Unity in Diversity

"Hate is baggage. Life's too short to be pissed off all the time. It's just not worth it."

After the Indian victory over Pakistan in the Twenty20 final, there was a roar in the tv room. All people, whether North Indian, Kannadiga, Tamilian or Khasi were screaming alongside each other. Side by Side. For a brief moment everything was forgotten. Caste, communal, racial, all divides non-existent. No matter what had happened in the past, no matter what one had put the other through or vice versa, there was a feeling of oneness. There was a feeling of UNITY. There was pretty much no reason to doubt that everone in that room was a loyal Indian. Nothing else mattered. A game of cricket is all it takes to unite Indians. It was perfect. India beat their arch rivals Pakistan, AND won the first ever world cup. It was an all round victory.

The point here is there are differences between people. Most people tolerate the differences. This is the safe alternative, yet does not speak very highly of transparency of the people. Others emphasise these differences proving their own way of life is right by adopting a distinct and extreme way of life which would completely oppose the other way of life. I am ashamed to say that over the past few months, i got converted into this vile way of thinking. This was clearly wrong, but the situation and the company at the time made it essential for me to devolve into such a person. But the fact is i cannot blame the situation. I let it happen. Even if it was unwittingly. The situation is never at fault because it is YOU who puts yourself in such a situation. Anyway, i am not placing blame. There are no bad people. Its always a combination of yin and yang. Maybe the people i have been associated with have not had a perfect balance of the two. Or maybe its just with a jaundiced eye that i am seeing these people. Whatever the case may be, there have been numerous misunderstandings and miscommunications which always end in shit. But im digressing. What i wanted to say was that there is a third kind of people. This is certainly a rare breed and i can actually count the number of people who i have met in my life and who come under this category. These people learn to respect the differences between people. It sounds very easy and straight forward, but it definitely is not. People who think they come under this category, definitely do not. I can elaborate, but its not worth the trouble. After all, heaven only knows what people would twist the truth into to get attention.

This occured to me after watching American History X. This movie really spoke to me. The protagonist does what he does because he is pissed off. Misguided rage. It never actually makes any difference to who you are. It only maes you do things u would regret as long as u live. There is no call for anger. Even in the face of betrayal, disloyalty and plain ol' bein stabbed in the back, anger has no place. I learnt this the hard way. Anger solves nothing. It only worsens the situation. There is a call to be angry, but it is not advised. Decisions taken in anger would not be the right ones. I have made many decisions in my anger. I continue with what i have decided solely because i do not wish to swing like a pendulum (a quality that is important in itself). However, it is necessary to reach a balance. To cut ones losses. Had i known this earlier, the last few months of my life would not have been the mistake that it was. Going along with an impulsive decision solves nothing. When u knw the decision was the wrong one, remedial measures should be taken (kinda like the stoploss function in stock trading :) ). Again, i digress. The point i am trying to make is a simple one. It is disheartening that only an external common enemy should make us feel the unity. Why cant the unity be present in everyday life? The unity is blurred by the various things done which, most of the time, shudn be done. So is there a solution?

The movie 300 portrays the Greek situation very well. Athens, Sparta and the various other city states were constantly at war, but when faced with an external threat, they all united and normally won. So where does that leave us? As the protagonist tells his brother in American History X, end an essay with a quote because someone else would have said it better already. This is perfectly true. So ill end this post with a quote. The situation is never to blame. Only the weak blame the situation and say that "circumstances" MADE them do things. It is from Julius Caesar as written by Shakespeare (Act I Scene ii, Cassius)

"The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, But in ourselves..."