WE THE PEOPLE
Last night, I was extremely disturbed and struggled to comprehend the heinous crime that occurred in Manipur. It prompted a great deal of self- and societal-reflection on my part.
My experience has convinced me that India is an exceptional country, but I worry that we have lost sight of what made it unique in the first place and have changed its original meaning.
Why do we as a society always fail to realise and act upon the atrocities and injustice done to any individual, group, or entity in this country? The essence of any nation is, and always will be, its people. It is not possible to determine the health of a nation or its level of success solely based on industrial and economic indicators. However, what happens when people stop interacting with one another? Diversity and inclusiveness are essential components of any society that is thriving and growing as a whole. But what happens when we stand up against each other to fight and kill for reasons known to none?
It is not my intention to imply that there are never going to be issues in any society. We are aware that there is no such thing as a perfect society, but working together, we can make it the best it can be. Thinking critically, debating ideas, and having open conversations are fundamental to the growth and success of any society. However, when people as a whole fail to engage in critical thinking and fail to respect one another’s opinions, preferences, and values, terrible things can happen. We are always our own worst enemies; why is that? We are constantly influenced by other people’s agendas and storylines, and we mistakenly believe that following them will help us solve our problems, despite the fact that there is no causal link between their stories and ours. Because of the prevalence of Issue A, we are led to believe that Issue B must also be present.
During our formative years, most of us pick up ingrained patterns of thought and conduct. Whether intentionally or not, we continue to use that method and pattern in every facet of our lives, causing harm to ourselves and those around us in the process. The worst part is that we humans have an uncanny ability to take a bad situation and magnify it beyond all imagining. How did we get this way? Why do we give our fears such an easy victory? The truth is that we have not made any attempts to learn about ourselves. Perhaps being subjugated for over a century has rendered us helpless in the face of authority and compelled us to follow orders without question.
We all battled for one common goal, which was freedom, over the course of a long and gruelling struggle to win our independence, regardless of our backgrounds, beliefs, or ethnicities. Obtaining independence from a monarchy is one thing, but acquiring the freedom to establish an impartial, egalitarian, and, most importantly, inclusive society remains an Everest for the majority of us. Nothing an individual does, nothing a political party does, and nothing any politician does can help a country succeed. Only “WE THE PEOPLE” can create a safe and harmonious society for our next generation of sons, mothers, daughters, and so on, by discovering our individuality and working together to find solutions.
