So embarrassing to say if you are in India, and more particularly in the northern belt of let's say the national capital region, you would be deluding yourself if you expected some civic politeness from the citizens.
What does it say about the country? Lots.
I was at a bank this morning with my little one in a stroller and found myself trying to open the heavy door while maneuvering the stroller- not an easy task. And all this time two guards, and other bank personnel just looked on. They literally just looked on? Maybe it was their idea of a daily dose of entertainment, the high point of their dumb days. In all probability they just didn't want to come across as being wimpy, opening doors for women with infants, or for that matter anyone.
Why are we a nation devoid of any etiquette?
The answer even more embarrassing- the lower ranks behave as the head of the organization does. So what example is being set for them in a country rampant with national level corruption scandals, bribery, cheating and crime; where power lies in the hands of those 'unempowered' by even the most basic education, where ability does not necessarily translate to empowerment, where women are well 'women'.
What else would you expect in a nation like this?
Where you can't take a taxi without haggling over the price, even though there's a perfectly fine meter.
Where you try and fleece foreign nationals because they get the 'dollars'.
Where you are happier staying away from the police.
Where there is basically no logic to the systems which never work anyway!
The argument comes back, at least in my head to population, a drawback which China has so beautifully turned to its resource. We can't even control this most root of all causes, in turn the cause of all evils in a developing economy like ours. We can't even provide the most basic of protection to our citizens nor a shelter over our heads nor food. Please don't forget this is the country where our farmers regularly commit suicide because they just can't go on any longer.
And what happens when all this is going on? Is there a national hue and cry? Kind of, in the dailies or the numerous television channels. But what happens then? Do policies get made? Does the money allocated reach the needy? No.
And all this boils down to our looking the other way when a woman is being beaten on the road. It happened when I was 8 months pregnant right in front of my house. And there was NOBODY except this hugely pregnant busybody trying to get the guy to leave the girl. And all this while a group of young 20 somethings- some 10 odd drivers, told me on being shouted at, 'we didn't know whose fault it was...anyway it's a family matter.'
Family matter- rat's ass!
This is what my beloved country boils down to. And to think I gave up a lot of opportunities to come back to this 'oldest civilization'.
Civilisation? Now you are definitely kidding.
What does it say about the country? Lots.
I was at a bank this morning with my little one in a stroller and found myself trying to open the heavy door while maneuvering the stroller- not an easy task. And all this time two guards, and other bank personnel just looked on. They literally just looked on? Maybe it was their idea of a daily dose of entertainment, the high point of their dumb days. In all probability they just didn't want to come across as being wimpy, opening doors for women with infants, or for that matter anyone.
Why are we a nation devoid of any etiquette?
The answer even more embarrassing- the lower ranks behave as the head of the organization does. So what example is being set for them in a country rampant with national level corruption scandals, bribery, cheating and crime; where power lies in the hands of those 'unempowered' by even the most basic education, where ability does not necessarily translate to empowerment, where women are well 'women'.
What else would you expect in a nation like this?
Where you can't take a taxi without haggling over the price, even though there's a perfectly fine meter.
Where you try and fleece foreign nationals because they get the 'dollars'.
Where you are happier staying away from the police.
Where there is basically no logic to the systems which never work anyway!
The argument comes back, at least in my head to population, a drawback which China has so beautifully turned to its resource. We can't even control this most root of all causes, in turn the cause of all evils in a developing economy like ours. We can't even provide the most basic of protection to our citizens nor a shelter over our heads nor food. Please don't forget this is the country where our farmers regularly commit suicide because they just can't go on any longer.
And what happens when all this is going on? Is there a national hue and cry? Kind of, in the dailies or the numerous television channels. But what happens then? Do policies get made? Does the money allocated reach the needy? No.
And all this boils down to our looking the other way when a woman is being beaten on the road. It happened when I was 8 months pregnant right in front of my house. And there was NOBODY except this hugely pregnant busybody trying to get the guy to leave the girl. And all this while a group of young 20 somethings- some 10 odd drivers, told me on being shouted at, 'we didn't know whose fault it was...anyway it's a family matter.'
Family matter- rat's ass!
This is what my beloved country boils down to. And to think I gave up a lot of opportunities to come back to this 'oldest civilization'.
Civilisation? Now you are definitely kidding.
No comments:
Post a Comment
it would be great to know what you have to say!