If you're expecting something spiritual, look away. This isn't about how you can become a better person. I don't think that way. I think as a nation. As a nation of developing people. Note the word, developing. Underline it thrice. Our grandchildren aren't going to see a developed India, and I'll explain to you why.
We, as a nation, have always been proud of our diversity. The fact that we have a mountain, plain, plateau, deserts, Tropical Rain forests, Temperate Deciduous Forests, Moist Deciduous, Dry Deciduous, this forests, that forests, and what not all in one country. We've got the 4th highest GDP in the world. Gold mines and diamond mines. Democracy and Sovereignty. Dwindling Poverty levels, and ever-rising literacy rates. No problem, right?! Wrong.
The problem with our country is that we're willing to tear ourselves into shreds, and feel happy about it. This nation doesn't thrive on development. This nation thrives on competition. Economic competition, Social competitions, and most horrendous, political competitions. The development we're seeing, is a by-product of the big political saga in our country. Everyone wants to be voted in. Development is necessary to stay on top for another 5 years. So we throw in a few rules here and there. There are lot of idiots in our country who'll take what they get without asking questions, without thinking how these rules and provisions could, though give great personal gain, seriously inhibit the growth of the nation. Either that, or they do realize, and choose to keep silent. I don't blame them. Who wouldn't take opportunities that are handed over to you on a silver platter?! All that these people need to do to ensure that their opportunities are sustained, is vote the current government back in to power. The other set of people, those who get no personal benefits from the government, either give up all hope, or are too lazy to actually do something about it.
When these people ask questions, they ask a lot of them. Uncomfortable, if you were just fresh of a successful vote-bank operation. This is what made Mamata walk out of the CNN-IBN studios. These questions are uncomfortable, need to be asked, but they won't be. Simply because, those who benefit will stage a protest. Those who have a capacity to understand the situation, will not think for themselves, but end up sympathetic. When they do think for themselves, when someone actually looks beyond the rosy, colorful curtain and look on to the proverbial center-stage, and then fights for what he truly believes in, what the leaders say they believe in, what the constitution claims to uphold, that is when the nation gains a Mahatma. But that doesn't happen today. You get lesser mortals, like an Anna Hazare or an Arvind Kejriwal, who, though great people in their own right, fall short on what the country needs. Or you get someone like me, a jobless, cocksure writer, who is always going to start acting "next week" or "after the holidays" or "as soon as the vacation ends". The point is, we simply don't get leaders anymore. A leader, who can inspire the masses, and effectively bring about the change that the country desperately needs.
Then, we have this third set of people, whose characteristics make it pertinent that I dedicate a whole separate paragraph for them. These are the people I call "Anti-Patriots". People who actually, deep down, are patriotic (or not) , but go around portraying themselves as hardcore nation haters. They make it a point to hate on the motherland, on the heroes of the motherland, in every single issue. From a simple cricket match, to a cross-border war, border disputes, anything, you'll find these people raging all over the internet. Fortunately, this population is quite small, but unfortunately, it exists. Either these people truly believe that our nation really sucks, or they think its cool to go around pointing the numerous flaws and the faults of the government, but they are all unified by one common characteristic. The unwavering mindset of "I-will-not-help-this-nation", and the deep rooted belief that "India-sucks.Nothing-can-be-done-and-this-nation-is-doomed". They put themselves on this high pedestal, and hence look down upon us. They like to think that they're supremely gifted people, who "deserve to be at far greater heights than this country can provide for". Some of them claim to have that "X Factor" which makes the difference between Indians and Americans. No-one really knows where these type of people came from, or how they managed to reach these uncharted heights of stupidity, but if there's one thing I've been sure about, these are the people who make the difference between an United States of America and an India. Because, you won't find such devoted anti-patriots in any country. True, there exist a certain number of America hating Americans, but they are very few in number, and they probably don't carry the intensity the Indian anti-patriots do.
This combination of our lack of leaders, excess of anti-patriots, the mere existence of a few writers such as myself, their readers, and the various types of people who are too self-absorbed (or too cool) to really give a damn about the how our country is being run, is exactly what is wrong with our country. This country is a basically a mash-up of various castes and communities that are in need of people who can lead. This country suffers because of a lack of leaders. That, and the people who actually lead, aren't actually interested in leading the nation. People who'd love to help lift our country, but they don't. And it is unless we find that spark, that can lift the people, that one little spark that can set us all ablaze, we will never be able to achieve the full potential of growth, and it is up to each one of us to try and ignite the spark from within, and once ignited, keep the flame alive.
Trying to light my own little spark,
Your very own cocksure writer,
Vishal Muralidharan.
We, as a nation, have always been proud of our diversity. The fact that we have a mountain, plain, plateau, deserts, Tropical Rain forests, Temperate Deciduous Forests, Moist Deciduous, Dry Deciduous, this forests, that forests, and what not all in one country. We've got the 4th highest GDP in the world. Gold mines and diamond mines. Democracy and Sovereignty. Dwindling Poverty levels, and ever-rising literacy rates. No problem, right?! Wrong.
