Making an exception

At the two day freelance journalism workshop they asked us to deposit Rs 500 on the first day along with the registrations, which was for securing our attendance on the second day. This put me in a bit embarrassing position, as I didn't have the required token.

And this time, there were girls doing the registrations, and when I told them the fact they did show some surprise. Taking it light, I gave an alternative.

I told them to keep my Voters ID card, which to them was not as credible or valuable as Rs500. (why else would they haggle and ask me if I could borrow, etc) Giving up, they decided to let go and "make an exception".

Well I think the exception was not really great, may be even forced but hope many people make more meaningful exceptions and it would be great if the girls lead the way.

At home, after the workshop, some related thoughts came to my mind. Well they had blackmailed me into coming the next day. I thought poking a joke like, ‘guess, why am I here’ could really be fun besides marketing democracy and our invaluable asset, the voters card. That’s because, Chinese don’t have it, do they?

The next day came, but I didn’t get a chance for this simple fun and reflection

May be it’s just, many good things that we think of, don’t get their way out or may be, I should have gone that extra bit, following it up with a thank you chocolate, and thus would have made a small exception too!

The trappings of knowledge and beliefs

I was on the road, gliding on the bike, early morning, looking at people around. The human difference. The thoughts rolled out. Some from the previous night. Thought, if people are not the same within a city, the differences between nations would be far more. ya, humans would be humans every where, but yet division lines would be bolder!

Then the axe fell on poor America. (its not always about wealth!) I thought then what is America doing in Iraq, a foreign land to them. Not talking but at war. Why would it go to war with a foreign culture? (That is what usually happens, but hold on)

I felt something is wrong. Not the war! Something else!

I thought then, why has America been involved in so many wars. Iraq, Afghanistan and others in the past. (With none does it share its border, lucky!)

What made two cultures collide? What made them bother each other so negatively? Ya, it could be oil or....., but I have a different story.

I fight with people I know but not with strangers. I don’t engage with them, so when to fight. Ya, there is the odd event of someone overstepping over someone, or some other squabble for space! (Here I just mean physical?) But that’s about it. But there are no gun shots! In Most cases!

Similarly, here there are stranger nations quite alien to each other but throwing bombs on each other. Zombies! Or, is it because human beings have a fantasy, as the movies show, that they’ll have to fight against aliens from some other planet.

No jokes. Something’s wrong!

America, the land with finest of universities, many laureates. Smart people don’t want to waste their resources in quarreling and put their peaceful beautiful life in chaos and disarray. But still it did!

And, I guessed they were trapped in knowledge and beliefs and values. They may have had the highest of values, and they were trapped in it.

Freedom, human rights and democracy are all truly valuable and America thought itself the leader and took the responsibility of bestowing it everywhere.

But cultures are different and not all may be as enlightened as Uncle Sam. Not all may value the finest of human values and yet can be in harmony with self and others.

Our knowledge is incomplete without knowing what we don’t know. And maybe this is real ignorance.

Why would the Middle East people hate the western world had the west let them live. Different attitudes need to be respected. As Raul Castro said, ‘if the American government really wants to advance relations with Cuba, I recommend they leave behind the conditions of internal governance that they are trying to impose and that only Cubans can dicide’

But the trappings of knowledge and belief go deep and reflect in many social norms. Think homosexuality. The latest burning battle!

If only we could come out of what we know, we could know more!

Happy riding!