We had an amazing experience yesterday. We were at a signal in JP Nagar. Just when it was about to turn green, an elderly couple began to cross the road. I held my breath as the lights changed. Would the hapless couple be caught in a volley of vehicles swishing past them on either side? But amazingly that’s not what happened. Every car at the crossing stopped till the couple safely reached the other end. There was a lot of impatient honking from cars at the back…perhaps they could not see what had held up the flow of traffic. But we witnessed a great moment of understanding patience.
What makes a nation a developed nation?
Is it merely a yard stick to measure the wealth of a country? Is the answer that simple? Is every rich country a developed country?
From the 6 weeks that I spent in France I know for sure that this courtesy to a pedestrian would not have amazed anyone. I remember that as a pedestrian there, I was often amazed at the courtesy afforded to me. I saw amazing courtesy and precision in almost every aspect of life. Patience and perfection! As a people that seemed to be what they stood for.
As a nation what are we proud of? That I think decides whether we are a developed nation.
Is the driver of the bus proud to stop every time exactly at the stipulated area or is he proud that he can stop the bus anywhere and no one will question him?
Is the doctor proud that he gives appointments and keeps them or is he proud that he has a line of patients waiting in the lobby?
Is the manager proud of giving his visitor complete attention for a duration of the session or is he proud to be interrupted by phone calls?
Is the energetic young man proud of treating the elderly with kindness or is he proud of being able to ignore them?
Fifteen years ago the first option would be the obvious choice of most Indians. But India was not so rich then. Now India has more wealth. We have economic stability. With increased education and increased wealth we should have become a nation that is proud of right choices. Somewhere along the way we have lost sight of where we are going.
I had read somewhere that
Success lies not in achieving what you aim at
But in aiming at what you ought to achieve.
Are we progressing towards being a developed nation? Or are we going to merely be a wealthy nation?
I think this is where education and especially schools have a huge role to play. I think the basic values of a person are shaped very early in life. The recent right to education act is one of the first steps in this direction.
ReplyDeleteAnyway being a "wealthy nation" is not sustainable till we as people of this nation have the right set of values. What amazes me really however is that our culture (Indian culture as we know it) should actually ideally inculcate these values in us. Why it sometimes fails to do so, I really don't know.