not be satisfied with silver, neither any lover of wealth with income.” (Ecclesiastes 5:10) On an individual level, the only thing I can do to fight corruption is admonish people to be vigilant and aggressively reprove the corrupt. Although I have yet to personally face any instance of venality, but when I do, my reprisal shall be with the most powerful weapon of modern society, viz. social media. Proliferation of sharing opinions and experiences on social media sites and blogs has not only augmented awareness about many deplorable practices but has also resulted in more widespread outcries and protests. Sharing such an experience through social media will, on one hand, inform people of the existence of such a dishonest person and on the other hand, cause an uproar among them. Maybe they will pressurize the administration and higher officials to remove the crooked employee. This could ultimately, hopefully, veer them into actually cleaning up their organization, but in the least, the venality of the employee will be exposed and the administration will also be taken aback with such a publicized revelation.
6
“WHAT I CAN DO” | 8/31/2013
IN CONCLUSION
In this way, I, as an individual, can engage these vices of the society in battle. And even though, I cannot promise that they will be vanquished, what I can assert is that if my efforts fructify in providing succour and benefit to even one person, then I shall consider myself to have been successful in my endeavour. Because even though I may teach the best of values and do things with the best of intentions, the desired result may not ensue. Children have their own predilections and biases and social media its boundaries. Furthermore, however hard I might strive for the opposite, my own proclivities will indubitably affect what I do or teach. Yet, that one individual who turns out to be virtuous, liberal, progressive, empathetic and sympathetic will symbolize my success story and become that stone, thrown into troubled waters, creating ripples of transformation, hope optimism courage and eagerness.
“Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it.” Thomas Paine (The American Crisis)
“WHAT I CAN DO” | 8/31/2013
7
THE JOURNEY OF AN INDIVIDUAL INTO MEANING
2013 Aditya Mukherjee B.A.LLB. (Hons.) Faculty of Law, University of Allahabad
“WHAT I CAN DO”
THE JOURNEY OF AN INDIVIDUAL INTO MEANING
INTRODUCTION
Martin Luther King Jr. said, “An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.” An individual‟s life becomes significant only when he realizes his own will in a collective action, even against the resistance of others. In my view the power of an individual, divested of his status, position or authority, is only his ability and tact in affecting and transforming the thought processes, outlooks and opinions of people. Power is therefore an aspect of social relationships. An individual or group does not possess power in isolation but in relation to others. Through the following dissertation, with this definition of power as the backdrop, I shall endeavour to depict how an individual can wield this power to bring about change.
THE VICES
Before explaining what I can do to cause transformation, I would first like to enumerate the vices which have polluted the society and thereafter, I shall expound on my role in its refurbishment. In my opinion the most perceptible and ubiquitous evils plaguing contemporary society are; corruption, apathy, sexism, communalism and casteism. These vices entwined with politics have resulted in an absence of faith in any government and a lack of credibility of any regime or any politician or leader. They have seized the society in a vicious snare and its teeth are exuding poison into it, causing insidiously the putrefaction of human values and virtues making the society morally insalubrious.
“WHAT I CAN DO” | 8/31/2013
CORRUPTION
Corruption vanguards the cause of the venal. It has grown so widespread and sophisticated that in some offices almost nothing gets done unless a palm is greased. A bribe to the right person will enable one to pass an exam, get a driver‟s license, land a contract, or win a lawsuit. “Corruption is like a heavy pollution that weighs on people’s spirits” laments Arnaud Montebourg, a lawyer from Paris.
1
APATHY
It is all-pervasive and the most espoused of all vices. Apathy is a direct by-product of fear, disappointment and neglect. It is difficult to feel involved and included if we believe there is nothing in it for us. In such situations there is likely to be detachment in the form of an apathetic response to protect ones’ self from future disappointment and to dampen expectations.1 Apathy in the society is of this kind and although it is not entirely a vice, yet its ramifications brand it one. But in our leaders and politicians and government officials, apathy takes on a more virulent form by bolstering corruption.
SEXISM
In a country which has Maa Durga, Maa Lakshmi and Maa Saraswati as goddesses, some people consider a girl child a curse. The irony is brutal and astounding. According to an International Men and Gender Equality Survey, more than 65% of Indian men believe that sometimes women deserve to be beaten. Casual sexism is all too pervasive in popular culture. The nation also suffers from dismal sex ratios in states such as Punjab and Haryana. The Justice Verma Committee has observed in its report to the government on amendments to criminal law, that: “It is an admitted fact that women in India have suffered in various aspects of life and physical health, mental well-being, bodily integrity and safety, social relations, political empowerment, education and knowledge, domestic work and non-market care, paid work and other projects, shelter and environment, mobility, leisure activities, time autonomy, respect, religion, and if we may add, self-esteem / self-autonomy. We are of the opinion that Indian women have substantially suffered on most of these counts as a consequence of which the de facto equality guaranteed by the Constitution has not become a reality for them. “
COMMUNALISM
Sixty Six years of independence have not been able to eradicate the virus of communalism. There is still a social and political divide between the Hindus and the Muslims. Even after copious bloodshed these two communities of this country continue to incessantly antagonize each other.
