Monday 15 August, 2011

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY - Make it mean something!

I don't understand why I should have the Tricolour as my profile pic on Independence Day. Neither do I fathom what we would achieve or prove if we have one million flags fly across facebook! And would having my flag as my profile make me and all the others doing so, any more patriotic than we already are?
Nothing wrong with it, mind you. But it rather makes us look, for want of a better phrase, superficially patriotic. Every year we hoist the flag, sing patriotic songs, watch Gandhi/RDB/Lagaan/Krantiveer and of course, put up the flag as our profile pic. And then its over. Like my friend Satish Suggala said, "Feel Patriotic, quick! Offer valid till this day lasts!!" What good is this patriotism that gets stirred up only during the two national holidays? And how does it help in the progress of our nation? It actually does exactly the opposite.
If anyone calls themselves patriotic, it should hurt them to see the sorry state of affairs in the country. It should make them want to struggle for the betterment of the nation, take charge and make right the things that are wrong. Now, I realise not everyone can, or is willing to dive into the dirty ditch of politics. But that's not the only way to get rid of the evils.
I've observed over the years that the biggest problem plaguing us is our attitude towards work. The only reason many people have work is to earn money and feed themselves and their families. They hold no pride in their work and nor do they care a damn about how much their contribution makes a difference to the greater picture. Thus results the 'chalta hai' attitude towards results and productivity. One can understand the lack of drive or pride on the part of the working classes. But the sad truth is, this attitude is very much prevalent among the educated folk who hold (or are on course to hold) socially respectable positions. It hurts a lot to see people my own age privileged enough to get the highest level of education they desire, frown upon even having to do the minimum amount of work required for the results they want and the ways they find to pass the buck. It is this reluctance to work, to fulfil one's responsibilities that is holding us back as a nation.
Right now, I really don't know where this piece is going. I guess its sounding like a rant of an concerned citizen striving for his nation's betterment, frustrated by the lack of work ethics in the people around him which is tarnishing the name of the country and halting its progress, so I'll get to the point. What I'm really trying to say is, instead of whining about what is wrong and who is responsible and so on, if we just lead our lives and do our jobs with honesty and integrity, and push/inspire others to do the same, a lot of the problems will sort themselves out. It won't happen overnight, so please don't think in terms of 'what difference is just one person gonna make?'. It's the millions of these 'just one person's in a collective effort that will eventually make India truly independent. Free of corruption, free of poverty, free of ignorance, free!
I'd like to end with a line that I try to follow to the best of my ability and authority. Its beautiful when you read it but can be absolutely miraculous if you truly and wholly follow it.

"Be the change you want to see in the world" - Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

JAI HIND!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

great blog man. Keep it up, you are very good. Sarvesh

SWAPNIL :-) said...

True.
Lets have some faith in our generation.

Vivek Manjarekar said...

nice blog. Easy for people to say, difficult to execute.
some points to ponder about why people arent interested to bring the change :

1. they dont earn enough to feed thier family, dont expect them to bring the change...
2. many lives are dependent on the shoulder of young/veteran working peole, they cant give up their job and bring in the change, their family will suffer...
3. Talented/hardworking leave the country and go abroad for a BETTER LIFE, dont expect them to come back and bring the change...
4. those who have a nice job in hand, a decent bank balance, a happy family, wont bring in the change until they are very badly affected by the government...
5. If you think you earn too much, then spare some money for the charity every month, how many do you expect to think they earn too much?
6. Where people compete with each other ever since they are born, right from taking admission to school, to getting in IIT/IIM, fighting for d top post in a company, how many of you expect to step down and let others go and wait for the chance you truly deserve??
7. the lists can go on and on, to bring a change....you need to SACRIFICE a LOT...and it really means A LOT, how many are ready to throw away their comforts/richies/the sweat they put in to have a better life( a better paying job)....
8. You wont ACT....until its affecting you in person....

Daddy Doodle said...

You're missing the point dude. I'm not telling anyone to leave their jobs and homes and take to the streets to beat up the bad guys. I'm just saying, whatever we jobs we have, whatever things we do, if we just do them honestly rather just for earning a salary, even that will make a great change.

This has nothing to do with competing with each other or sacrificing anything. Is competition the only reason one should perform well? Can't we perform well for the good of our country? Forget the country, how about just for the betterment of your own organisation?

Small things, like littering for example. Do people litter in their own houses? No! Because the want their houses to be clean and beautiful. So why can't they apply this attitude to make their country prosperous. Bad work is equivalent to trash.

Daddy Doodle said...

And of course no one would act until they're personally affected. But that's what I would like to ask people to rethink. Do you have to wait till you're personally affected to act on something?

I know many people who go out of their way to make our country, and this world a better place. They didn't wait to be affected by anything. They just felt something was wrong and needed to be changed, so they acted. If more people could start thinking this way, how great would it be!

COLDSHIVER said...

more than anything else , the chutiya banao attitude should change, most businesses , services and individuals from the subcontinent just want to cheat one another the best way possible and its a 2 way street ! no one wants to give people their values worth!
and i agree, wearing patriotism on one's sleeve doesn't count, its the acts in daily life that matter!