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This complete apathy towards the horrible tragedies & ordeals of the migrant workers and poor people stems from a much rooted, even celebrated mindset of urban India.
That the poor deserve it because they are lazy/non-meritorious by choice. [Thread]
That the poor deserve it because they are lazy/non-meritorious by choice. [Thread]
Since childhood we city-kids are taught to chase this (academic) idea of merit that completely ignores the multiple levels of privilege we are born into. We not only take the access to food, electricity, water, love & care for granted - we are made to believe we have EARNED it.
Of course we hear the rare stories of kids from severely under-privileged backgrounds making it big & that becomes a bigger stick to beat other underprivileged people with - if that person can do it, why didn't you?
One person escaping the oppressive prison becomes a reason to
a) (subconsciously) oppress more, to make the prison stricter.
b) (consciously) celebrating the prison (of academic merit), reinforcing the idea of it being the only worthy system of evaluating people.
a) (subconsciously) oppress more, to make the prison stricter.
b) (consciously) celebrating the prison (of academic merit), reinforcing the idea of it being the only worthy system of evaluating people.
Academic merit fuses dangerously into our self-worth quite early in life & no matter how frustrating it is - even for urban middle/upper class folks (the high suicide rate in places like Kota is an indicator), it's still the only rope we are taught to climb. We hold it tighter.
But the most 'satisfying' application of this mindset comes in insulating us from the stark poverty we see.
People with lesser academic merit become lesser human beings - easy to talk down to, easier to punish/exploit, & easiest to forget at the first sign of resource crunch.
People with lesser academic merit become lesser human beings - easy to talk down to, easier to punish/exploit, & easiest to forget at the first sign of resource crunch.
For probably the same reason, we don't resent the super-rich or dynastic politics or nepotism even after being fully aware of how a lot of their success is a function of their births.
We grudgingly call it fate but internally believe they must have worked harder than us.
We grudgingly call it fate but internally believe they must have worked harder than us.
'Academic merit' - a system that rewards the application of the mostly those mental faculties that require multiple privileges of birth-family & location to nurture.
It gives the illusion of choice to only those that have it in the first place.
It gives the illusion of choice to only those that have it in the first place.
Of course our Constitution and governments have tried to soften the blow by practicing (the much required) reservations in education and jobs – but the system and the illusion of choice remain the same.
And hence, the fog of apathy.
And hence, the fog of apathy.
"Why do they want to go back to their villages?"
"Why were they walking on the highway?"
"Why won't they pay rail fares?"
At the core of all these is the angry question - "Why did they CHOOSE to stay poor?"
"Why were they walking on the highway?"
"Why won't they pay rail fares?"
At the core of all these is the angry question - "Why did they CHOOSE to stay poor?"
The vicious cycle of poverty → lack of choice → poverty is ignored & the accident of birth mutates into a conscious choice of staying poor.
The way out, like with most of the things, is awareness, compassion, & constant inquiry into systems that govern us. Hope we do it. /End
The way out, like with most of the things, is awareness, compassion, & constant inquiry into systems that govern us. Hope we do it. /End
