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

Extra

 Quite often, trekking greenhorns despair about the length of the route. The regulars use two convincing suggestions to motivate the tenderfoot…

 First, the disheartened are reminded about the worth of the endeavour, by describing the charms of the destination. Next is the time tested motivation, ‘we are close… it is just a little more’!

However, the real trekking buff’s auto suggestion for himself is to keep going ‘extra’. He does not want to just cover the distance; he wants to go beyond the distance. The difference between ‘just one mile to go’ and ‘still another mile’ is exactly the distinction between a smaller, immediate goal and the larger destination of our dream…

In the real world, an important principle of success is the compliance of ‘going the extra distance’. Search as much as you will for a single sound argument against this principle and you will not find it, nor will you find a single instance of enduring success, which was not attained in part by its application.

So ask yourselves: Do I do more than what I am expected to do? Do I render a better service than that for what I am paid? Do I walk the extra mile to my larger destination of my bigger dream?

May our destination be truly worthwhile
at every endeavour, walk the extra mile…

~ Pravin K. Sabnis

Impersonal

Pedro was asked, ‘how did you forget to wish your best buddy on Facebook? And I am surprised that you have not reacted or written on my Facebook post wishing him! Nor did you participate in the glowing wishes on the WhatsApp group’

Pedro calmly replied, ‘I called him up personally to wish him, like always! And it is pertinent to note that he is not on Facebook and he left the WhatsApp group many months ago!’

On Web 2.0, communication is oft a chore for promoting self, with little interest in the person it is meant for. Some people turn personal wishes into an activity of promoting their business. People have called Facebook as Farce-book and Fake-book because of the obvious impersonal behaviour on it.

Being impersonal means the avoidance of personal reference or real connection. We avoid engaging the human personality or emotions. It is more about self-promotion at the worst and careless communication at the best. The impersonal is knocking on the wrong door. What is the point in wishing someone in a place where he isn’t?

Social media is a wonderful tool for sharing and connecting. But it cannot replace real personal connect. The first option should be personal visit. If that is not possible it could be a personal call or message (video, audio or text) that directly goes to the person. Do not treat a personal intention as an impersonal chore to be done with.

Do not treat wishes as an impersonal chore

Ensure you are knocking on the right door!

~ Pravin K. Sabnis

Together

Walking is a popular choice to stay fit and healthy. Some prefer the morning time while others drawn out in the evening. Some prefer the immediate vicinity while others go out to an organised track or route. Some prefer to do it alone while most prefer company.

It is interesting to note how individuals combine. Some come with their partner, some with friends, some with relatives and some with neighbours… they come in twos, three or more… some belong to a similar age group and others are divided by a generation…  

Some walk together. Some come and leave together, while not necessarily being together. Some chat while others don’t talk much. But all types fall in the category of being together and that is a wonderful commitment that builds a beautiful bond.

Doing things together does not mean that all have to do the same thing. It is about being ready to be together even when doing different things or doing things differently. A group could spend time together over a meal with each eating different stuff as per their preference or belief including not eating at all.

Being together means committing to spending time together and more importantly be ready to accept that the other need not do the same thing as you. We are different personalities with diverse capacities, dissimilar interests and varied approaches to the same thing. Yet, we can be together!

Each may do your own thing, without fetter

Being together is what makes bonds better!

~ Pravin K. Sabnis

Pretence

Two swindlers arrive at the kingdom of an emperor who spends lavishly on clothes. They pose as weavers and offer to supply him with magnificent clothes that are invisible to those who are fools. The emperor hires them. They set up looms and start work. Officials, as well as the emperor,  visit to check their progress. Each sees that the looms are empty but pretends otherwise to avoid being thought a fool.

Finally, the weavers report that the emperor's suit is ready. They mime dressing him and he sets off in a procession before the whole city. The townsfolk go along with the pretence, not wanting to appear fools, until a child blurts out that the emperor is wearing nothing at all. Everyone realizes that everyone has been fooled. However, the emperor continues the procession, walking more proudly than ever.

The Emperor's New Clothes is a literary folktale written by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. While the officials and people pretend to see the clothes that are not there in the first place, they do not have the courage that the child had to state the truth. The vanity of the Emperor is fuelled by the pretence of the people around him.

Nowadays, the virtual world of social media is merging seamlessly with the real world as the ‘likes’ and ‘dislikes’ are often just a pretence. This make-believe deceives others as well as the originators of the pretence. The only ones on solid ground are the ones who have the courage to articulate the truth.

This culture of pretence is toxic, or downright silly at best. It encourages the inner manifestation of ignorance, often leaving a deep, lingering sense of hollowness with each performance of pretence. We must put away our insecurities and take courage in aligning to open and honest discourse, lest we suffer the pitfalls of pretence.

Those who perch oft on the falsehood fence

Remember that the fall is for all in pretence!

~ Pravin K. Sabnis