This is for those who spend sleepless times wondering why things dont change for our Nation.
I met someone today. The person is someone who is in a very competent position. Someone who I believe has the right position, level of influence and ability to be able to play a decisive role in several things relating to blood donation and the problems surrounding the same. The discussion with the person was cordial and warm. The person is genuine and service minded. However I found some strange resistance which led to this blog!
It is interesting why some problems don't get resolved. The main contributing factors as per my little understanding are:
- Corruption and Unwillingness to work: The interest of people in not solving the problem. This may be because of the additional effort which they may not be willing to invest or simply - gross corruption.
- Lack of Acknowledgement of Problem: Many time people are unwilling to accept the fact that there is a problem at all. This is the case with seasoned and well placed people who have got an ego bigger than themselves.
- Lack of Resources: Many people want to improve things but they are unable to implement things because of the lack of availability of resources. Resources could be of various types: support from higher ups, money, time, space, manpower .. the list goes on.
- Lack of Willingness: This is the case where people are simply reluctant to change because they are not comfortable with change. This is the Chalta Hai attitude that we Indians are so infamous for.
Now, having listed these things, I would like to discuss in greater detail the last case. Lack of willingness is something that agitates my inner self the most. Why will someone in the whole wide world refuse to embrace a change that is so much required? Why wont a person change something that the person acknowledges is required and which the person knows, he/she can possibly change? When I go back to the younger, more enthusiastic minds and when they question me on the rational of such things, I owe them an explanation. I give them an explanation often.
A lot of this resistance, this unwillingness stems from something that for one, is common to most Indians and two, takes roots long long back when we are studying in colleges. During our schooling, from teachers, from parents, from people we know and from friends we are encouraged to believe that we really need to be one of the masses. We are taught that blind compliance is the rule. We are made to believe that we should excel only on the definitions and the fronts which the world has happily created for us. Appreciation is limited to those who do what is told. There are rare people who get support and encouragement to believe in themselves. There are few kids who get appreciated for doing their own thing however stupid it is. The British had indeed created a system that suited them well - make customized clerks who follow orders and we have not only embraced this system, but also nurtured and maintained it.
However, one fine change that I see is the willingness to ask others to do what one believes is right. we all are excellent at preaching.
So, what happens then? The person grows up, learns and matures knowing full well that the way to success, fame and glory in life comes from compliance. The innate guts, the belief that one is capable of doing implementing their own ideas and succeed in that is murdered. And so, you have an entire generation of very competent, very well tutored, even sincere people who will do all that the system requires them to do. But, who will lack the attitude, the willingness and the faith to put their foot down for what is right and makes it happen.
What is missing is belief!
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This one is for people who want the change to happen:
Have patience and persistence. Have faith and enthusiasm. Have willingness and energy. Put back in this system that has been taken away systematically. Persist! Request! Wait! Have Faith! It is not easy to jump over the walls so beautifully made around people. Help them by waiting for them and working with them. Things will not be ideal. Never mind. Work nevertheless. However, never let the idealism take the back seat in your mind. Do sing the song of the Nation, even in the face of the most disgusting form of corruption. Do sing the praise of the martyrs even as you hear about the inaction. Physics students, have you heard of induction? I believe in real life induction. Just stick on and you will radiate change. You will induct confidence.
God Bless You ?
CC Attribution: Thanks to Annadriel for the image included in this post.