The conundrum of life is the greatest enigma of all. What is life? Are we different from the other beasts on this planet? Are we the chosen one by the almighty god? All religious scriptures do claim unequivocally that the humans are indeed unique. Are we unique in the slaughter we indulge in, in the insatiable greed we have for all things material or is it because of the consciousness which we possess?
Which brings us to the question of what is consciousness? Is it something which always prods you to do the virtuous thing or can it be shaped by circumstance. A man with a criminal bent of mind might be beset with feelings of guilt if he does an upright task inadvertently. Is it not possible that his consciousness might poke him day and night for this?
This brings to the fore another set of rudimentary questions: What is the basis of the concept of “Truth, Virtue, Evil, and Vileness”? Why is a criminal abhorred and detested? Cannot there by a society where deplorable deeds like stealing, murder are not treated with contempt but are regarded as virtuous acts and vice versa. Thus if we consider this then the whole castle of cards which is humanity comes crumbling down. Then why was this very concept of Morality, humanity et al thought of and conceived. Aha there lies the rub. It was because of the need of the hour. The human species in infancy needed it for survival and subsequent domination.
Wouldn’t it have been better if we had not evolved at all? At least the ignominy of Iraqi pogrom, the near extermination of Jews witnessed the last century could have been avoided. Albeit our species has donned the masquerade of civility, dignity and honor the truth is that we are still bestial creatures which puts himself before others .Are the upheavals witnessed in the form of wars, riots and genocide the hallmarks of an advanced civilization or the traits of a degraded one. Why is it so hard to find a person not guilty of moral turpitude? Why are we taught that one person’s joy is another mans sorrow? Isn’t success a grotesque form of misery in this age?
To a lad in his formative years nothing seems out of grasp, nothing seems impossible. Then gradually as time progresses he starts feeling the overwhelming presence of a malfeasant force which stifles his creativity, curtails his spirits and finally the lad is forced to tow the line. When will we be free from these fetters, these shackles to do our own minds bidding?
My cynicism stems from the corruption I have witnessed in daily life, the skullduggery observed and highlighted in politics, the apathy a man has towards others.
The entire system is skewed in favor of the high and mighty. My cynicism has its roots in the indifference displayed by a man when a fellow human being lies bleeding on the ground and he just walks away as he doesn’t want to get trapped in the ‘vicious circle’ of cops, judiciary et al.
Why do standards of morality differ on a case to case basis. Why are people like “John Nash :A beautiful Mind “ looked upon with admiration whereas the common joe treated with scorn. Why is that a sensational criminal story lingers on in public memory and becomes the stuff of dinner table conversations where as others are relegated to the background…….
Someone once said that “There are no permanent friends or permanent enemies , there are only permanent interest “
That is why I am a cynic…………
