There is a huge noise from all over the country about respected Anna and Baba Ramdev's Protests against Corruption. Both Baba Ramdev and Anna Hazare are the most respected people and are right people to drive this and I hope there will be a change. But I am a bit cynical about all of us who are quire excited about this as if we are all exceptions to corruptions only a few people on headlines of News Paper are corrupt. If we understand what does it mean by being corrupt, I believe we are all corrupt at every level. Did we realize that?
First of let me try to make a simple definition of what do we mean by corruption. In simple terms it is about attempting to get more than what we deserve at the cost of others. If we understand this, are we not corrupt. In our daily life what do we do? In a buffet I dont mind Queue and get the dish I want and it is an accepted practice. In a traffic, I know the people deserve to go free left, but I block them. I know I need to take U turn but I go in a wrong way. I sell a few stocks and dont pay tax because I dont want to pay. I submit a wrong bill for reimbursement and claim tax exemption. I take some office stationary to home and make some personal calls using office resources.
Interesting point is that we make a logic to support that we are doing it because of socalled valid reason. I will say making a few calls is insignificant compared to crores of rupees eaten by some other. I will say by claiming a wrong reimbursement company doesnt lose because they anyway pay that amount as taxable (I conveniently forget that the country lost some Income tax from me). But we forget that the similar logics are built by even those who do corruption at large amount. If we ask Suresh Kalmadi (I am not saying he is guilty as he is yet to be proved) he may say, he got the money from mad sports lovers and not from poor people. If we ask the same question to Lalit Modi he would tell the same thing. Similarly an industralist will say he created lot of employment in that process and he taking some amount is not wrong. Now the question is should we say we are all corrupt at same level? I will say Yes. Because the examples I gave about the regular corruption that we are doing are for very small benefits and we are regularly doing only because we can do that. Just imagine if the guy on the right track beats the guy who comes in wrong way and obstruct. Just imagine if people who break the queue are beaten up by others. We will not do it. The conclusion is that we do it because we can get away doing that even though we dont gain much. So what if we get in to an opporunity of eating up 1 crore and if we know we can get away? Dont we yield to the temptation? I will say we will definitely yield because we are all brought up in corrupt life.
I will say the true improvement happens when I tell my son to follow the rules irrespective of whether they are supervised by some one or not. Means follow the principle in true conviction and not based on how stringent are the controls.
Today Anna may succeed in getting the Lokpal bill introduced. But that will be governed by some of us who are all brought up in corrupt environment. It is in our blood to bypass the rules and check if there is a short cut. So even if I sound cynical I have a doubt if it works. And when I saw that Anna and Baba are supported by some of the notorious politicians and business men we can understand where it will go.
I wish there will be a change in life. But let all of us start changing out life style and see if we can live without corruption wherever possible. If I wait till the green light comes in a traffic, I dont lose much. Can I try doing that everytime I am in the traffic? Instead of showing the urgency on traffic can I prepare a few minutes early and avoid rushing and causing inconvenience to others?
If I follow the queue instead of looking for short cut I may spend a few minutes. Why cant I try that? I see many of my educated colleagues not minding Q while having Buffet lunch.Why cant we follow Q instead of irritating others?
If I go for getting driving license through formal process I may need a couple of days leave. Why cant I try that? I still need to know driving.
By claiming a wrong reimbursement I may get a few hundreds of Rupees tax savings. Cant I live without that?
Instead of carrying office stationary, can I buy for my own? Did we ever check how much does it really cost if we buy? Why cant we spend that much for our requirements?
If we make a start through living less corrupt atleast in the small scale I am sure it will be a habit at every level.
Let us attempt to live pure life atleast in the areas where it is possible. I am sure we will start findings more areas where we can live without corruption. I hope I am not sounding too optimistic.
First of let me try to make a simple definition of what do we mean by corruption. In simple terms it is about attempting to get more than what we deserve at the cost of others. If we understand this, are we not corrupt. In our daily life what do we do? In a buffet I dont mind Queue and get the dish I want and it is an accepted practice. In a traffic, I know the people deserve to go free left, but I block them. I know I need to take U turn but I go in a wrong way. I sell a few stocks and dont pay tax because I dont want to pay. I submit a wrong bill for reimbursement and claim tax exemption. I take some office stationary to home and make some personal calls using office resources.
Interesting point is that we make a logic to support that we are doing it because of socalled valid reason. I will say making a few calls is insignificant compared to crores of rupees eaten by some other. I will say by claiming a wrong reimbursement company doesnt lose because they anyway pay that amount as taxable (I conveniently forget that the country lost some Income tax from me). But we forget that the similar logics are built by even those who do corruption at large amount. If we ask Suresh Kalmadi (I am not saying he is guilty as he is yet to be proved) he may say, he got the money from mad sports lovers and not from poor people. If we ask the same question to Lalit Modi he would tell the same thing. Similarly an industralist will say he created lot of employment in that process and he taking some amount is not wrong. Now the question is should we say we are all corrupt at same level? I will say Yes. Because the examples I gave about the regular corruption that we are doing are for very small benefits and we are regularly doing only because we can do that. Just imagine if the guy on the right track beats the guy who comes in wrong way and obstruct. Just imagine if people who break the queue are beaten up by others. We will not do it. The conclusion is that we do it because we can get away doing that even though we dont gain much. So what if we get in to an opporunity of eating up 1 crore and if we know we can get away? Dont we yield to the temptation? I will say we will definitely yield because we are all brought up in corrupt life.
I will say the true improvement happens when I tell my son to follow the rules irrespective of whether they are supervised by some one or not. Means follow the principle in true conviction and not based on how stringent are the controls.
Today Anna may succeed in getting the Lokpal bill introduced. But that will be governed by some of us who are all brought up in corrupt environment. It is in our blood to bypass the rules and check if there is a short cut. So even if I sound cynical I have a doubt if it works. And when I saw that Anna and Baba are supported by some of the notorious politicians and business men we can understand where it will go.
I wish there will be a change in life. But let all of us start changing out life style and see if we can live without corruption wherever possible. If I wait till the green light comes in a traffic, I dont lose much. Can I try doing that everytime I am in the traffic? Instead of showing the urgency on traffic can I prepare a few minutes early and avoid rushing and causing inconvenience to others?
If I follow the queue instead of looking for short cut I may spend a few minutes. Why cant I try that? I see many of my educated colleagues not minding Q while having Buffet lunch.Why cant we follow Q instead of irritating others?
If I go for getting driving license through formal process I may need a couple of days leave. Why cant I try that? I still need to know driving.
By claiming a wrong reimbursement I may get a few hundreds of Rupees tax savings. Cant I live without that?
Instead of carrying office stationary, can I buy for my own? Did we ever check how much does it really cost if we buy? Why cant we spend that much for our requirements?
If we make a start through living less corrupt atleast in the small scale I am sure it will be a habit at every level.
Let us attempt to live pure life atleast in the areas where it is possible. I am sure we will start findings more areas where we can live without corruption. I hope I am not sounding too optimistic.
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