Are we going the right way?

It finally hits home after two months. I'm in the most powerful nation in the world and it just elected a new leader, practically for the whole world. I can't help compare (forgive me for this impudence).

America has come a long way. From slavery to its first black president, this is a remarkable journey. While American people said "Yes, We Can", back home our notorious MNS said "No, We Won't". I read an article in the New York Times and came to know that, Mr. Raj Thackerey has been the centre-point of yet another furore. We cannot stand a person just from another state, let alone another religion, and we say "India, poised"...Poised with weapons to lunge at each others throats (?). (The article quoted someone saying, "Our own people are betraying us")!!

I'm not singing praises of USA as everybody else does. True, US society isn't all silver-lined. But, is it wrong to appreciate something that's genuinely good? With so many foreigners making a bee-line to this country, its really amazes me how tolerant the legal citizens are, especially after being exposed to the incidents of lathi charges back home. Compared to the MNS, the Americans seem to be angels. Of course there are lot of other factors, especially the availability of all resources here but still, the crux is we are being sensitive to petty issues. How should it matter who finds a job in which state? Aren't we all legal citizens of India? Some of my dearest friends are Maharashtrians and now are in various other states. I pray that they don't cross the path of some fanatic seeking revenge for all these incidents.

As Mahatma Gandhi said, one will be foolish to separate religion and politics. But, things are getting out of control. Instead of the spirit of nationalism (that we once read about in school textbooks), there's the spirit of regionalism and communalism. All these things are for the ultimate prize - regional vote banks. Petty things are now our breaking news while we say, "India is a growing super-power".

It really is upto us what we should choose to be concerned about. Obviously, "they" are doing all these "things" as they perceive that they stand to gain something. Are we all set to be influenced by such regional and "religional" fanatics? Are we all set to be wooed by them to make them our next leaders? Are we going the "right way"?

Another Experience

Its been sometime again. But, this time I have not been procrastinating. I'm now in another country!! The USA. Sometimes it fails to sink in and sometimes it hits you head on! Finally, I made it. After all the hiccups since I planned to take the GRE more than a year back.

Anyway, during the holidays, the 'Lights Out' Campaign came to Chennai. So I thought that I should propagate the message atleast to the people in my locality. So, I hung up a notice board on the tree outside my house.

I could see that atleast 6-7 people read the notice while walking down the road. But, when the time to switch off the lights came, even my closest neighbour (who could read the notice even from his balcony) did not switch off is lights. Of course, I don't how many actually did switch them off, but I sure did. Its really amusing how indifferent people can be. Agreed that everybody can't remember about Global Warming and stuff in everything they do. But, when there is a plea for your participation right underneath your nose, its difficult to ignore it, isn't it?

In fact, many people just walked right past the notice without even a glance. On the other hand, the kids who come to my Mom for tuitions noticed it right away even though it was way above their height and they should have walked right below it without noticing it. Kids are real observant!!

Anyway, the next day, the newspaper carried a report that the campaign was a huge success.

Good. There is a substantial crowd who are aware of their surroundings.

Betrayal

So this was just another day and I was going about my daily business at home. Along came a municipality truck and the cleaners and they knocked at our gate. Disregarding my mother's warnings, I opened the door and went outside to ask what they wanted. One of them, humbly asked that they just wanted to wash themselves at the tap and wanted some drinking water. I pointed to a tap outside our house and went in to get some water. I filled up a bottle and gave them the water.Then he asked whether they can have their lunch outside our gate. I said "of course". My mom warned me against all this. Then, all of a sudden, having finished thier lunch, they just vanished.
And they had left my tap half-running, left my gate open...and took my bottle away with them. I could not care less about the bottle but this is not done! I was reeling under a sense of betrayal while being subjected to well-earned scolding from dearest mum....:-(
No wonder people dont wanna help each other. I didnt expect any favour in return for what i did but just basic respect to the things I lent.I didnt get even that....I will not let this make me turn my back on someone who needs my help in the future. Nevertheless, it has left its mark.....Point Taken!

Well.....as i said...Procrastination got the better of me yet again.
I was going through my friend divya's blog (Diva's Dreamworld) and her post about street children....That reminded me of an incident tht took place about a week back.
I was returning from NARI(National AIDS Research Institute) after my day's work. This guy stopped me and asked something.I didn't get him at first and thought his tone was pretty rude.But then he repeated his question.Then I heard him clearly...He was asking me whether the clinic at NARI is still open.Then I noticed, that he was pretty sick.
I answered him that it might be and he should go and check.When he left, I realized he most probably was HIV positive,that the clinic he mentioned was just down the corridor from where I work in the lab, and the fact that the work I'm involved isn't gonna help him in any way at all!!!!
I feel quite smug that I'm actually working on HIV but this thing shook me...Realities of life.....
I know the answers..that somewhere further down my work might help ultimately....
Firstly....stop dreaming...
Secondly, there are so many people doing scientific research just for the heck of it.
The reports my classmates bring in from their labs in other national institutes really makes me wonder.....People like this guy are dying out there...and here people come in at 10...go for tea-come back-chat-go for lunch-chat again, work a bit-tea at 4-leave for home at 5.....end of days play!!!!!
and now I'm all set to join the system myself.....only time will tell whether I can change the system or survive the system or be consumed by it........