How?

I received a mail from FP (future politician) yesterday. I must thank him for bringing me out of slumber and make me write here again and also for his input. Well, my friend FP was wondering why we are talking about the education system when there are worse problems out there, people dying of hunger, unfortunate deaths because of terrorism, living as slaves to cruel people and going through unspeakable horrors. That is true. Maybe we need to go up from the worst of all problems and work to make things better for these people who are suffering.
But I wonder - How? Where do we start? We cannot end the problems in Kashmir or in Sudan or in Afghanistan or in Burma in a few days or months or years using the most radical of means. These problems are too complicated for a few people to solve. What means can we adopt? How practical will they be? Who will help? How will even a lifetime of work help cure this disease that is choking the world today. There are many people who are already working wonders to make a difference. They still are not able to do much. We have new problems cropping up every minute.
I read this story on a blog and it helped me get over my misgivings. I do not remember where I read it. (I am very thankful to the author, whoever he is. Thank you.)
Two men were walking on a beach and saw groups of starfish being washed onto the shore. Some were being dragged by the waves. The others were sure to die on the shore. Suddenly, one of the two guys went and started throwing starfish back into the sea, one at a time. His friend asked him - "What are you doing? There must be a thousand of these dying! Throwing one back makes no difference at all." The other guy smiled and said, " It does make a difference to this one. "
What a wonderful message. From this story jumped out th answer to all my questions. If each of us decided to do something for a few disadvantaged people it would make a difference at least to one person. I think that is the only way we can maintain a balance in our world - one person at a time. It is surely slow but it is a sure method of making a difference.
My way of making a difference would be to do something for underprivileged children. I request you, where ever you live, whatever you do make a change in the lives of people around you. Choose where you would like to start to do something to make a change. You could surely afford to gift a few kids with study material, or maybe help getting some aid, help get someone a job, give whatever little you can, even one meal can help. Maybe your actions could help stop someone from becoming a terrorist or help someone realize a great dream. Even if it was for a single person you could start off a chain reaction. In the end, who knows, you could be at the receiving end of the chain that you yourself started...

Emotion and practicality

I seem to be very famous for my arguments. There is yet another friend I had an argument with about why he thinks women are very unfit for managerial or any other positions. Well it does seem like an argument from the Stone Age and do not wish to discuss the issue with anybody. I believe in equality in all forms. Everyone is equally capable of things. (In case you wish to argue on this point, please leave me out of it. I am in no way interested.) But it was his underlying logic that interested me deeply. He says that it is the emotional nature of one particular category that made them unfit for managerial positions, because they not only made people uncomfortable with their emotional outbursts but also spread the tension to others. That was, I say, so right! People who bring personal emotions into work or into their workplace create havoc (irrespective of their gender, age, ethnic origin etc.) This is because people are not strong enough to control their negative emotions and allow them to cloud their thinking capacities.

There is nothing bad about emotions in general. We do not need to become emotionless monks or unfeeling tyrants. Love, affection, kindness etc are some emotions that do a great deal of good to us and others around us. I feel heartened by the show of passion that some groups in the country show even if it is extremely negative and aggressive, because it shows that they are not devoid of emotion. They in fact are just filled with some distorted form of emotion or passion that is drilled into their minds by people who benefit from this kind of show. (I am talking about some violent agitations or communal riots that keep happening here all the time) So what really causes these people to come to blows and destroy and kill mindlessly is their inability to control emotion.

A friend who asks not to be named (who will be referred to as Future Politician or FP from now on) says that it is the vulnerability of the uneducated and ill-informed that causes them to be highly impractical. They tend to be easily influenced and gravitate towards anything and anyone that promises some immediate benefits. They do not look at long-term interests, simply because they do not know how to. (That is another reason why there is a need for education or at least increasing awareness of rights and duties etc.) FP also suggests that we start educating people especially on how to choose their leaders. This will take us a long way in deciding how our politicians will have to behave to please people and remain in power. I must add that this process of educating people must be free from influence of any political party otherwise it will bring us back to square one. Thank you FP.

And for the skeptic few who wonder why all this bothers them at all and why should we bother about changing anything... Well people, we are all connected directly or indirectly. Whatever affects me will affect you in some way or the other. So don't just shrug your shoulder. Your future depends on what happens to your fellow humans. Try to make their lives different to better your lives.

Thanks Hari for your comments. It was heartening and encouraging to see that someone agrees with me. I was getting a little bogged down by negative criticism. I will respond to them soon.