If I may butt in. The other day, Mukul da forwarded a NYT column about Hindus polluting the rivers in Queens. That column made some very interesting reading, and that these Hindus have started polluting the waters by using it for religious rites, and even even throwing coconut shells, and other garbage in the river.
It then struck me.... here in the US the 'governance' is what many Indians would aspire for, and yet SOME of these Hindus break all rules and 'muddy the waters', so to speak. So whom do we fault - the imported Hindus or the governance in Queens? In India's case, corruption requires at least two parties: bad governance on one side, but you also need a easily swayed population that seems to have willingly taken part all these decades. It is a well-known fact, that the most sought-after jobs are sales tax inspectors, supply inspectors, DTO, ministers, forest rangers, contractors... a long list of jobs with low salaries, but high monetary rewards. The question is why are these jobs sought by huge sections of the population instead of running away from such positions? Uttam brings out a good point..... basically that when temptations are so high, and those that don't join in tend to lose a whole lot. That is true in some cases, but in others, we see a population that is both eager and willing to join in. People are not being dragged kicking & screaming into becoming supply inspectors or sales tax crooks - people actively seeking such positions because they really want rake in the money. There are willing business people who are willing to bribe these equally willing sales tax/supply inspectors. This is just an example, but everywhere you look, you can find it. Everything is NOT lost if one doesn't get that sales tax inspector job, and no one coerced that inspector to take or initiate the bribe. In the end, it does takes two to tango.... while the system does certainly needs improvement, I am not sure if we can prescribe to replace it. How will that be done & with what? And who will be in charge of the new system --- the same people? And what does one do with sections of the population that loves and thrives on corruption? On a side note: I too think Ravan has been given a bad rap. :-) --Ram On Sat, Apr 23, 2011 at 5:15 AM, Chan Mahanta <cmaha...@gmail.com> wrote: > Well said Uttam. > > > > > > On Apr 23, 2011, at 3:59 AM, uttam borthakur wrote: > > > > > Dear all, > > > > The Rorschach test is obviously meant for finding out the psychological > make-up and therefore, the outlook of the person. And this surely has been > reflected in our discussion here. > > > > I am fond of Ravana. In fact, my name finds a place in a publication by > Mamoni Raisom Goswami where I had to co-translate Navakanta Baruah's RAVAN > as the etrnal lover. Needless to say, I am pretty embarrassed with the > translation as the very first rush print sent to examine the integrity of > meaning got printed instead of the last refinded one sent for print :-). > > > > That's besides the point. Despite dissemination of education, the > presence of all pervading corruption in India, proves one point for sure: > system needs to be replaced. Even the most pure either gets allured or gets > crushed in this system (now crony capitalism, which implies that head is > rotten, and therefore the remaining parts, like the proverbial rotting > fish). So, it would be a fallacy to think that Indian citizens enlightened > by education per se would attain divinity and therefore the existing system > would be adequate. It has not been proven so far. ( There are good people > and that is why even this rotten thing is still running; perhaps it is at > the end of its elasticity as evinced by recent happenings). > > > > Why, even the noble Dr. Faustus could not resist Mephistopheles, not to > speak of numerous Hindu gods and sages falling preys to avarice! So, singing > paens to the extant system and hoping for people to become god would be a > very tall order. Too tall. > > > > That's why, Anna Hazare, however good or bad a person he is, shall not > possibly succeed with his present brand of solutions. Having said that, the > present awkening has the wherewithal to unleash the forces that may bring > about the desired changes. No time table can be set for that! > > > > Uttam Kumar Borthakur > > _______________________________________________ > > assam mailing list > > assam@assamnet.org > > http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org > > > _______________________________________________ > assam mailing list > assam@assamnet.org > http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org > _______________________________________________ assam mailing list assam@assamnet.org http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
