Brute force used to be strength in the olden days, and this was across all living life. There was also strength in the threat of force, the threat of ruin, the threat of damnation.
Capitalism changed things. It brought disparity and the sense of achievement; the thought that one could rise up the ranks regardless of genes - and it was a noble concept. Simultaneously, there was communism. For certain reasons, communism died and capitalism thrived; capitalism spread throughout the planet with small tumors of socialism within communities/ countries.
A few days ago, I was travelling by autorickshaw to my dentist and at the signal junction I saw a filthy man, clothed and on the ground. He was drunk out of his mind (or high); there was nobody there to help him. And I thought to myself, 'shouldn't I help him?' And then my thoughts went through a torrent of information.... may be the guy might hurt me if I try to help him... why should I help someone who does not care for himself? Why is he in this state? No, I don't want to help him because I have a life to take care of and that is my own. When I returned to that spot 2 hours later, he was still there. Passed out or dead. I did not care.
Yesterday, a person whom I know was driving his car and a drunk guy fell on the car while crossing the road. My friend was scared and luckily the madding crowd was not too mad yesterday - they told the cops that my friend was not at fault. Bureaucracy ensued and after a while, my friend left the scene. But it haunts him and it haunts me.
It is unfathomable, how one would feel if one knocks a guy over while driving. It is a classic case of rich v/s poor, the haves v/s the have-nots.
There is something wrong in this world where a human can spend USD 20 on a meal and drinks and another can't afford USD 2 on a meal. People in power do all that they can to stay in power and people who don't have the power will do near anything to attain that power. That is capitalism and that is the current state of affairs. Luckily, people have started caring about the less unfortunate - it's a start.
I am continually haunted by the quality of life, which, after 100s and 1000s of years of change is, may be, at its peak and yet, there are people who do not have access to clean water, clean food and sanitation. May be this world has had enough of humans.
For now, I continue living my life. I am lucky to be alive and healthy but I can't come to terms with the power of the powerful. A civil uprising should be at hand...
Capitalism changed things. It brought disparity and the sense of achievement; the thought that one could rise up the ranks regardless of genes - and it was a noble concept. Simultaneously, there was communism. For certain reasons, communism died and capitalism thrived; capitalism spread throughout the planet with small tumors of socialism within communities/ countries.
A few days ago, I was travelling by autorickshaw to my dentist and at the signal junction I saw a filthy man, clothed and on the ground. He was drunk out of his mind (or high); there was nobody there to help him. And I thought to myself, 'shouldn't I help him?' And then my thoughts went through a torrent of information.... may be the guy might hurt me if I try to help him... why should I help someone who does not care for himself? Why is he in this state? No, I don't want to help him because I have a life to take care of and that is my own. When I returned to that spot 2 hours later, he was still there. Passed out or dead. I did not care.
Yesterday, a person whom I know was driving his car and a drunk guy fell on the car while crossing the road. My friend was scared and luckily the madding crowd was not too mad yesterday - they told the cops that my friend was not at fault. Bureaucracy ensued and after a while, my friend left the scene. But it haunts him and it haunts me.
It is unfathomable, how one would feel if one knocks a guy over while driving. It is a classic case of rich v/s poor, the haves v/s the have-nots.
There is something wrong in this world where a human can spend USD 20 on a meal and drinks and another can't afford USD 2 on a meal. People in power do all that they can to stay in power and people who don't have the power will do near anything to attain that power. That is capitalism and that is the current state of affairs. Luckily, people have started caring about the less unfortunate - it's a start.
I am continually haunted by the quality of life, which, after 100s and 1000s of years of change is, may be, at its peak and yet, there are people who do not have access to clean water, clean food and sanitation. May be this world has had enough of humans.
For now, I continue living my life. I am lucky to be alive and healthy but I can't come to terms with the power of the powerful. A civil uprising should be at hand...
