Our Corruption Their Corruption

We often complain of corruption in the lives of people in public life but we do not care to take stock of the way we have been corrupt in our dealings. Whenever an opportunity comes our way, we make the most of it by making a buck or two and sacrifice our so called morality. Though all of us do not give in to temptation, many of us are lured by the prospect of a gain spawned by factors not moral. But the most interesting twist to the tale is that we are not without our enthusiasm to take on the big names that have been tainted.

In the first place it is important to know for sure if it is feasible to fight against corruption when we ourselves are corrupt. Corruption is not all about making money by resorting to unfair ways. It is also about being deceptive in life that we often lead with double standards. Our obsession with our lives makes us behave in a way that does not reflect our concern for the people around us many of whom may not be that fortunate. Quite often the son does not do his duty to his father or mother just as a brother shows his empathy to his fellow brother or the neighbour to his neighbour. We fail to show the spirit of altruism and tend to behave in a way that is all for the fulfillment of our goals. The result is inevitable. We become the prototypes of those educated and successful people, whose virtuosity lies in their ability to be clinical, betraying an undercurrent of corruption. They deceive us with their suavity- a façade or the emblem of their corruption eating into the vitals of our national and social life.

In spite of all this marking the nature of our collective life, we are not without the stimulus to move ahead as many of us are bolstered by the intrinsic virtue of goodness running deep into the psyche of the country most of which is pastoral. In our eagerness to identify ourselves with the soul of the country with the conceit of our education and glitter, we forget about the maturity of the innocence of the people living in rural India. The mightiest of clandestine deals smacking of worst treachery have not been able to dampen our enthusiasm to boast of our national pride because we have not ceased to bank upon the innocence of these people together with that of many from amongst us.

We cry ourselves hoarse about the shenanigans of a section of leaders who have deceived us by their actions but what about our corruption when we do not lend a helping hand to a man who fails to get a square meal for his family, the old man who has nowhere to turn to for shelter, the people who perish as they cannot afford expensive treatment. One will argue that it the lookout of the government in power and the common people have nothing to do in this respect. The argument will also be advanced to the extent of pointing out the fact that the taxes paid by the common people of the country should be utilized effectively to support these underprivileged people. Only in the core of our hearts we know with the sanctity of our conscience that we also have a lot to do in terms of our contribution to the cause of social justice. We lavish money on many of our events without feeling inclined to stash away a little of it towards the betterment of these hapless people. We will not be able to get rid of the stigma of corruption until we are selfless with the realization that people everywhere are an extension of my own self.