There was a time when life seemed simple and relationships were less complicated. Maybe it was just that I was a child and it was easier for me to comprehend situations. However, people did appear more honest, straightforward and they valued the small things.
Teachers in school were more dedicated to the cause of education and less inclined towards making a tuition fee. The household staff treated their employers as mai bap, and believed in true service. Friends went to each other’s homes on Diwali with greetings and baskets of dry fruits. For weddings, guests were invited by way of personal visits to their homes. Doctors were a part of the extended family, and politicians were not so blatant about being corrupt. Scams were few and far between and remembered for years.
Then came a wave of introspection in the 80s and 90s. Yoga became the new age form for fitness where mind and body needed to be in sync. Gurus taught the art of meditation, and passed on their spiritual knowledge, which was not to be confused with religion.
People found the need to delve deeper into the realms of spirituality, seeking peace. This became infectious in social circles. Professional counsellors made an entry into many families, paving the way to understanding human behaviour, and how people should deal best with the each other.
Modernisation swept in accompanied by ace technology. We were not confined to Krishi Darshan and Chitrahaar any more, but with a click of a button options were available. It was like going abroad. Options were available for everything. Tim Berners discovered the World Wide Web and the Internet allowed mail to reach far away lands within seconds. Worldwide connectivity became possible thanks to the brilliance of the human mind.
However, human beings digressed. Awareness led to the yearning for a better lifestyle, and the desire for more. Now, teachers do not care if the student fails, as long as their working hours are clocked in, and they receive their paycheck. Domestic staff has become lazy and greedy. Diwali greetings are sent on SMSes and wedding invites are most appreciated if they are accompanied with extravagant gifts. Doctors and lawyers fleece you, and most are into corrupt practices, bringing down the reputation of professions which were once considered noble.
Gurus are enjoying their own popularity. Yoga teachers charge top dollar to pass on their knowledge. Sportsmen take money to lose matches. Politicians sit on debates, and fight with each other openly making a mockery of themselves and exposing their corrupt ways. New scams running into crores of rupees are reported every month.
Live and let live is a thing of the past, and “crush to survive” is the new mantra. Look around you, corporates are constantly battling with each other, politicians try to drag down not only their opponents, but also their own peers. Actors gloat when their rival’s movies crash at the box office. Professionals don’t like each other’s guts. Designers are not happy with their own success and rip another’s. Older women intimidate the younger ones in the family. Brothers fight. Families destroy themselves.
Very few strive, driven by ambition and the quality of work, where money is only a by-product. Great men, who were selfless and worked for humanity came from another generation altogether. Unfortunately, today’s generation lacks that.
Advancement comes with a big tag, a pricey one, where money and power rule. I guess we win some and lose some. Tread carefully, it’s a tricky climb up the collapsible rungs of the ladder.