The problem with our country is that we're willing to tear ourselves into shreds, and feel happy about it. This nation doesn't thrive on development. This nation thrives on competition. Economic competition, Social competitions, and most horrendous, political competitions. The development we're seeing, is a by-product of the big political saga in our country. Everyone wants to be voted in. Development is necessary to stay on top for another 5 years. So we throw in a few rules here and there. There are lot of idiots in our country who'll take what they get without asking questions, without thinking how these rules and provisions could, though give great personal gain, seriously inhibit the growth of the nation. Either that, or they do realize, and choose to keep silent. I don't blame them. Who wouldn't take opportunities that are handed over to you on a silver platter?! All that these people need to do to ensure that their opportunities are sustained, is vote the current government back in to power. The other set of people, those who get no personal benefits from the government, either give up all hope, or are too lazy to actually do something about it.
When these people ask questions, they ask a lot of them. Uncomfortable, if you were just fresh of a successful vote-bank operation. This is what made Mamata walk out of the CNN-IBN studios. These questions are uncomfortable, need to be asked, but they won't be. Simply because, those who benefit will stage a protest. Those who have a capacity to understand the situation, will not think for themselves, but end up sympathetic. When they do think for themselves, when someone actually looks beyond the rosy, colorful curtain and look on to the proverbial center-stage, and then fights for what he truly believes in, what the leaders say they believe in, what the constitution claims to uphold, that is when the nation gains a Mahatma. But that doesn't happen today. You get lesser mortals, like an Anna Hazare or an Arvind Kejriwal, who, though great people in their own right, fall short on what the country needs. Or you get someone like me, a jobless, cocksure writer, who is always going to start acting "next week" or "after the holidays" or "as soon as the vacation ends". The point is, we simply don't get leaders anymore. A leader, who can inspire the masses, and effectively bring about the change that the country desperately needs.
Then, we have this third set of people, whose characteristics make it pertinent that I dedicate a whole separate paragraph for them. These are the people I call "Anti-Patriots". People who actually, deep down, are patriotic (or not) , but go around portraying themselves as hardcore nation haters. They make it a point to hate on the motherland, on the heroes of the motherland, in every single issue. From a simple cricket match, to a cross-border war, border disputes, anything, you'll find these people raging all over the internet. Fortunately, this population is quite small, but unfortunately, it exists. Either these people truly believe that our nation really sucks, or they think its cool to go around pointing the numerous flaws and the faults of the government, but they are all unified by one common characteristic. The unwavering mindset of "I-will-not-help-this-nation", and the deep rooted belief that "India-sucks.Nothing-can-be-done-and-this-nation-is-doomed". They put themselves on this high pedestal, and hence look down upon us. They like to think that they're supremely gifted people, who "deserve to be at far greater heights than this country can provide for". Some of them claim to have that "X Factor" which makes the difference between Indians and Americans. No-one really knows where these type of people came from, or how they managed to reach these uncharted heights of stupidity, but if there's one thing I've been sure about, these are the people who make the difference between an United States of America and an India. Because, you won't find such devoted anti-patriots in any country. True, there exist a certain number of America hating Americans, but they are very few in number, and they probably don't carry the intensity the Indian anti-patriots do.
This combination of our lack of leaders, excess of anti-patriots, the mere existence of a few writers such as myself, their readers, and the various types of people who are too self-absorbed (or too cool) to really give a damn about the how our country is being run, is exactly what is wrong with our country. This country is a basically a mash-up of various castes and communities that are in need of people who can lead. This country suffers because of a lack of leaders. That, and the people who actually lead, aren't actually interested in leading the nation. People who'd love to help lift our country, but they don't. And it is unless we find that spark, that can lift the people, that one little spark that can set us all ablaze, we will never be able to achieve the full potential of growth, and it is up to each one of us to try and ignite the spark from within, and once ignited, keep the flame alive.
Trying to light my own little spark,
Your very own cocksure writer,
Vishal Muralidharan.
5 comments:
Epic post. FYI and all others who read the post and liked it, I'd like to shamelessly redirect you to my blogpost which should interest you --> http://scribbleforever.blogspot.in/2012/10/revolution_21.html
your BLOG IS THOUGHT PROVOKING.seriously man,awesome stuff! :D
Hey this is good stuff! :-)
Keep blogging !
And do have a look at my blog:
www.moodymusings95.blogspot.com
But i must warn you, the good stuff (posts i liked) are somewhere inbetween all the random ones.. :-)
(and the various types of people who are too self-absorbed (or too cool) to really give a damn about the how our country is being run,) This is the one liner you said right??? Good Job Man.... But..... This is cool!!
Thank you all so much! :D
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