Act... but in a meaningful way

Yesterday, when I was writing a comment on a friend’s blog, I got carried away. Mine was a not a comment on the post, but on a comment made by someone else about the post. I am not a person who usually likes to correct each and every person, or tries to emphasize my own point of view upon him or her. I take this pain for (or liberty with) a very few chosen ones…where I don’t think twice before saying what is there in my head, and say it straight without even thinking about the right way to say or choosing the right words. But this time I could not control myself and let myself go loose.

Well, those were last two lines in that comment that made me write a full commentary. What irritates me is when people talk superficially but they try to sound very concerned. We show our concern for the society, we talk about national unity… but are we initiating or pursuing any action? Do we know from where to start, or do we really want to make a start?? Are we contributing in any way towards the betterment of the society, and thus the nation…without calculating the personal benefits or mileage we get from that?? Are we working at the grass root level where there may probably be no personal benefits; or are we just acting in a headless way where we do see silver lining in the sky but the world remains in dark.

I know a person who is a traveler. Last time he had gone to Ladakh on mobike with his group. This was a sponsored show and they named it something like ‘An Expedition Against Illiteracy’. After they returned, he came to me for media coverage. Media had covered it that time also, when they were setting off for their destination. Well, I could not just buy his idea. I simply asked why they required a sponsor for such noble cause, and how their going to Ladakh served the cause?

His replies were not convincing. What I could understand from his replies was that a sponsor was needed to meet the expenses; and secondly, a sponsor made it sure that their trip got good media coverage, as it was sponsor’s publicity also. And for them, it was not possible to get a sponsor and good media coverage without attaching label of a noble cause to their private trip… So, they all managed a nice trip, got their smiling faces published in newspapers, won accolades for their noble thought…And all this in the name of eradicating illiteracy. This is how most of the NGOs also work.

But, could that money not be utilized in some other way to actually serve the cause?? Could they not buy slates, chalk, notebooks and pencils, and give it to those children who are unable to buy them?? Could they not spare those days to teach such children, which they spent in their trip??

If they had done this, it would have been a real action to see their cause through. In fact, it would have gone in a long way in nation’s interest. It would have made a positive impact on such children’s mind… they would have got a feeling that they were not marginalized but they belonged- to people around them, to society, to nation. Actually, such feeling of belongingness sub-consciously produces a sense of unity and brotherhood. And this would have reflected in their attitude n' behavior when they were grown up.

Here I don’t wish to suggest that one must not do anything that pleases or satisfies him or her, but then why to be a pseudo??? Why to camouflage fun and frolic with heavy words?? Why not to channel our resources and energy towards roots so that we get a healthy tree in future??

We all can, within our own individual capacities, help to build a better future for generations to come. But for that, we will have to act in the right and meaningful direction. We can contribute towards noble causes in whatever way we feel fine, but making sure that those reach the right people. Don’t we want our progenies to live in a better environment than we ourselves live in??