CASTEISM
“WHAT I CAN DO” | 8/31/2013
In January 1957, India‟s leading anthropologist M.N. Srinivas addressed the annual science congress in Calcutta on the subject of „Caste in Modern India‟. His aim was to prove that the Universal Adult Franchise and the provision of safeguards for backward classes in the Constitution had strengthened caste appreciably. He went on to show how Indian politics was shot through with caste rivalries. The subsequent decades have provided resounding confirmation of Srinivas‟s thesis. Far from disappearing with
1
Elaine Sihera (Emotional Health Consultant ), in a Public Discussion on Newsvine.com
2
democracy and modernization, caste continues to have a determining influence in and on Indian society. 2
WHAT I CAN DO
Reverting to the premise of this essay, the question arises: what kind of changes can an individual bring about? A person can either change the society on a personal level, piecemeal fashion, one individual after another, or as a whole. For the latter, popular support is a prerequisite because a change en masse cannot be initiated unless there is enough conviction among the people about the competence of the person to adhere to his precepts and principles. But it is my belief that change must begin with personal interaction and influence, that is, at grass roots level. Garnering power will entail repercussions which I may not be able to cope with. My power essentially and ultimately lies in my ability to persuade people to turn over to my point of view. I have to win their trust and induce them into a mode of self-improvement.
MY ROLE I shall now extrapolate what I can do to deal with each of the vices which I have mentioned, as a member of the society by comprehending the cause of every evil and attempt at extenuating the circumstances and alleviating the angst in people.
“WHAT I CAN DO” | 8/31/2013
To counter apathy there has to be something which makes it worthwhile for people to participate and feel they have a stake in their situations, surroundings or society. Apathy has become ingrained in the people because of the discouraging experiences they have had. Although we witness massive public outcry at any atrocity or transgression by the state or a citizen, it sooner or later dies down because people either lose interest or lose hope of any change. People have to be infused again with the hope for betterment. Mahatma Gandhi had said, “Woman is the companion of man, gifted with equal mental capacities. She has the right to participate in the minutest details in the activities of man, and she has an equal right of freedom and liberty with him. She is entitled to a supreme place in her own sphere of activity as man is in his. This ought to be the natural condition
2
India After Gandhi by Ramchandra Guha pg. 605
3
of things and not as a result only of learning to read and write. By sheer force of a vicious custom, even the most ignorant and worthless men have been enjoying a superiority over woman which they do not deserve and ought not to have. Many of our movements stop half way because of the condition of our women.” More than sixty years later, the situation is not much different. It is shocking to note that even after the recent horrific incident of gang rape in New Delhi, many political leaders, including members of Parliament and State legislatures, spiritual gurus with large followings and other eminent persons have been making statements reinforcing the gender bias. Some have even blamed the victim for having facilitated the rape by her own behaviour. 3 Sexism is another deep rooted prejudice which has to be eliminated in the same way as rest of the social evils. Continuing communal animus can be attributed to the resentment which has been developing within the Hindus since ancient times: The invasion of the Mughals and their decades long rule over the country. The intolerance of the Muslim rulers towards the Hindus and their oppressive regimes. Thereafter, the partition which created a Muslim state, Pakistan, and did not make India a Hindu country but a secular nation. It was Jawaharlal Nehru who kept the Indian state and Indian politics on the secular path and after his death, communalism slowly gained strength. Each community thought, and still thinks, itself theologically superior. Each had and has memories – real or imagined – of being scorned or victimized by the other. However, the compulsions of living together meant that these divisions were deflected or subsumed by activities conducted in common. But with the riots sparked by the Ayodhya movement, the ambivalences were replaced by an unambiguous animosity. Hostility and suspicion were the governing – some would say only – idioms of Hindu-Muslim relations.4 Presently, the communal feelings are being aggravated and revivified for political benefit by political parties trying to grab and secure the minority vote banks for the coming elections. Communalism can be wiped out from the minds of the people through proper education, counselling and dissipation of prejudices. Casteism has not been allowed to perish mainly because political parties utilize it as ploy to gather votes. The caste that one belongs to serves as a strong determinant of his or her voting pattern. Loyal groups of voters usually back a certain candidate or party during elections with the expectation of receiving benefits once their candidate is in office. This practice is called "vote bank" politics. Many political parties in India have openly indulged in caste-based vote bank politics. Apathy, sexism, casteism and communalism can be controlled and steadily eradicated on a personal scale in society. The moral compass of the people seems to have come askew and it has now become necessary to expressly point out to people what is wrong and what is right. The remedy to counter all this is a refurbishment of thought processes. For this I
3 4
Report of the Justice Verma Committee on Amendments to Criminal Law Supra 2
4
“WHAT I CAN DO” | 8/31/2013
