WHEN WILL WE LEARN TO YIELD

  • Passenger assaults Indigo pilot announcing delay in flight due to fog (TOI 15-01-24)
  • Passengers fight on Vande Bharat train over luggage space (NDTV 18-01-24)
  • Man shot in hip after his car brushes against a bike (Indian Express 18-01-24)

Haven’t we grown up hearing of such incidents as everyday occurrences? What is it with us that makes us so impatient and volatile? Why do we have this constant sense of urgency?

Visit any public space – be it markets, train stations, airports. People are always trying to rush in and move ahead. Queues are generally treated as mere suggestions. Road rage is one of the most visible manifestations of impatience and stress of daily commuting.  On any international trip to first world countries, courtesy in public places, respect for personal space and willingness to yield are so glaringly evident. And what a welcome change that is!

One wonders why our country is so different. There are many views.

  1. The impatience stems from lack of confidence as a society, the daily frustrations of Indian life, limited resources, backwardness and lack of opportunities in India
  2. Most of us have a high distrust of and think everyone from the local shopkeeper to the government is corrupt and looking to swindle us. All of this leads to a raging frustration resulting in an impulsive anger.
  3. Some of the frustration is based on economic condition but lack of personal space and privacy is also one of the big triggering point.

One of the primary reason perhaps is that right from childhood, we are subjected to immense pressure at school, studies etc. Being angry and aggressive is even culturally acceptable. Don’t we still celebrate the young Amitabh Bachchan as the angry young man? Didn’t we find it normal for parents to beat their children as a way of disciplining them?

Yes, there is burden of overpopulation. Yes, there is immense pressure on resources. Only 10000 students are admitted to IITs out of the 1.2 million who take the exam. The admissions rate is among the lowest in the world.

We have been made to believe that performance and success are the key to survival. Somehow, we have forgotten to just relax. We have also lost the ability to be courteous, to smile and say thank you and please.

Isn’t it time that we change our attitudes? Isn’t it time that we learn to be patient? As Mahatma Gandhi said “To lose patience is to lose the battle”.

Perhaps we need to start at our homes. Let’s teach our children the virtues of patience. It is not a failure to yield. While discipline, hard work and an achievement mind-set lead to success, it’s also OK to let go.  The neighbour's child may be acing the exams, but your child can chart his own path. There is no single way to success.

I’m a proud Indian. I believe in our abilities to solve world problems. However, this is one battle I’m happy to yield to the west.

#Patience #Learntorelax #Takeiteasy

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