HONESTY NOT A ---- IV

Honesty not a ----  IV

 But, certainly there are persons who adhere to values even on the face of adversity. In fact, for the honest, adversity is not an event, but a routine. A little elaboration may be ideal here. Seeing the darker side of honesty is not my endeavour. But it renders the right value for our analysis to clearly perceive that honesty is externally surrounded by hardship while the character of the person is an example of hard core determination. A while ago I had hinted on adversity. It is adversity all over in all places – office or house. Everywhere the person is rated low as “incompetent” of making a fortune. The individual is snubbed as “dry cow” or a sterile fallow for not towing the line of materialism. What is it -an honest courage, looks “impotent” in the perception of the wrong-doer. The kin of the person do not respect the value of values. They feel let down by the person while every one else flourishes. Every assessment seems to have a ‘material yardstick’. But the one adhering to principles stays undaunted for [s]he has a fire of sustenance with in. Not succumbing to worldly pleasures is more pleasurable than suffering in search of material pleasure. To keep off the path of material comforts is no mean feat. All of us know that bad habits are easy to acquire and sustaining upright stature through hurdles every day calls for the courage of warriors. I call it courage because the individual truly functions as an individual with none to share his feelings. On the contrary, any “error” on his or her part would be blown disproportionately, locating an occasion to snub the person. Fully conscious of such prospective tribulations, person sustains honesty. For them, mind rules the desire unlike the converse among the dishonest. It looks an inconvenience invited. But it is a product of desire. What determines this preference?  In spite of the common trends of times, some persons choose to adhere to values. Right from the days of early upbringing, these persons would have come under the style of living with in the means. Besides, they would have witnessed the esteem held for honest persons in the society. Such a scope for children to observe the scale of honesty and the attendant austerity in life have vanished. We can not hope to inculcate “good faith” by sheer preaching of morals. Moral attitudes are imbibed better if those are practised by elders. There are a few households which have survived the onslaught of cultural debacle, clinging on to values with the faith that one day their plight would change for better. In spite of hard living trying to make ends meet, they have sustained values, cordiality of sharing comfort and discomfort alike, besides their respectability of character. Hitherto, we have considered materialistic outlooks ruining our society. It is relevant to consider here that dishonesty is not always associated with acquisition of wealth. There are many avocations like teaching with little or no scope to make a fortune. Based on this, some people try to suggest that “Morality is an instance of lack of opportunity”. There are many [though a microscopic %] who stay moralistic in an environment that favours and nurtures corrupt practices. What matters is the conviction to one’s cause.  Even if the ambience does not provide for ‘wealth acquisition’ dishonesty is visible. We can not ascribe it to “money” as a luring factor. Apparently honesty goes with rigid schedules of adhering to values, processes and protocols. A dishonest person considers convenience more than anything else. Therefore, even in an ambience of ‘no scope for acquisition of wealth’ dishonesty creeps in. With all the inconveniences that go with honesty why people choose to be honest? Fundamentally, mind is the determinant of choices. It is like choosing between penance and penchant for comfort.                                      

Not that the honest deny themselves of any comfort; rather they are comfortable without chasing the shadow of material prosperity. In fact the honest are more comfortable on matters of accountability, sincerity of purpose, utility to the system and to the society. Their honesty right away wins the pride. With any “authority” they need no compromise. They are ‘inconvenient’ only to the colleagues and not to any administration. All the dishonest people put together can not rattle the iron will of a single honest person. Honesty is a virtue acquired the hard way, beyond the purview of judgment by dishonest individuals. Is an honest person successful? For all non-materialistic considerations, an honest person is successful. There is no fear of “facing” any one including the Almighty. The Almighty knows too well that the honest are worthy products of His creation. It is only the lesser mortals who denounce the honest, for they can not match him or her in utility or conviction. Greasing the palms of officials and a display of obvious subordination to even lesser mortals is a punishment that the dishonest have to endure all life, besides running errands to the household of the officials. There is just no pride in these acts of obeying the disobedient, while denouncing the merits of the honest. The honest “live” in respect and the dishonest survive in comfort fearing the prospect of inquiry any moment. Many dishonest assume safety, only from the numbers of their clan 

To continue  Prof. K. Raman