HONESTY NOT A ......III

Honesty not a bed of Roses.... III 

I strongly feel that people have taken to wrong methodologies on the faith of reaching a target; but it eludes. All the apathy and curse of the poor can not go unanswered. When the real day of judgement comes “collective thinking or conditioned mind” can not salvage us, since only individuals are to answer for their [mis]deeds.

All activities are enjoyable only if happiness pervades the society consequent to our deeds. None can ‘imagine’ toturn prosperous by unlawful acts of fleecing the society. It is a matter of time before the wheel turns a full circle and stops at a critical step inviting public attention. Much confusion has come about from the belief of materialism as a route to comfort. It is far from real. Means must justify the end in all cases involving public interaction.                 

Moralistic attitudes must be inculcated in the young minds not as a mere philosophy but as a genuine approach to help the society. Does any corrupt practice help the society in the least? What pleasure can a person hope to derive causing mental hardship to others. Our people should bless us in abundance.                                                                 

If not, at least they should have no reasons to curse us. Nemesis is automatic and can not be kept off by collective wisdom. God’s grace has to come through affection from people. Indulging in corrupt practices and propitiating the Gods are contradictions in terms. At best it is a “wrong belief” that, like men Gods too can be gratified. If we can not be of value to the immediate society, of what value is any pilgrimage?

Honesty:

Honesty is not an attire of convenience for us to wear when we “find” it suitable. It has to be a way of life and not a matter for occasional display. It is not “how one should appear” rather it is what one should practice. Though philosophically it is an explanation, there are hurdles to the practitioners of honesty. It automatically raises the question why one should agonize self trying to be honest. Apparently, the question looks logical until we come to terms with the real issues connected with this. For every step in life one has to consider the prospects of effects –long term and short term. An effort of such a kind requires an “in-depth” consideration of all related aspects. Honesty is a product of strong will. It calls for rigid adherence to procedure and processes. One major feature of practicing honesty is the exercise of discipline in every step of any operation.

It calls for a uniform schedule of sticking to standards on all occasions. The entire process has to be applied to all persons with whom we deal, lest we should appear biased in attitudes. This is at the operative levels of any process where persons happen to interact.

Workers: Any one who strictly implements the prescribed procedure has to study the case for all its details and prepare “case briefs” for the authorities to consider the facts for disposal. An honest employee prepares the document citing the relevant criticalities involved. The really honest person tries to provide precise file notes for clarity. In the process, the person embarrasses those who take advantage of every case of disposal as a means of furtherance of personal prospects. The honest man suffers in a corrupt environment, being unable to serve by conscience. Such honest persons are looked down as hindrance to rapid “progress” of the kind that those corrupt people desire. Therefore, such honest persons suffer social boycott in places of work. If the person serves on lower rungs, there is no prospect of a transfer for him/her to some other place. The regularity of transfers is more for higher positions. If the person serves at higher positions, [s]he may seek not a mere transfer but may opt for shifting to another segment of the government, to get rid of the daily agony. In many places the very “colleagues” of the person arrange to shift the individual to a place safe “for themselves”.  The honest person is an “unwanted nuisance” for the practitioners of corrupt manoeuvres . Apart from denouncing honesty, the corrupt ones resort to snub the individual in all possible modes. The upright person looks odd for those who resort to clandestine strategies of wealth acquisition. Even on occasions of general celebrations, the honest persons are sidelined. When it comes to solving of a critical issue, “the unwanted nuisance” turns an essential tool. This is a situation that the reader has to critically consider. The person hitherto ignored as of no value is shown a “consideration” as his or her help is vital for the system. Any average person would avail of the occasion to “show” the others their places. But honesty does not permit the ego to raise its ugly head. The person displays equanimity of sorts and helps the colleagues to tide over the crisis by an appropriate analysis and solves by honouring the dictates of rules and conscience. In the present scenario, for many, the honest person may look to be a fictitious character of my fertile imagination.            TO CONTINUE                                            Prof . K. Raman