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ARE YOU LISTENING, MY FELLOW INDIANS ??  “There is always temptation to cheat in all of us, but it is up to our will power” (to stem it), says tennis ace Boris Becker. India had elections to the State Legislature in Karnataka. The electorate, fed up of corruption by the then ruling party, showed them the door. Consensus eludes the newly elected leaders, however, since there is a race for the ‘plum’ ministerial berths. Is it necessary for an elected representative to have a lucrative assignment to serve the electorate? Temptation does not discriminate between rich and poor, civilised and uncivilised, educated and uneducated. How is that temptation overpowered by the will power? Two question that come to mind are - does the social and moral fear aid willpower aid and does the opportunity make a person corrupt ? Or is corruption simply innate in some ?? The story goes to the court of the great Moghul Emperor Akbar. There was a complaint against a courtier for indulging in corrupt practices but clear evidence was not available. The King consulted the learned Birbal, a senior courtier. Birbal advised Akbar to warn the corrupt colleague of dire consequences but Akbar for lack of proof, assigned the accused courtier to an insignificant job contrary to the advice. The assignment was simple – this courtier was assigned to record the number of waves of river Yamuna River in Delhi that hit the shore from dawn to dusk. After about a week, Akbar asked Birbal if the courtier counting the waves had found a way to make money. Birbal said the courtier had, indeed. Surprised, Akbar did not quite believe what Birbal had told him so decided to quiz the culprit. Birbal said the courtier will not confess courtier will not confess unless granted a royal pardon in advance. When asked, the Courtier, after initial vehement denial, having been granted a royal pardon and given other enticements, confessed that he was, indeed, making money. He told the Emperor that after a few days of counting the waves he found the job boring and told the ferry men that he had been posted there to collect a toll fee and to check the number of passengers in the boat while crossing the river. The boatmen paid him for each crossing. Corruption does not need opportunities, it is innate IN ALL SOCIETIES (but we, in India, seem, unfortunately, to take the lead); it is a mind set. Temptation will lead everyone to cheat but, it is with basic integrity coupled with morality and social pressure, that corruption can be eliminated. Exemplary punishment acts as a deterrent. "To fight the darkness do not draw your sword, light a candle" - Zarathustra |
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5/27/2013 3:59 am |
Hi Friendly: Personally I think there is a little corruption in all people. Here's a true story that just happened in Toronto. A man saw that there was an empty strip of concrete near a downtown hospital, so all on his own he set up a little booth and started charging people to park there. This went on for years and everyone just assumed the man was entitled to be collecting the money. The man retired 25 years later and just left the booth unattended. Someone approached the hospital administrator saying they needed a new parking attendant for their lot, then they realized no-one even knew who the man was.
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Oh, I don't think that India leads the pack when it comes to political crooks!
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5/27/2013 6:42 am |
Ireland has turned into a very corrupt country. The rich want everything, the poor get nothing. You're not alone.
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5/27/2013 9:32 am |
You're catching up with us here in the US - not a very good example to follow. Spiritwoman ^i^
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There is no doubt that crooked leaders are to be found the world over but ours seem to take the cake; population, therefore, can not remain unaffected. I recently saw a tired son returning home from an overnight train journey. The father asked why he seemed so tired. The son explained that he had no berth to sleep and had spent a sleepless night. The father promptly scolded the son telling him he (the father) was unfortunate that he had sired a fool who could not even bribe the conductor and get himself a berth to sleep through the night. My father would have kicked me out of the house if I had told him that I had bribed the conductor. There lies the difference, Dear Jano. Aaron was fortunate that the 'crooked' genes didn't get passed on to him Have a wonderful evening and the day tomorrow.   "To fight the darkness do not draw your sword, light a candle" - Zarathustra
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Many thanks, Grandbluff. That is precisely why it is said that "politics is the refuge of the scoundrels." Have a wonderful day. "To fight the darkness do not draw your sword, light a candle" - Zarathustra
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Hi Friendly: Personally I think there is a little corruption in all people. Here's a true story that just happened in Toronto. A man saw that there was an empty strip of concrete near a downtown hospital, so all on his own he set up a little booth and started charging people to park there. This went on for years and everyone just assumed the man was entitled to be collecting the money. The man retired 25 years later and just left the booth unattended. Someone approached the hospital administrator saying they needed a new parking attendant for their lot, then they realized no-one even knew who the man was. The same applies to honesty and integrity - we have to learn to disregard temptation. I am sure you do as do so many of us but most politicians don't. Interesting story you narrated, Bijou - some will call it enterprise.  Have a wonderful day "To fight the darkness do not draw your sword, light a candle" - Zarathustra
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They say, MrsJoe, that exceptions prove the rule. Dishonesty seems to be the basic qualification for political success; politicians form a great MBSA (mutual back/slapping association) across the party affiliations so that when the opposition comes to power the party in power does not prosecute their predecessor crooks. Have a wonderful day. "To fight the darkness do not draw your sword, light a candle" - Zarathustra
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Oh, I don't think that India leads the pack when it comes to political crooks! How is it when we kill someone it is murder but when crooks kill many through deprivation using crooked means, drug peddling etc we call them (relatively) lesser offences.  Many thanks - have a wonderful day. "To fight the darkness do not draw your sword, light a candle" - Zarathustra
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Ireland has turned into a very corrupt country. The rich want everything, the poor get nothing. You're not alone. Have a lovely evening and a great Wednesday. "To fight the darkness do not draw your sword, light a candle" - Zarathustra
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It amazes me that we are not alone. Thank Rainbowfleur. "To fight the darkness do not draw your sword, light a candle" - Zarathustra
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You're catching up with us here in the US - not a very good example to follow. We have reached a stage that for our basic needs you either need the services of a tout or directly pay that little something.  Have a wonderful day. "To fight the darkness do not draw your sword, light a candle" - Zarathustra
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5/28/2013 11:41 am |
All of us harbour fear; the diffrence between a brave man and a coward is that the former overcomes it when needed. The same applies to honesty and integrity - we have to learn to disregard temptation. I am sure you do as do so many of us but most politicians don't. Interesting story you narrated, Bijou - some will call it enterprise. Have a wonderful day
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Hi Friendly: You're right about that imposter parking lot attendant and his 'enterprise'. It really was a huge enterprise because when I left Toronto 16 years ago, the parking rates downtown were about $15.00 for 1/2 hr. Have a wonderful day. "To fight the darkness do not draw your sword, light a candle" - Zarathustra
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I am glad you liked this post, Poet_dancer; I liked your response to Bijou too. Have a comfortable painfree sleep with happy dreams and a grat day tomorrow. & KsOCs"To fight the darkness do not draw your sword, light a candle" - Zarathustra
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