Not Supermen

In the aftermath of the Uttarkand tragedy, many e-Indians have saluted the rescue efforts of the Army. Some have put up photographs of how the Army assisted people who were afraid to cross a steel rope 'Burma Bridge' across a river, because of the roaring water underneath. In the absence of wooden planks the soldiers positioned their bodies stretched across the steel ropes, so that stranded people could cross over. 

Very touching indeed... for indeed the photograph is a ‘touched-up’ one. In fact, it has been around for a few years, initially claiming to depict the gallantry of Japanese soldiers. It perpetuates the myth of supermen and ignores the actual hard work put by the rescuers.

What is it that makes otherwise discerning minds to turn gullible and believe the fake propaganda that projects the imagery of ‘supermen’. As a result they ignore the true tale of the ordinary persons involved. Ironically, it is the ill-paid soldier or the local (living a tough life) who rise up to the challenge; and the bloated imagery of ‘being supermen’ ignores their real efforts.

The problem in believing in the unreal is to relinquish ownership of our responsibilities in other situations! Extraordinary efforts do not need ‘supermen’. They need simple persons involved in earnest efforts. As trekkers during landslides and flash floods, we have been oft helped by locals as well as the uniformed persons, who are just being good men!

We need to be better at acknowledging that they do exactly what they are supposed to as human beings: to be sincere and responsible. We need to mould ourselves in a similar attitude... so that when we find ourselves in a comparable challenge, we must become those who do things not because we can, but because we will...

The world is saved by the simple, not super men...
May we BE BETTER at sincerity in every way we can!

- Pravin K. Sabnis

Goa, India