Go to know

The Motorcycle Diaries is a 2004 film on the journey of a 23-year-old Ernesto Guevara, who went to become the iconic Marxist guerrilla leader ‘Che’ Guevara. It based on the trip diary of the young man who had taken a break from his medical studies.

The film recounts the 1952 expedition, initially by motorcycle, across South America by Guevara and his friend Alberto Granado. Besides being a road movie, the film is a coming-of-age film; as the adventure, initially of youthful pleasure-seeking, unfolds into life changing experiences.

Through the poor peasants and the inmates at a leper colony where they stay, the duo witness first-hand, injustices that the deprived face. They are exposed to social classes they may have never encountered otherwise. As a result, the trip plants the initial seed of cognitive dissonance and radicalization within Guevara.

Alberto said of the film, ‘it shows what we were, which was two young men who went looking for adventure and found the truth and tragedy of our homeland.’ And that is the most pertinent message of their trip. The truth is out there and we have to go meet it.

So often, so many of us build up our understanding on single perceptions from a static position. We must to step out of our comfort zone. We must wander to encounter and experience the predicament of underserved and deprived human beings.

Our privilege prevents us from noticing the obvious discriminations. It is only when we live alongside the strugglers that we understand the injustice of it all. It is the experience that will lead to understanding and empathy. Attempt for solutions will follow.

Step out to truly know…

With an open mind, Go!

~ Pravin K Sabnis

One

On December 1, 1955, Rose Parks was seating on a bus-seat secluded for blacks. The driver demanded that she relinquish her seat to a white passenger. Parks refused and her subsequent arrest and trial for this act of civil disobedience triggered the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

It was one of the largest and most successful mass movements against racial segregation in history, and launched Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the organizers of the boycott, to the forefront of the civil rights movement.

Her role in American history earned her an iconic status in American culture. Her actions have left an enduring legacy for civil rights movements around the world.

We insist that ‘an individual cannot make a difference’. Rosa Parks taught a significant lesson: the power of one… the power of individual initiative. She did not wait for people to join. She had the courage to stand up for what she believed in.

Anyone can swim with the tide. It requires conviction and character to move against the tide. However she did not rest with individual action. She moved beyond to involve and consolidate the collective. The power of one increases with the addition of other ‘ones’.

But the onus is on the first one to take the first step. It may seem insignificant but when one stands for the right value, we add meaning and purpose to our life. We must own up to the aligned action that we know is for human good.

One does not remain a solitary intention
when collective gets together into action

~ Pravin K Sabnis

Discomfort

With the steep increase of Covid-19 infections, the frontline workers: doctor, nurses and their colleagues are working overtime to bring the situation under control and that too wearing elaborate protective gear and masks.

In a post shared on Twitter last month, Dr Sohil grabbed attention of netizens. The post has two pictures: one shows Sohil wearing the PPE kit and the other shows him without it but drenched in sweat. It brings to fore, effects of wearing kits for a prolonged time.

In his tweet he wrote, ‘Talking on the behalf of all doctors and health workers. We are really working hard away from our family. Sometimes a foot away from positive patient, sometimes an inch away from critically ill oldies... I request please go for vaccination. It's only solution! Stay safe!’

So often, so many of us make a fuss about the discomfort of wearing a mask. Actually discomfort is not always in the situation. Often it is because we have a choice. If there is no choice, the process of adaption moves faster. Our health workers see no choice but to do their duty. So they easily embrace discomfort.

On the other hand, we are in relative comfort zone. We may be worried, we may be scared but we may not accept that we have a single choice. Hence the feeling of discomfort is overwhelms to the extent that we try to escape the discomfort.

Discomfort is an uneasiness that is never only physical but also mental. And it is the latter that needs to be tackled. Health workers have a lofty motive to fulfil their responsibility to their profession. We need to connect to our social obligation of being responsible and responsive.

Mind it that discomfort is secondary

The larger collective good is primary.

 ~ Pravin K Sabnis

Lifelong

The white head-scarf, white beard, peaceful smile of Sunderlal Bahuguna made for a recognizable public face in the country and among environmentalists of the world. He made an exit at 94 years on 21 May 2021, felled by Covid19.

His life was dedicated to the conservation and preservation of the Himalayas, fighting untouchability and alcoholism, and promoting the movement of ‘ecology is permanent economy’. His commitment to the cause started young and continued lifelong.

