What is wrong with us?
Thursday, 30 September 2010
Shamsher Chowdhury
THERE is no denying of the fact that over the years we have made some progress in communication, electronic or otherwise, basic consumer industries, infrastructure development, pharmaceutical industry so on and so forth.
Yet we have made but very little progress in the development of our mind and mental faculties. Our vision is bogged down by various stigmas and dogmas. If any thing, we have become narrower in our outlook. We have become extremely intolerant of opposing views. We indulge in lies and deception in every step of our lives. We consider being honest and forthright as signs of foolishness and weakness. We take arrogance for bravery. We consider murdering innocent housewives as our right. We behave on the streets in an unruly way.
Discipline as a concept has, for us, become obsolete and irrelevant. We have forsaken the ways of the Almighty and His Prophet. Our children are no longer our children. Most of them view their parents and forefathers as objects of mercy and pity. We have lost sense of commitment. We suffer from a sense of vanity that often crosses all limits of decency. We have completely lost the spirit of enquiry. People of all tiers of the society work and deliberate more from the premise of perception than realities on the ground. For all practical purposes, we have lost our ability to think. We often reject rationality and moderation as being a matter of the past. We indulge in making all kinds of irresponsible remarks at both, private and state levels.
Our race for money and material acquisition, has reached an alarming proportion. We often tend to measure our social status by the size of our cars and the flats or private homes that we live in. We decorate our shelves with all kinds of books and publications to give the living rooms of our residence look like the home of that of the erudite and the intellectuals. We have become extremely greedy and wish to be rich overnight. People belonging to middle class, the comparatively well-to-do and the lower middle class indulge in eating too much as though they have not been eating for ages.
Every body excepting the poor and the ultra poor are after public recognition of some sorts, a medallion, a performance plaque or a position in the house of power or influence whether deserving or not. In the meantime, abusing of power whether at private or governmental levels has become a regular feature with us.
Day by day, the curse of drug addiction is gaining a wider spread. More and more the younger generation of boys and girls, more so boys, are into drugs. The city slums have become veritable dens of drug trade. Ironically a section of our "gentry" is also getting into this profitable trade. The concerned authorities do not seem to be that much bothered. The problem is alongside our bodies our morals are also on the path of decay.
We have become unduly impatient. We are quick to claim victory before the war is over. We thrive on vengeance and retaliation. We are quick to condemn an individual at the slightest pretext. So critical is the environment, it is impossible even to trust a near or dear ones or even an old friend. Today it is difficult to distinguish between a friend and a foe.
Our politics stink all the way. All it specializes in is mudslinging and character assassination of each other. It is politics at its worst. It is used and abused for all kinds of purposes. To our politicians, it is a means to amassing personal wealth and securing their families' future financially, come what may. It is all about falsehood and misguiding and ignoring the cause and interests of the teeming millions. It is all about worshiping the highest seat of the party leadership as one does amongst the Mafias. Voices of dissent are ruthlessly silenced. It is all about sycophancy.
We revel at mediocrity. We have become hypocrites of the worst kind. Our colonial mentality is yet to take leave of us. The half educated and the pseudo intellectuals dominate our society. The entire society is designed to encourage indiscipline and violence. The good and the honest have confined themselves to the four walls of their living quarters for fear of uncalled-for intimidation and harassment by the goons. No one can be trusted -- the educated or the uneducated, household help or work forces anywhere and everywhere. Amidst all this there is a group of people who are elated by the progress the country is making. Yes the rich is getting richer the poor poorer. If anything, in time to come there is every possibility for us to shine prominently as the best amongst the Third World countries.
E-mail : chowdhury.shamsher@yahoo.com
THERE is no denying of the fact that over the years we have made some progress in communication, electronic or otherwise, basic consumer industries, infrastructure development, pharmaceutical industry so on and so forth.
Yet we have made but very little progress in the development of our mind and mental faculties. Our vision is bogged down by various stigmas and dogmas. If any thing, we have become narrower in our outlook. We have become extremely intolerant of opposing views. We indulge in lies and deception in every step of our lives. We consider being honest and forthright as signs of foolishness and weakness. We take arrogance for bravery. We consider murdering innocent housewives as our right. We behave on the streets in an unruly way.
Discipline as a concept has, for us, become obsolete and irrelevant. We have forsaken the ways of the Almighty and His Prophet. Our children are no longer our children. Most of them view their parents and forefathers as objects of mercy and pity. We have lost sense of commitment. We suffer from a sense of vanity that often crosses all limits of decency. We have completely lost the spirit of enquiry. People of all tiers of the society work and deliberate more from the premise of perception than realities on the ground. For all practical purposes, we have lost our ability to think. We often reject rationality and moderation as being a matter of the past. We indulge in making all kinds of irresponsible remarks at both, private and state levels.
Our race for money and material acquisition, has reached an alarming proportion. We often tend to measure our social status by the size of our cars and the flats or private homes that we live in. We decorate our shelves with all kinds of books and publications to give the living rooms of our residence look like the home of that of the erudite and the intellectuals. We have become extremely greedy and wish to be rich overnight. People belonging to middle class, the comparatively well-to-do and the lower middle class indulge in eating too much as though they have not been eating for ages.
Every body excepting the poor and the ultra poor are after public recognition of some sorts, a medallion, a performance plaque or a position in the house of power or influence whether deserving or not. In the meantime, abusing of power whether at private or governmental levels has become a regular feature with us.
Day by day, the curse of drug addiction is gaining a wider spread. More and more the younger generation of boys and girls, more so boys, are into drugs. The city slums have become veritable dens of drug trade. Ironically a section of our "gentry" is also getting into this profitable trade. The concerned authorities do not seem to be that much bothered. The problem is alongside our bodies our morals are also on the path of decay.
We have become unduly impatient. We are quick to claim victory before the war is over. We thrive on vengeance and retaliation. We are quick to condemn an individual at the slightest pretext. So critical is the environment, it is impossible even to trust a near or dear ones or even an old friend. Today it is difficult to distinguish between a friend and a foe.
Our politics stink all the way. All it specializes in is mudslinging and character assassination of each other. It is politics at its worst. It is used and abused for all kinds of purposes. To our politicians, it is a means to amassing personal wealth and securing their families' future financially, come what may. It is all about falsehood and misguiding and ignoring the cause and interests of the teeming millions. It is all about worshiping the highest seat of the party leadership as one does amongst the Mafias. Voices of dissent are ruthlessly silenced. It is all about sycophancy.
We revel at mediocrity. We have become hypocrites of the worst kind. Our colonial mentality is yet to take leave of us. The half educated and the pseudo intellectuals dominate our society. The entire society is designed to encourage indiscipline and violence. The good and the honest have confined themselves to the four walls of their living quarters for fear of uncalled-for intimidation and harassment by the goons. No one can be trusted -- the educated or the uneducated, household help or work forces anywhere and everywhere. Amidst all this there is a group of people who are elated by the progress the country is making. Yes the rich is getting richer the poor poorer. If anything, in time to come there is every possibility for us to shine prominently as the best amongst the Third World countries.
E-mail : chowdhury.shamsher@yahoo.com