In India, it takes no longer than sipping down a cup of Tea on a fine afternoon, to hear something like:
"अरे कुछ नहीं हो सकता, शर्माजी! हमारा सिस्टम ही बर्बाद है।"
This is a short account of my thoughts on this experience. I am sure all of you must have heard this very often.
A team is more than a collection of people. Having all 11 Tendulkars in Indian cricket team does not make it the Champion team. There is something more to it, a dynamic factor, that is subtle, yet very important. It is the interpersonal interaction, the bonds. It decides how strong the team is.
It is true that India has had its share of smart people who had a great vision, opportunities and keen abilities and who made their dreams come true. Although it is not just the presence of such individuals (the 'Avatars' of our own mythology) that make great nations. In my opinion, robust societies make a nation thrive even through its most troubled times. Great societies make nations great.
Coming to think of the fundamental unit of such a society, it is often thought and passed on, that it is the individuals and the families! I differ!! In my opinion a more relevant part of society starts outside the family, and extends further to make the People of a country. The unit of society (that matters), then, is the inter-personal interaction. This is a more subtle and a dynamic unit.
When we keep hearing about the screwed up system from our friends, colleagues, office-clerks, street hawkers and what not, we are actually participating in this unit of the society. Such trillions of everyday interactions, then, get a form, often called the common mind, or the undercurrent of a society.
In our everyday interactions with people, when we say and hear only about so much negativity, the never-ending corruption and exploitation in our system, and not about our strengths, we are helping it propagate as a common understanding of the present in the society, or the society's mind. How so subtle and ineffective such an interaction may look like, it does build the system from within. We are ruining the system ourselves by always sharing only the negative thoughts ! I blame not the politicians, they are doing perfectly fine, accumulating and using the undercurrent of the society, as that is what they are there for! It is not them politicians who are ruining it! It's us! We are and we make the system !
Can we decide to always share some good things, strengths and uniqueness of our Indian society? If we start doing it, we will soon start to discover such strengths no-one ever observed. This should work similar to how positive thinking works for an individual. This, is thinking positive for India!
So can we change? Do we still think that our sharing positive thoughts with each others is not going to help build a stronger India ?
It is really our choice!
--
Milind
"अरे कुछ नहीं हो सकता, शर्माजी! हमारा सिस्टम ही बर्बाद है।"
This is a short account of my thoughts on this experience. I am sure all of you must have heard this very often.
A team is more than a collection of people. Having all 11 Tendulkars in Indian cricket team does not make it the Champion team. There is something more to it, a dynamic factor, that is subtle, yet very important. It is the interpersonal interaction, the bonds. It decides how strong the team is.
It is true that India has had its share of smart people who had a great vision, opportunities and keen abilities and who made their dreams come true. Although it is not just the presence of such individuals (the 'Avatars' of our own mythology) that make great nations. In my opinion, robust societies make a nation thrive even through its most troubled times. Great societies make nations great.
Coming to think of the fundamental unit of such a society, it is often thought and passed on, that it is the individuals and the families! I differ!! In my opinion a more relevant part of society starts outside the family, and extends further to make the People of a country. The unit of society (that matters), then, is the inter-personal interaction. This is a more subtle and a dynamic unit.
When we keep hearing about the screwed up system from our friends, colleagues, office-clerks, street hawkers and what not, we are actually participating in this unit of the society. Such trillions of everyday interactions, then, get a form, often called the common mind, or the undercurrent of a society.
In our everyday interactions with people, when we say and hear only about so much negativity, the never-ending corruption and exploitation in our system, and not about our strengths, we are helping it propagate as a common understanding of the present in the society, or the society's mind. How so subtle and ineffective such an interaction may look like, it does build the system from within. We are ruining the system ourselves by always sharing only the negative thoughts ! I blame not the politicians, they are doing perfectly fine, accumulating and using the undercurrent of the society, as that is what they are there for! It is not them politicians who are ruining it! It's us! We are and we make the system !
Can we decide to always share some good things, strengths and uniqueness of our Indian society? If we start doing it, we will soon start to discover such strengths no-one ever observed. This should work similar to how positive thinking works for an individual. This, is thinking positive for India!
So can we change? Do we still think that our sharing positive thoughts with each others is not going to help build a stronger India ?
It is really our choice!
--
Milind
yes, this is a truth. But there is a fact that not many people understand this thing. People think that why should they become dirty in cleaning of society? We should hope that one day people (specially the higher society) will understand this thing. And we should also do our part.
ReplyDeleteInspirational!! Likhte raho!
ReplyDeletegreat thought.. well written.. i guess this lack of postiveness lies inherent in the attitude of the people. once got a chance to read a article which tried to explain it.. it stated that whenever india was prosperous in the past india has seen itself bein attacked.. may it be turks, arabs, mohammad ghazni.. the moghuls or finally the british.. this has had a negative impact in the minds of India people and they generally dont like to talk much about their prosperity and made their attitude much negative and pessimistic..
ReplyDeletehowever all said about past.. in the past 60 odd years of independence in retrospection we find we have really developed and developed fast.. and still a lot needs to be done. this will be brought about by the right attitude of young.. for democracry is needs people to fulfill their duties and not just demands their rights.. i hope the attitude is changing and it is happening for the better :)
Yes, thoughts when sowed reap actions! But how many of us will think and then really 'sow' those thoughts?
ReplyDeleteA strong, well-written piece. I have been and am a part of many such positive interactions. It's time to step it up a notch, more consciously :)
ReplyDelete@ Tillu : Indeed!
ReplyDelete@ Vaibhav : Yes, thats why I liked the second paragraph of your response more than the first one :)
@ Swayambhu : it breaks down to a three step mechanism for EVERY individual in a team : 1. do your work best, 2. spread good word (the environment that nurtures new minds, the interactions) 3. BELIEVE that rest 1.2 Billion people will do the same!
The third step is just a belief. It works for team members!!
@ Dada : thanks! :) Yes it is time to decide, as you say! It is time!
I cannot agree more with the point about family! In fact in India, people treat their families and homes differently to how they would treat a community. That can be seen wrt cleanliness.
ReplyDeleteAnd as Richard Bach says, "The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other's life.
Rarely do members of one family grow up under the same roof".
My perception of "progress" changed after I read this book (http://randomvichar.blogspot.com/2010/01/sarpanch-sahib.html). I think with all the hues and shades of India, it is not hard to see a positive, creative, spiritual and honest force coming to life in every generation. :)
Well thought and well written!
Cheers
Saee
good point put across.. I have thought about this for a while.. would share my thoughts some time with you...
ReplyDeleteI liked the fact that the unit of society was interpersonal interactions. Isnt it amazing that inspite of having a gazillion problems of caste, poverty, illiteracy etc.. we seem to have done decently well over the past few years? How that has really affected the poor is another question altogether...
ReplyDelete