Inspirational Icons like Bahuguna never stray from the cause. They internalise the ownership of their chosen commitment. They align their thoughts and behaviour to the mission they have embraced. Lifelong commitment leads to clarity of purpose of life as well as the satisfaction that comes from pursuing your vision.

So often, so many of us have the right intentions and wish for the collective good. However, we are afraid of a lifelong commitment to the cause, as we worry of implications. We worry about what we stand to lose. We hold back and refrain.

Bahuguna, Medha Patkar and others move on in an anguishing, uphill struggle full of roadblocks and hurdles. Despite the distress, they display a deep peace that comes from the satisfaction born of an unambiguous lifelong commitment. We too can gain the joy that follows a lifelong pledge to a specific cause for the larger good.

Choose a worthy cause for the good of everyone

Align to its values & make a commitment lifelong!

~ Pravin K Sabnis

Untouchability

A big blot on human civilisation has been discrimination of human beings based on distinctions such as caste, class, ethnicity, colour of skin and other prejudices. In the pandemic, we see a new set:  the living and the dead are being shunned for infection

A housing society barred nurses who have been bravely serving patients. Hearse vans are difficult to get and the dead are denied dignity of cremation by some villagers. Infested patients are being treated like culprits by neighbours.

Of course, there are shining examples of human empathy. In Sankhli town, two women and a man wore protective gear and did all the needful to give dignity to a Covid felled patient. There are volunteers who are stepping out to help and serve the afflicted.

It is important to note that all other inhuman discriminations flow from selfishness and a cruel conviction that others are lesser beings. Such attitudes lead to the practices of ostracising, segregation and persecutions of those people.

This unacceptable practice cannot be justified in any way. The safety norm of distancing is being wrongly interpreted as a justification for exclusion and social boycott. Instead of supporting each other, we are unfairly pushing others to the brink.

When we touch our own faces, we run risk of self-inflicted infection. Will we refuse to touch our remaining body? Will we deny ourselves human dignity? We must imagine ourselves in the situation of the ones we cruelly demean. We need physical not social distancing… sanitising not shunning… empathy not untouchability!

Protect yourself from the illness of untouchability

Overcome prejudice & keep alive your humanity!

~ Pravin K Sabnis

Advice

Pedro was admitted to the ICU of largest Government Hospital attached to a College. His wife would sit outside all the time. Pedro’s friend phoned her to enquire about his recovery. Despite being told that Pedro was getting better, he advised to shift to a private hospital.

Since he kept insisting, Pedro’s wife conceded, ‘Alright, I will heed your advice. Please come here, do the discharge formalities and admit him the hospital of your choice. I am happy that you are taking charge of your friend and will look after him. I can get back to my children.’ Pedro’s friend started squirming and tried get out of the situation.

Advice is an opinion and everyone can have one. But it is pertinent to check whether the person giving the advice is competent to offer a studied opinion. It is also important to confirm whether the person is ready to take responsibility for the recommendation.

So often, we advise others in matters we know nothing of nor are we ready to take the onus of. We may be trying to help but we end up confusing the person or adding to the stress quotient. We make a mess that we are not ready or capable to clean up.

Having good intentions is not enough. We must not share opinions of things we know little about or without the willingness to take responsibility. Careless judgements can be dangerous. Let the qualified expert recommend. We should restrict to hope filled encouragement and solidarity with the expert’s advice.

Let the doctor advice the way to wellness

Restrict to sharing hope in the darkness!

- Pravin K. Sabnis

Apathy

I like work: it fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours. I love to keep it by me: the idea of getting rid of it nearly breaks my heart.

– from ‘Three Men in a Boat’ by Jerome K Jerome

 So often, so many of us keep staring at an increasing pile of things that keeps building up as we allow it too. It seems to be stuck to the place where it rests. Eventually the pile-up rises to such proportions that we seem helpless in having any control over it.

 It is pertinent to note that it is not the pile-up that weighs us down… it is the attitude of apathy. It may start with indecisiveness but it is eventually about disinterest. If we are interested we will take on and sort out any pile-up rather than let it lie.

 Disinterest leads to a lack of feeling, emotion or concern about something. It is a state of indifference, or the suppression of emotions such as concern, excitement, motivation, or passion. An apathetic individual get caught in impassivity and indifference.

 Interestingly doing things or being active normally excites interest or emotion. We can enthuse ourselves by being dynamic in other things as well. If we are excited in life, we will be excited at all facets of life, including work!

 When enthused & excited, you find

Apathy will not remain in the mind!

                    

- Pravin K. Sabnis