I was recently reading a headline about Kids dying because of eating Mid-day meals in Bihar that was pesticide infested. Its tragic, especially when something was done with a purpose for bettering the society and it seems to do just the opposite, rather more tragic than what it started out to be.
Its at times like these when i get into a reflective mood and wonder why are we so corrosive as a species. Why is there no lid on our greed? Even in the jungles when a predator gets its prey it doesn't kill another one hoping that it will come in handy tomorrow, rather the predator just relishes what it gets today. I am not saying that we start living like animals, but since we are more evolved how is it that we cant think about the cons in whatever we are about to do because of our greed?
My parents always taught me that competition isn't wrong but it has to be a fair and healthy. Similarly in life we all are competing for resources, wealth and what not. Why stoop to such levels that it has to be at the cost of harming innocent lives? Have we lost all sense of morality and ethics? I am not saying that we do not make mistakes but something that's got such drastic consequences has to trigger feelings of sadness and guilt and stop us before we act on it. So has our inner radar dropped so low as we evolve that we don't mind being ruthless to earn a few bucks at the cost of young innocent children dying helplessly after eating one meal?
I have constantly questioned the way the world works. The way we as humans work and more so the way I see contrasts between good and evil. I have seen how education doesn't necessarily mean civility or integrity or how poverty doesn't mean selfishness or even how being wealthy doesn't also translate to being happy, generous or having a kind heart. But why is it that after so much of evolution such depth is missing in us? I dont know if its our society, our upbringing or if its our genes. Why isn't there a cap on our greed? To become the richest person in this world is good but at what cost? And why is it necessary? Even if we do become one how is it going to benefit us? Not that we are guaranteed happiness if we can buy the entire world! Then I suppose all the rulers that were born and departed would have died happy, which i am guessing isn't the case thanks to the pages written in history.
I faintly remember reading Leo Tolstoy's How much land does a man need, i think the way we live today we hate living simple, we love complex, we want more i dont know if that's inbuilt or programmed in us by the society. But whatever it is, the way it stands we only feel for others when we become victims of greed and injustice not until then. Perception for the other person's suffering and the need to uplift them has bid us a goodbye since a long time, at least for the majority of us. What causes it? I dont know.. probably the need for power, security or poverty. What can cure it? Maybe ingraining things like value for human life, ethics and contentment with our lives. Or I dont know whatever else beyond it.
As i sit and reflect on how complicated we humans are my only wish is that i leave a better tomorrow for the next generation than what i witness today. I am sure our forefathers wanted to do the same at some point in their lives as well.... Lets not stop the cycle but be the driving force behind it.
Its at times like these when i get into a reflective mood and wonder why are we so corrosive as a species. Why is there no lid on our greed? Even in the jungles when a predator gets its prey it doesn't kill another one hoping that it will come in handy tomorrow, rather the predator just relishes what it gets today. I am not saying that we start living like animals, but since we are more evolved how is it that we cant think about the cons in whatever we are about to do because of our greed?
My parents always taught me that competition isn't wrong but it has to be a fair and healthy. Similarly in life we all are competing for resources, wealth and what not. Why stoop to such levels that it has to be at the cost of harming innocent lives? Have we lost all sense of morality and ethics? I am not saying that we do not make mistakes but something that's got such drastic consequences has to trigger feelings of sadness and guilt and stop us before we act on it. So has our inner radar dropped so low as we evolve that we don't mind being ruthless to earn a few bucks at the cost of young innocent children dying helplessly after eating one meal?
I have constantly questioned the way the world works. The way we as humans work and more so the way I see contrasts between good and evil. I have seen how education doesn't necessarily mean civility or integrity or how poverty doesn't mean selfishness or even how being wealthy doesn't also translate to being happy, generous or having a kind heart. But why is it that after so much of evolution such depth is missing in us? I dont know if its our society, our upbringing or if its our genes. Why isn't there a cap on our greed? To become the richest person in this world is good but at what cost? And why is it necessary? Even if we do become one how is it going to benefit us? Not that we are guaranteed happiness if we can buy the entire world! Then I suppose all the rulers that were born and departed would have died happy, which i am guessing isn't the case thanks to the pages written in history.
I faintly remember reading Leo Tolstoy's How much land does a man need, i think the way we live today we hate living simple, we love complex, we want more i dont know if that's inbuilt or programmed in us by the society. But whatever it is, the way it stands we only feel for others when we become victims of greed and injustice not until then. Perception for the other person's suffering and the need to uplift them has bid us a goodbye since a long time, at least for the majority of us. What causes it? I dont know.. probably the need for power, security or poverty. What can cure it? Maybe ingraining things like value for human life, ethics and contentment with our lives. Or I dont know whatever else beyond it.
As i sit and reflect on how complicated we humans are my only wish is that i leave a better tomorrow for the next generation than what i witness today. I am sure our forefathers wanted to do the same at some point in their lives as well.... Lets not stop the cycle but be the driving force behind it.
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