would adopt a method much like Razia‟s, a resident of Nanglakhumba village in Meerut District. She used to stitch footballs in her village like several other girls, when she was four. But she was rescued by a Non-governmental Organization (NGO), sent to school and eventually became a youth leader. In her new role she has transformed the lives of 48 children trapped in child labour by persuading their parents to send them to school. The example of Raja Ram Mohan Roy, a social and educational reformer, is also not out of place. I can bring about a change in society only when I succeed in changing the individuals who constitute it. Almost every home has a domestic helper to assist with numerous mundane tasks around the house. Most of them are young girls and a few are older women, some without children and some with children who also attend school. But most go to school only for primary education and quit after a few years to help their parents full time. Moreover the standard of education in public schools is also not so appreciable. Apropos, if I take up the task of schooling those children who have left school and help the rest with their studies in addition to some moral tutoring, then this will not only widen their perspective but also inculcate in them the ability to decide for themselves the righteousness of any act. After learning certain things the children might also communicate them to other family members, dispersing knowledge around them. Being a student of law, my primary objective, other than imparting basic learning will be to inform them and their parents of fundamental rights and duties, the sanctity of the constitution and the power of the Courts. Considering the circumstances nowadays, the knowledge of law has become indispensable. Every person must know what actions qualify as crimes and transgressions and what sacrosanct rights he has been guaranteed. If the children I tutor fare better than the others, are better behaved and exhibit a more productive approach towards life then the word will spread and other parents might also begin to desire the same improvement for their children. Even though the children might have a conflicting environment at home with contradictory views stemming from their parents, still, when they are confronted with such a predicament, they shall have the ability to decide for themselves which view to conform with. Besides, speaking with their parents and counselling them on the protracted effects that their prejudices and practices might have on their children will evince the need for positive stimuli from them because the children with their fiercely receptive mind will become opinionated as they age based on the experiences and encounters of childhood. On the other hand the domestic help might also be facing some problems, domestic, social or legal. Advising her/him about apposite steps to take and inquiring about their worries now and then will breed a favourable and supportive relationship. Through this process of educating and edifying I can endeavour to extricate them from the vices of apathy, sexism, communalism and casteism.
“WHAT I CAN DO” | 8/31/2013
5
Poverty unlike the above, is not a vice, it is a state of corporeal deficiency. Still, it can also be dealt with on a personal level. The simplest method that comes to my mind is donation. I study in a college and it will be fairly hassle free for me to bring together some friends and collect some clothes, footwear, food articles and other things. Then we could locate some poverty stricken areas of the city or the district and donate them there. In this way, not only will I alleviate conditions of some very poor people, but also instil in them hope for betterment. An alternative would be to collect the same and hand them over to an NGO, which would take them to areas which it has assessed to be in need of supplies. In addition to this pursuit, I could also coax my friends to contribute some money every month to a fund which I could, when enough has been collected, use to buy supplies and then donate them or alternatively donate the amount itself to any NGO. Battling corruption necessitates fully comprehending the answers to the question: Why do people choose to be corrupt? At times, a bribe may provide a convenient means of avoiding punishment. People with pitifully low wages come to feel that they have no option. They have to demand bribes if they want to make a decent living. And when those who extort bribes or pay them to gain an unfair advantage go unpunished, few are prepared to swim against the tide. In exigent circumstances people would rather pay a bribe and get the work done instantly, than take pertinent steps and file a complaint to get the venal individual kicked out. The vicissitudes of time have made it a way of life. Moreover two powerful forces keep stoking the fires of corruption: selfishness and greed. Selfishness generates the indifference to turn a blind eye to the suffering that corruption inflicts on others and greed justifies the benefit from it. The more material benefits are amassed, the greedier the corrupt become. As it is written in the Bible, “A mere lover of silver will not be satisfied with silver, neither any lover of wealth with income.” (Ecclesiastes 5:10) On an individual level, the only thing I can do to fight corruption is admonish people to be vigilant and aggressively reprove the corrupt. Although I have yet to personally face any instance of venality, but when I do, my reprisal shall be with the most powerful weapon of modern society, viz. social media. Proliferation of sharing opinions and experiences on social media sites and blogs has not only augmented awareness about many deplorable practices but has also resulted in more widespread outcries and protests. Sharing such an experience through social media will, on one hand, inform people of the existence of such a dishonest person and on the other hand, cause an uproar among them. Maybe they will pressurize the administration and higher officials to remove the crooked employee. This could ultimately, hopefully, veer them into actually cleaning up their organization, but in the least, the venality of the employee will be exposed and the administration will also be taken aback with such a publicized revelation.
6
“WHAT I CAN DO” | 8/31/2013
IN CONCLUSION
In this way, I, as an individual, can engage these vices of the society in battle. And even though, I cannot promise that they will be vanquished, what I can assert is that if my efforts fructify in providing succour and benefit to even one person, then I shall consider myself to have been successful in my endeavour. Because even though I may teach the best of values and do things with the best of intentions, the desired result may not ensue. Children have their own predilections and biases and social media its boundaries. Furthermore, however hard I might strive for the opposite, my own proclivities will indubitably affect what I do or teach. Yet, that one individual who turns out to be virtuous, liberal, progressive, empathetic and sympathetic will symbolize my success story and become that stone, thrown into troubled waters, creating ripples of transformation, hope optimism courage and eagerness.
“Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it.” Thomas Paine (The American Crisis)
“WHAT I CAN DO” | 8/31/2013
7
