As children we hear about how friends stick together. We learn that squealing on mates is a huge flaw in character. Frequently what we learn as children is what forms the basis of our behavior for life.
I can share two instances which brings the topic in play.I am sure everyone would have made decisions of these types in their lives.The first incident is penned in this page below.
As a child, I had to experience change frequently. My family was struggling to keep its head over water. As a result of a few bad business bets,my father had to go through selling our house to relocate to smaller place. From a spacious and fashionable address in Worli,Mumbai we travelled up the corridor to Andheri west in 1979. I was 12 years of age and had just made it to the 8th standard.
My brother and I were duly put in the Holy Family High School in Chakala. It was a good school and I have fond memories of a few things during my 2 year tenure there. One of the memories is related to the topic of discussion.
I was a back bencher due to my prodigious height. Being a new comer in the 8th standard, my abilities were not well established in the class. So I was frequently labeled a rogue in the time honored tradition of back benchers. This had several unpleasant consequences for me.
One day the school had a book fair, which gave us the opportunity to lay our hands on the treasures of Enid Blyton,Tin Tin,Hardy boys and other unachievable gems. Unfortunately a few of the classmates were unable to resist temptation. One of them was the class monitor who had a clean reputation.As a result their school bags acquired a bulkier dimension varying with the degree of their greed. Most of this stuff was right in row 1. The rogues from the back benches being naturally impervious to the charms of literature.
The principal of the school had a well deserved reputation of being a forceful inquisitor. The rumor of his visit to the class room was enough to send the books scurrying from the first row to the back row traveling from hand to hand. These books then literally flew out of the window and into the compound a few feet away from their original location in the hall. They were however outside the hall, but plainly visible.
As it turned out the inspection squad could only recover one book from the bags. The class monitor obviously had a better estimate of his reputation than the school authorities. Around the same time the books were discovered lying in the compound. The complicity of the back benches was established beyond doubt. The rows in front were naturally populated with angels until proved otherwise.
The 4 or 5 boys from the back bench were summoned by a teacher, Girls being exempt from sinful conduct. In the true fashion of the catholic church, we were asked to confess our crimes, or name the offendors.
There came the question of the code of honor for me.
I was not a party to robbery. But my fate was playing a game and I had to prove my character.
As the only person to not confess the guilt or name the offenders, I was disciplined after class. Additionally I figured in the list of an offendor who confessed . He cited me as an accomplice.
This resulted in my name being announced next day in the assembly, in the context of a red card or yellow card (I forget) for dishonorable behaviour.
I still think back and ask myself. Would I do different? The code of honor bars my way. I asked my conscience keeper, my mother. I asked her what I should do? Her words are immortal and still guide me.
” Ask yourself .”
Cryptically she conveyed that the conscience of a person is his own. He has to decide what is right and wrong.He has to take responsibility for his actions. And he has to take consequences for his actions.
I grew up, but this is a teaching I wish I can convey to my children as well.At a young age they need to take responsibility for their actions.
I believe what I did what was right. I also believe that consequences are not the decision making criteria. It is your fate which may reward you with a red card or a certificate of merit.
Second story to follow soon…
I remember a time when I started my career in 1992. Internet was not all pervasive, cell phones were not there.In fact a facsimile machine was a luxury.
In 15 years technology has evolved and is all pervasive. It has frighteningly acquired dimensions that have created huge dependencies.
What happens if the plug is pulled on it due to force-majuere. Well, the impact is crippling.
On the flip side, the communication revolution provides us with an opportunity to use knowledge and innovate like never before. You enjoy,relax, and learn at the same go.
The generation of youth exposed to these technologies are scoring higher in IQ as per a recent study reported in the BBC world service. Apparently the computer games do impart these additional IQ scoring abilities by challenging and multiple dimensional problem solving aspects of the games. With the advent of role play, they frequently substitute real life. And technology in way starts nearing the definition of a deity for some. It is all powerful,all knowing and all pervasive.Omni everything.
Is it also causing the erosion of norms of behaviour? I mean abusing a keyboard is simpler/easier than calling a person a name to his face.Especially when the consequences are negligible. So has civilization and freedom of speech come at the cost of honor? Or erosion of the soul.
Imagine someone of the calibre of Amitabh Bachchan using the blog to now defend himself from such abuse. Right back at you he says to the media which is used to abusing their power. Naming and shaming people has been his strategy. I personally feel it will cause the individuals shamed a bit of a shock.Some may actually benefit.People love celebrities especially when they are being lynched. It somehow comforts them to know that they are better off than that so and so XYZ, who though famous, is actually a worthy person.
The good news is that now several versions of the truth can be available, so there is no dearth of data on any subject. Wikipedia is the source I frequently refer to whenever I need the shortcut to knowledge. So exposure to multiple thoughts and views on a subject also widens our horizons. It also renders us more amenable to the idea of a disparate world with a myriad existence.
Bye with these thoughts
