The Good The Bad And The Ugly.
Introduction:
Numerous chinks in armor peek through distinctly Visible in carefully manicured holier than thou image if looked closely enough peering behind facades of religion genial bonhomie ample dispensation of ethical and moral advice friendships and relations. The ugliness inherent in every human can’t be sheathed and it reeks into pompous proclamations if looked closely enough.
The good the bad and the ugly. We so definitively assign people into slots based on superficial assumptions based mostly on social interactions and hearsay without venturing deeper. A vermilion smeared forehead or a cigarette butt and a wee tipple instantly consigns us to preconceived notions of propriety. So do vociferous arguments or gentile smiling indulgences.
We as people want everything categorized neatly into black or white with greys holding no water in place of things. But if delved deep enough all dwell in realms of grey the white projected and the black lurking around in unguarded moments or when safely ensconced in company of family or select few it comes out vile and foul and fetid as stinking swamps. There’s a Pandora’s box in all of us greed lust anger ego jealousy an integral part of the soul.
To say that X is good and Y is not may hold true to an extent but when deduced superficially doesn’t hold much ground. Someone might be having a bad day or a bad time and may not be on his best behavior or the person is the kind to speak their mind rather than sugar coat. So used to are to diplomatic interactions that anything adverse makes us form instant opinions which are held onto for a long time many times forever.
But again who are we to decide? I remember a Kabirs poem “ Bura Jo dekhn main chala bura na milaya koi, jab dekha aapne mujse bura na koi”. Rather than being judge jury and the hangman a glance inwards is called for.
I have always maintained that there is equal amount of decent and corrupt in all of us. How well are we able to control our dark side makes us good or bad in the eyes of society.
I have had the privilege of being friends with or atleast well acquainted with people from all the spectrums of society all my life. From real life murderers gangsters petty criminals rickshaw drivers police men politicians HNI businessmen IIT graduates college professors teachers and many others. So when I say this I say it with some authority.
Conclusion:
Before putting someone on a pedestal or assigning to the gallows think long think hard for there’s always more to people than what meets the eye.
Till the next one.
Veeru.
MAHADEV.
Read More: A Mysterious God.
