Power of choice
Couple of months back a friend of mine told me 7th July 2007 is a significant date. I have this annoying habit of asking a question the moment it arises in my mind. “Why?” I inquired.
“The new seven wonders would be announced.”
“What’s that all about?”
“You don’t know? The entire world is voting for it.” I felt apologetic for my ignorance.
A couple of months passed by and today on the D-Day I feel the least bit apologetic…actually I feel euphoric. I am no more apologetic being ignorant about the perennial human obsession in trying to identify the Seven Wonders of the World. However hard we try and whatever mechanism we employ it is improbable to device a list that would be to everyone’s liking. The question that crept to my mind immediately after being made aware of the significance of the day, was that how would it help humanity as a whole even if we come out with the perfect seven that is of everybody’s liking. Yes you might argue that everyone will feel happy. Then I have a second question for you—how long will the happiness persist? Secondly, the situation is hypothetical and would never happen. Seven Wonders is being voted. If you have enough money, clout and perseverance you can get your favorite to top the chart; it need not be the best. The banality of the entire exercise is astounding. People are spending a significant amount of time in an insignificant endeavor of little or no value to themselves, as the creators of this concept laugh all the way to the bank.
The New Seven wonders weren’t enough for me to consider 7th July a significant day. I was determined to add significance to it. I said it to myself and divinity listened. My wish was granted. Through my company I got an opportunity to teach computers to children—children whom the society tags as ‘underprivileged’. The children proved me that the tagging was inappropriate. Some of them spoke English so well that they could put many privileged individuals to shame. You had to see their keenness, their intelligence and brilliance to understand what I am talking about. None of them had any feelings of inferiority. It is us that make them feel inferior or underprivileged. Nature never made them underprivileged. It is us as parents, society and humanity as a whole that deny their birthright. We are privileged; we have everything we need. Still we continue to amass and possess until we drop dead. Most of us would continue to do that without ever blinking an eye for what children want. It is much easier to tag them as underprivileged.
7th July, 2007 became significant for me. Being with the children, teaching them, sharing ideas with them and even showing them my list of seven wonders through a PowerPoint presentation made me realize the significance of giving children what is their birthright—food, shelter, security and education. That’s all they need. All it needs is selfless work from us; to understand that an insignificant thing like this is in fact significant. They are our future; they are what the world would be tomorrow. In a world that is making insignificant things significant through great pomp and show in Lisbon, this is difficult to expect. But it’s not impossible to turn things around if you look into the eyes of children, irrespective of them being privileged or underprivileged. Is it too much to plunge into selfless work towards realizing a perfect future—a future without poverty, terrorism, abuse, exploitation and global warming? Look into those little eyes and you will see the future. If you want to change it, the time is now.
“The new seven wonders would be announced.”
“What’s that all about?”
“You don’t know? The entire world is voting for it.” I felt apologetic for my ignorance.
A couple of months passed by and today on the D-Day I feel the least bit apologetic…actually I feel euphoric. I am no more apologetic being ignorant about the perennial human obsession in trying to identify the Seven Wonders of the World. However hard we try and whatever mechanism we employ it is improbable to device a list that would be to everyone’s liking. The question that crept to my mind immediately after being made aware of the significance of the day, was that how would it help humanity as a whole even if we come out with the perfect seven that is of everybody’s liking. Yes you might argue that everyone will feel happy. Then I have a second question for you—how long will the happiness persist? Secondly, the situation is hypothetical and would never happen. Seven Wonders is being voted. If you have enough money, clout and perseverance you can get your favorite to top the chart; it need not be the best. The banality of the entire exercise is astounding. People are spending a significant amount of time in an insignificant endeavor of little or no value to themselves, as the creators of this concept laugh all the way to the bank.
The New Seven wonders weren’t enough for me to consider 7th July a significant day. I was determined to add significance to it. I said it to myself and divinity listened. My wish was granted. Through my company I got an opportunity to teach computers to children—children whom the society tags as ‘underprivileged’. The children proved me that the tagging was inappropriate. Some of them spoke English so well that they could put many privileged individuals to shame. You had to see their keenness, their intelligence and brilliance to understand what I am talking about. None of them had any feelings of inferiority. It is us that make them feel inferior or underprivileged. Nature never made them underprivileged. It is us as parents, society and humanity as a whole that deny their birthright. We are privileged; we have everything we need. Still we continue to amass and possess until we drop dead. Most of us would continue to do that without ever blinking an eye for what children want. It is much easier to tag them as underprivileged.
7th July, 2007 became significant for me. Being with the children, teaching them, sharing ideas with them and even showing them my list of seven wonders through a PowerPoint presentation made me realize the significance of giving children what is their birthright—food, shelter, security and education. That’s all they need. All it needs is selfless work from us; to understand that an insignificant thing like this is in fact significant. They are our future; they are what the world would be tomorrow. In a world that is making insignificant things significant through great pomp and show in Lisbon, this is difficult to expect. But it’s not impossible to turn things around if you look into the eyes of children, irrespective of them being privileged or underprivileged. Is it too much to plunge into selfless work towards realizing a perfect future—a future without poverty, terrorism, abuse, exploitation and global warming? Look into those little eyes and you will see the future. If you want to change it, the time is now.
Labels: 7th of July, birthright, children, computer literacy
posted by Anirban Ray at
5:50 PM
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