Moon

The moon has no light of its own. It is a cold, rocky body, its surface covered in grey dust. Yet on a night like Kojagiri, it becomes the brightest thing in our sky. But, it is borrowed light.

The sun is the only great lamp in our solar system. It burns with its own energy. Moonlight is sunlight that has travelled a huge distance, struck the moon's surface and bounced back to the earth.

Moonlight is about 4,00,000 times dimmer than direct sunlight. Our eyes can adjust to it, which is why a night under a full moon feels bright. Our eyes find it as gentle, not harsh like the sun.

The moon teaches a quiet lesson: you don't have to produce your own light to illuminate the darkness. You just have to be positioned well enough to reflect someone else's, and to share it with those around you.

The sun is the real lamp that burns bright all day long

The moon is no less, ruling the night by reflecting strong!

~ Pravin K Sabnis 

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Partisan

The term comes from the Italian 'partigiano': a member of a party. In a democracy, parties need loyal members to organize, campaign, debate ideas and govern. The partisan shows up, volunteers, votes and defends his party's say. Political movements have depended on partisans who refused to be neutral.

Partisans turn negative when loyalty overrides judgment. Data is judged not by its accuracy, but by whether it helps or hurts one's own side. Many partisans are motivated more by dislike of the opposing party than by affection for their own. 'Hyper-partisanship' or 'tribalism' leads to institutional erosion too.

In everyday life, we navigate partisan pressures. Family, workplace, organisations and online algorithms reward taking a clear side. Being non-partisan can mean being uncommitted or disengaged. At the same time being partisan is often being irrational, unjust and unfair to the other side.

It is not whether you have a side, it is important as to how you hold it. Does being partisan make you open minded or close minded? Does it make you demand more from your own side or only from the other side? 

A healthy partisan says: 'This is my party, my cause and because I believe in it, I will hold it to its highest principles.' An unhealthy partisan says: 'This is my party, therefore whatever it does is right.' In that distinction lies the difference between a tool for democracy and as a threat to it.

Even when wrong, partisans cheer their team

Support your side, not the deviant scheme!

~ Pravin K Sabnis 

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The Elephant in the Room

An elephant standing in your room is impossible to miss. But if everyone pretends it is not there, the conversation continues around it. The phrase describes an obvious problem, difficult issue, or unspoken truth that is being avoided.

We know it. We see it taking up all the space. Yet, no one says a word. That is the elephant in the room... a truth so obvious, so large, that its very presence is ignored precisely because acknowledging it would be uncomfortable.

In a family, it might be a failing marriage that everyone knows about but no one discusses. In an organization, it is often the real reason a project is failing, a toxic manager no one dares to name, or a budget cut everyone suspects is coming. In society, it can be caste, corruption, climate change, or mental health... issues too big to ignore, yet too awkward to address directly.

There are reasons why we ignore the elephant in the room. Pointing at the elephant makes you the disruptor. People fear being labelled rude, negative or disloyal. Secondly, if we name the problem, we will have to do something about it. Pretending it doesn't exist feels safer than taking responsibility.

Social politeness is a major handicap. We are trained to be nice. Organizations often value harmony over honesty, so we choose polite silence over difficult truth. But, the energy spent ignoring the elephant is far greater than the energy required to address it.  

Every room has an elephant at some point. Mature people are those who learn to point to it quickly, kindly and courageously. Ignoring only makes the room smaller for everyone else. Acknowledging the elephant is an act of respect... for the truth, and for the people in the room.

When the elephant in the room is out there

Do not pretend otherwise, choose to dare!

~ Pravin K Sabnis 

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