Blog Post
CHANGE FOR A CHANGE
Off late, a very close friend of mine shared a post asking for donations for medical treatment for his close one. The patient has to undergo medical surgery, which costs a great deal of money, which he was unable to pay due to a lack of funds. The cause was genuine, and so was the seriousness of the matter. Undoubtedly, social media is flooded with various such posts where one can easily find similar ones. However, the authenticity of such posts is always suspicious until you know the person. I have been through various instances where people create such fake posts to generate funds for their axe to grind.
The big question that often haunts me is: how come we stoop to such a level where we fake and emotionally blackmail the public, taking the support of a generous cause? On the other hand, it is also a matter of concern, as our concern is confined to helping only known ones and not others. Things matter the most when it comes to helping our loved ones, but we turn indifferent to helping others. The bottom line is very clear: YOU WON’T BELIEVE IT UNTIL IT HAPPENS WITH YOU.
We all need someone who can support us at odd times and become the hero of our lives. We don’t want to take on the pain of being a hero in someone’s life. The real identity of a person cannot be determined until put to the test. We want to see change in the world but don’t want to initiate it first. Aren’t we responsible for the fall of human values and social concern? The biggest fallacy of any ideology is not falling in line with its practicality and application. An ideal society is often led by the virtues of good practical moral values that are seldom practiced by the majority. Let me connect it with another example.
Once, a couple received a telephone bill installed at their home. The bill was huge, and it surprised the couple as the high usage amounted to a great dent in their savings. Since both partners were working and mostly out for the entire day, how could such a large amount of bill be generated? This was beyond their apprehension. Both partners had heated arguments over it. The wife explained that she makes most of the calls to her relatives and knowns from the office phone itself, and the same logic was given by the husband as well. Since office telephone expenses will be borne by the company itself, it will not add any financial burden to them. The argument could not lead to any explanation. The husband thought to challenge the telecom operator for generating such a fake bill. Upon which the maid of their house confirmed that she does the same thing. The reason was simple and practical, too. If you are not following the ethical and moral code of conduct, you will become the victim of it. The maid did the same as the couple did. Avoiding the social responsibility of considering official property as their own and mismanaging it.
The fruit of karma is bitter for those who opt for unscrupulous practices for their own benefit. But forget that short-term gains can cause big-time losses. You must practice what we preach first. Most people consider it a fancy thing to flaunt but seldom practice it. Every parent teaches their children to always speak the truth, but at times they need to fake being busy enough, engrossed in other activities, or avoiding taking responsibility. We tend to lie; it is rather easy to procrastinate and fabricate the facts to validate the reason. However, we forget that we are setting the wrong example for the coming generation. They learn what they see and observe. You cannot blame them for your fault. Can we?
It goes on and on and creates a vicious cycle that is hard to break. Sympathy, compassion, support, and cooperation take a back seat when it comes to personal gain. We started looking for an opportunity that could add mileage to our gains and growth. Unfortunately, relationships are also tested in the same yard these days. We love to be associated with those who are socially affluent and powerful, but we shun those who truly love and admire us but are not as affluent and successful as we are.
At times, we often take risks that are unnecessary and jeopardize our reputation and wealth. The recent example of former businessman and investor FTX founder Sam Fried is a perfect example of personal greed and the fall of human values. At the age of 29, he became a multibillionaire and poster boy, which also surfaced in Forbes magazine. However, his greed not only prompted him to commit financial forgery but also to put all his pride and prestige at stake.
The great Indian leader, Mahatma Gandhi, once said, Be the change you want to see in the world. However, we seldom imbibed it and kept on expecting that the change could only come from someone else. We shrug off our responsibilities until it’s our turn. We tend to forget that nothing will change until we change. We all have great expectations and aspirations, but we only hope that someone else will come into our lives and make it possible for us. There will be numerous examples of such ignorance and immature behavior as putting blame on others' shoulders. It's just like we would not hesitate to litter outside our homes to keep our own homes clean. In short, we are all, at some point or another, the culprits for polluting the rich social and cultural balance of society. Our personal greed and importance have become so great that they overpower our wisdom and sensibility. How often do you praise any place because of its beauty and cleanliness? More often, right? But have you ever been concerned about making your own society and surrounding society similar to that? No, because we believe that it's someone else's responsibility to do it for ourselves. Always remember, we cannot preach what we seldom practice.
There is never too late to start a fresh start, provided you believe that a change can be made. No matter how small your effort is and no matter how many people acknowledge and appreciate it, if it feels good to you, it will bear the desired result today or tomorrow. Great things take time to happen, but that is the only thing we all can do. Let’s join together to bring about a change in society and make it a sensible society. Where growth and success can only be measured by smiling faces, sharing responsibilities, and putting in our best effort to make it happen, That would be the real miracle that would transform your life for the better.
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