Thursday, October 17, 2013

The chronology of corruption.

These days, it's become routine for some scam or the other to burst on prime time television or in the media, in general. The wealth that is being swindled is on astronomical proportions and guys from every section of the society figure in these misdemeanours. And the reactions from the people who figure in them are ridiculous, at times, bordering on the bizarre! I suppose that's the line usually taken by the hardcore among them because of the concept that one's innocent until proved guilty. And the lengths to which these shameless people can go to cover their flanks makes one wonder about the thickness of their hide!! They definitely have a poor opinion of the common man's intellect.

Are we a corrupt people? Why do we hanker for something that's not rightfully our's? No, I'm not being condescending but what amazes me - I've said it time and again on this forum - is the question as to whatever has happened to the values imbibed from the home and the family. I'm sure that the parents, as well as the grandparents, ingrain into their children the advantages of doing things right and upholding the truth. These values are nurtured during the formative years until they become an 'honour code' in the personal lexicon.

Yes, it's quite common to see wrong things getting condoned and people following unethical means to achieve their ends gaining an edge, albeit for a short while. The tremendous loss of one's worth in the aftermath of a tumble should be reason enough to prevent wrongs. But short term gains seem to make them look attractive.

I'm reminded of a line from the Academy prayer that we used to recite every morning and I quote, "Help us to choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong". Were they just parroted to tide over the times as it was a necessity? Didn't those words make an impression, deep within? And if yes, won't they prevent one from doing anything wrong? Would it be easy to get over the consequent guilt?

And the last and the most important doubt that I have is, 'why do the parents condone or remain silent about their progeny's misdeeds blaming the 'system' or the 'environment' or most interestingly, 'the trend of the times'?' That's the thing that disgusts me most!


Tailpiece.

Is the urge to acquire power and pelf so overwhelming that one isn't bothered about the inconsistencies of the mind? So long as one has a standing(?) in the society - obtained by any which way - that alone seems to matter!

Finer feelings be damned!! Am I being naive?  

No comments:

Post a Comment