It is 2nd of October again and again we stand here questioning ourselves. It is not a question about the authority or of any right or something. Neither is it a question of morality and good or bad, nor is it of any kind of injustice or estimate of progress. In fact, the authenticity of this question is itself not a question, which it always becomes when it is a tough one to answer. The question is simple: are we what we wanted to be?
This may seem to be an “IITian’ish” (apology for copying the style) type of grammar, but the meaning is none the less intentional. Are we really what we wanted to be?
The title of this write up suggests that this has to have something to do with Gandhi in some way. And indeed it has. But do we care anymore? Let’s do an analysis.
Gandhi was born in a decent family in Gujarat and was rich enough to have gone to South Africa for his law studies. So, as a middle class born boy, I came to IIT for engineering studies. This looks sort of similar, isn’t it? OK, hang on. I have got another one. He fought for justice and so am I. Oh! I am sorry. I think I have been a bit too imaginative. Let’s go back.
Let’s talk about my professors. They too went for higher studies to USA, UK. Some are from other IITs only. And they are also fighting. Yeah! This seems a decent plot. Gandhi defied the government for his rights and used mass protest and hunger strikes and diplomatic negotiations and non-cooperation. Our professors too are using the same against the government. Oh my god! This looks like the perfect plot indeed. In fact, of all the harmonies in this universe, I am getting the feel that I have struck upon the correct one. Let’s explore this.
So here we are; in midst of a sensational similarity between our professors and Gandhi. So, in some ways, we can say that Gandhi is still around, fighting and defying, making a mark and trying to pursue others to join in. Among all the meeting traits, there yet remains a striking difference.
The cause.
This is such an ironical scenario that despite of all the measures taken to fight (both by Gandhi and by our honorable professors), which are considered to be the most effective ones in the entire world, the causes possess such an opposite characteristic at their very root that we are left in a position to take sides. And which one we have to take is itself a big question mark. The reason is simple. One of them takes us to Utopia, which Gandhi dreamt to build and the other takes us nowhere, we stay where we are, in the ditch which we were pulled in and to make up for it, we have ourselves pulled on to another one who is above us. As Victor Turner has said (sometimes, you do learn in humanities courses), this phase of the ritual is the crisis phase. The society comes at the verge of a total disintegration and a single wrong choice can lead to catastrophic consequences for us and for all. So, where to go?
It is a matter of individual choice and there is no one who has the right to make it for anyone else. But, unfortunately, there are some who do it and more unfortunately that we have ourselves chosen them to do so. Isn’t it a complete proof of the flaw of a democratic system or is it only a case of poor execution? Whatever it is, the main argument lies in the core. We cannot let ourselves so smartly adopt “gandhigiri” for any cause we like. Given the odds, four cases are possible. Let’s have a look at them with examples.
Case one. We can protest (or rather express ourselves) for a noble cause but we do not have an adequate method to say our words. Example – we do it all the time. Result – failure.
Case two. We protest for a noble cause and adopt a strong method like what Gandhi did. Result – success.
Case three. We protest for an unjust cause and use a meek method. Result – “thrashing” failure.
Case four. We protest for an unjust cause or a selfish prerogative. Result – catastrophic, usually amends laws.
And it the fourth case which the highlight of all rallies and hunger strikes and (all right) protests(I have a strong dislike for the term, it is no longer carried out in the way it is meant to be in the dictionary). Every time I see or hear of it, another case of such a case in the newspaper or on the television, it reminds me of Gandhi and at all these times, I am reminded of another thing.
Is this what we really want to be?
This may seem to be an “IITian’ish” (apology for copying the style) type of grammar, but the meaning is none the less intentional. Are we really what we wanted to be?
The title of this write up suggests that this has to have something to do with Gandhi in some way. And indeed it has. But do we care anymore? Let’s do an analysis.
Gandhi was born in a decent family in Gujarat and was rich enough to have gone to South Africa for his law studies. So, as a middle class born boy, I came to IIT for engineering studies. This looks sort of similar, isn’t it? OK, hang on. I have got another one. He fought for justice and so am I. Oh! I am sorry. I think I have been a bit too imaginative. Let’s go back.
Let’s talk about my professors. They too went for higher studies to USA, UK. Some are from other IITs only. And they are also fighting. Yeah! This seems a decent plot. Gandhi defied the government for his rights and used mass protest and hunger strikes and diplomatic negotiations and non-cooperation. Our professors too are using the same against the government. Oh my god! This looks like the perfect plot indeed. In fact, of all the harmonies in this universe, I am getting the feel that I have struck upon the correct one. Let’s explore this.
So here we are; in midst of a sensational similarity between our professors and Gandhi. So, in some ways, we can say that Gandhi is still around, fighting and defying, making a mark and trying to pursue others to join in. Among all the meeting traits, there yet remains a striking difference.
The cause.
This is such an ironical scenario that despite of all the measures taken to fight (both by Gandhi and by our honorable professors), which are considered to be the most effective ones in the entire world, the causes possess such an opposite characteristic at their very root that we are left in a position to take sides. And which one we have to take is itself a big question mark. The reason is simple. One of them takes us to Utopia, which Gandhi dreamt to build and the other takes us nowhere, we stay where we are, in the ditch which we were pulled in and to make up for it, we have ourselves pulled on to another one who is above us. As Victor Turner has said (sometimes, you do learn in humanities courses), this phase of the ritual is the crisis phase. The society comes at the verge of a total disintegration and a single wrong choice can lead to catastrophic consequences for us and for all. So, where to go?
It is a matter of individual choice and there is no one who has the right to make it for anyone else. But, unfortunately, there are some who do it and more unfortunately that we have ourselves chosen them to do so. Isn’t it a complete proof of the flaw of a democratic system or is it only a case of poor execution? Whatever it is, the main argument lies in the core. We cannot let ourselves so smartly adopt “gandhigiri” for any cause we like. Given the odds, four cases are possible. Let’s have a look at them with examples.
Case one. We can protest (or rather express ourselves) for a noble cause but we do not have an adequate method to say our words. Example – we do it all the time. Result – failure.
Case two. We protest for a noble cause and adopt a strong method like what Gandhi did. Result – success.
Case three. We protest for an unjust cause and use a meek method. Result – “thrashing” failure.
Case four. We protest for an unjust cause or a selfish prerogative. Result – catastrophic, usually amends laws.
And it the fourth case which the highlight of all rallies and hunger strikes and (all right) protests(I have a strong dislike for the term, it is no longer carried out in the way it is meant to be in the dictionary). Every time I see or hear of it, another case of such a case in the newspaper or on the television, it reminds me of Gandhi and at all these times, I am reminded of another thing.
Is this what we really want to be?
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