Vazirsingh’s Weblog

When I was a child, my mother struggled to ensure that I took my schooling seriously.I was having difficulties in school as I had joined 2nd standard straight after spending  a small time in a hindi medium school.My father had little time or inclination to help me.However he inadvertantly gave me some of the best lessons in life.

Firstly, he introduced me to the world of comics.I still remember the Amar Chitra Katha comic on Rana Pratap, which was his first gift.This got me into a lifelong passion of reading, which I am eternally grateful to him for.

He also taught me that I should understand what I read. He advised me to answer questions in my own constructed sentences, instead to repeating exactly from a text.This was an invaluable lesson.He did not spend time teaching me,but he gave me the tools to teach myself.A lesson worthy of being passed down to my children.I tell them this story.I tell them that they may get lesser marks, but they will at least carry their own ideas,which is ultimately a higher achievement.

Recently someone asked me a question. Why did I read? After a little thought I replied that I read to become a better human being.

This was not what he expected. The stereotype answers would be for learning,knowledge,growth,seeking truth,enjoyment,escape from reality,wealth,power,skill,Immortality etc.

I fall back to Maslow to explain. He espoused that the two BIG problems facing humanity are 1) To create better/superior persons 2)To create a better society. Predictably, he refused to identify what comes first, but said that they work in tandem.

Maslow also opined that a better society is a requirement to generate better persons. He mentioned that better people are required to create better society.

My life is devoted to become a better person. All the work I do are in a way towards achieving this goal.This also includes reading. I hope that the society I live becomes better. I also recognize that a corrupt society can corrupt people. And corrupt people can corrupt society.

What is a corruption? Any idea of benefit which is not tied to common good can be seen as a corrupt idea. A corrupt idea can then corrupt persons. The corrupt person can then corrupt society. A corrupt society can then corrupt people. Maslow if I remember uses Hitler as an example. His 3rd reich could have changed the world if he had won the war.

Some of our value systems are formed at a young age. Some challenge their own beliefs and evolve towards better values. Books are an important  tool,but not the only way. Quite a few can not challenge their own views as it creates insecurities and punctures the comfort zone. Not all have a spirit of adventure or the courage and belief in self.