What you do not want to be done to you, do not do it to others. That is the advice religion and philosophy bombard us with. Yes, I have used the verb 'bombard' carefully and knowingly. Well, I believe the principle thus stated and/or its inverse/reverse are not always right or so followed in the reality. In fact, they can be downright destructive of your social standing at times!
Let me tell you why/how I arrived at this conclusion. I was travelling back home after my P.G. lectures. Most commuters on the bus looked dead tired, and were, like me, stealing a wink of a sleep, too, as much and as often as possible.
It was at the Deccan bus stop that this girl got on to the bus. Near Alka Theater, the very next bus stop, she was screaming at a dicey fellow who tried to touch her inappropriately. In her anger, she yelled, "what would your mother or sister feel or do if they were to face such behaviour?"
Before the entire bus, shocked by his crude and vulgar answer, came to senses, he got off smirking. You know what this beastly remark was? He casually said, "my mother would love it. So would my sister!"
What-about-ery does not always help. Very few people have, forget empathy, even sympathy. With the consumerist mindset ruling the roost, instant gratification by any means, and anyhow, is what matters the most for the majority. Ethics has taken the backmost seat long long ago. So never ask anyone the question, "in the same situation, how would you feel/act?" Such a horror would be the answer, you would feel, "shame, shame"!
Pratima@ we are mere sidekicks in most people's scenarios! " extras in their play" opines Franklin D. Roosevelt.
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