Dreaming on a Toilet Seat

Indians : What do we lack?

Attitude. It is pure and simple. We lack a winning attitude towards life. We want to be rich and call ourselves a developed nation, but we do not want to work hard for it! If tomorrow, say a $ 100 billion is poured into our system, will the standard of living increase in India? I would rather say a skeptical no. I think, definitely there is a quality of living, which comes with increased infrastructure, better communication, faster cars and wider roads etc. Sure, these can be bought by money. And with the economy growing at 8%, I am sure the day is not far off, when we would have world-class facilities even in smaller towns. And then there is a quality of living which comes with having better citizens, who knows the value of being a law abiding citizen fulfilling his duties towards the society and the state, who appreciates his fellow citizens being a good Samaritan and encourages everyone else around to do their duty. Now, that is what is lacking in our country. We Indians neither understand the value of being a good citizen nor appreciate or encourage fellow citizens trying to be law abiding and duty bound. I am not saying that we are criminals killing and looting around. But surely we lack the ethics that must be the building block of any developed society. Want to get a job done? Blame the red tape, pay the bribe and move on. Got late for office? No problem. Run over the traffic light. Of course, when most of us running over the traffic lights, there is a 50% chance that the cop wont stop you this time. There is a shortcut for everything in India. As long as we do not have a majority of us who respects and abides by the rule of law in their day to day life, no amount of FIIs, sensex boom or 8% GDP growth will be able to improve the quality of living in India.

And we have a million audience for our drama, who couldnt care less. They would say, " Sab Chalta Hai!" and continue to sip their tea. This "chalta hai" attitude (couldnt care less) is destroying the very fabric of our development. This is the same attitude that is making people turn a blind eye towards all the evils and corruption that has permeated through the Indian society. Its not the wealth neither the lack of oil resources nor the years under colonial rule that is plaguing India, but it is this couldnt care less attitude among us. In a democracy, bad governance and corruption is the price we pay for this attitude. And the worst part is, Indians become one of the most sincere and law abiding citizens when we leave our shores. An article in Chennai Pages, illustrates better what I am talking about.

When are we going to learn to become law abiding and good citizens? And what can YOU do about it? May be start for office a little early, huh? May be.