Civic sense of world's oldest civilization
Well, we live in a metrics-driven world these days where every attempt is made to measure everything objectively. How good or bad is that measurement, I don't know. However, we do assign a number to almost every aspect of our life from happiness, affluence, disparity, purchasing power and everything else. And we do this, in fact, to entire nations and rank them against each other. But fortunately, I have never come across any ranking of countries according to their people's civic sense and public manners. Feel glad or relieved? Ah, me too! Just imagine where we are going to figure in such a list. Anyway, not that we, as a nation, are performing too well in the other lists that are there but this would be absolutely toweringly shameful, at least to some Indians. Are we truly what people say, "the world's oldest civilization" (we are at least one of the oldest)? I don't know may be all those historians and writers have been lying to or fooling us or something. I mean, how can we be the oldest civilization and yet not have learned anything at all about decency and dignity in behavior in public?
And I am not talking of developed-world antics such as "thanking people" or "holding the door for people following you" or anything like that (Reader's Digest survey looked for these aspects). Those finer things are probably not even possibilities in this country yet. What bothers me is the unmindfulness with which people carry themselves out. "Jumping queues" or "talking rudely to strangers" or "causing inconvenience to others on roads, cafes, offices" are like instinctive here. And well, what can one say, some people, who are mindful enough to understand what they are doing, think that they are plain smarter than others. One should just see the sense of satisfaction on their face when they achieve something like that. And to add to that, one hears the argument that we are people who live by our hearts. We don't pretend or something like Western nations by showing manners or acting nicely in public. Sure, they are acts but I guess, still worth emulating. Let's give it a shot and see.
PS: Of course, I was almost done with this post before I came across the fact that Mumbai was ranked the rudest city by Reader's Digest in a survey of 25 world cities.
And I am not talking of developed-world antics such as "thanking people" or "holding the door for people following you" or anything like that (Reader's Digest survey looked for these aspects). Those finer things are probably not even possibilities in this country yet. What bothers me is the unmindfulness with which people carry themselves out. "Jumping queues" or "talking rudely to strangers" or "causing inconvenience to others on roads, cafes, offices" are like instinctive here. And well, what can one say, some people, who are mindful enough to understand what they are doing, think that they are plain smarter than others. One should just see the sense of satisfaction on their face when they achieve something like that. And to add to that, one hears the argument that we are people who live by our hearts. We don't pretend or something like Western nations by showing manners or acting nicely in public. Sure, they are acts but I guess, still worth emulating. Let's give it a shot and see.
PS: Of course, I was almost done with this post before I came across the fact that Mumbai was ranked the rudest city by Reader's Digest in a survey of 25 world cities.
posted by Deepak Mohapatra at 2:18 AM
7 Comments:
I must admit I was shocked when I read in the paper today that Mumbai has been ranked the world's rudest city! So it's finally out in the open...I truely hope mumbaikars will stop gloating about how warm and hospitable we are as a city/country and start making an effort to regain the "culture" we are so well known for.
And honestly, it doesn't really cost to be polite, thank someone for an act of kindness or service rendered, offer your seat to the elderly, pregnant women, mothers with kids....be kind and polite to the less fortunate...I really cringe when I hear people talk down to maids and auto drivers and the like, they are after all professionals in their own fields, trying to make a living just like we are.
You know, at the end of the day, I feel good about myself as a person when I recall the surprised look on the face of a stranger who has been thanked for something that he considers his "duty" anyways. And I strongly believe that kindness like everything else that goes around, eventually will come around too...
Well, Mumbai - which by many Indians - is considered the best city in Mumbai (including me) is the rudest, how bad would the rest of the country be?
In the Mumbai Mirror today (Page 2), there's an article in which Mohan Sivanand, the Indian editor of Reader's Digest explains why the controversial survey branding Mumbai as a rude city is not perfect.
The 3 tests that were conducted - droppng a folder of papers, buying something from a "mom-and-pop" kinda store, where unlike in larger department stores and malls, the staff are not trained to say "Thank you" and the third, to see if anyone holds a door open for you...
Many of Reader's Digest Asian editors were not particularly happy with the choice of tests, because they felt each culture or civilization has a different definition and expression for courtesy. Although we have been ranked the lowest in this survey, they point out that Mumbai is the same courteous city we saw after the bomb blasts or the floods last year, when people went out of their way to help each other.
Like he says in the article, one doesn't know which is better, the small "shows" of courtesy (and yeah, sometimes they are sooo superficial, I can say this from personal experience based on a few trips overseas and interaction with people almost daily in my line of work) ....or the greater spirit of kindness of people right here, in aamchi mumbai.
Well, not the oldest, but one of them OK. And the whole idea is problematic- in what sense is our civilization today continuous with that of Harappa? Or that of today's Egypt with that of Ramses II? Not important. The land has supported civilization continuously for umpteen years. Well done. land!
I know. But, how would writing 3rd oldest civilzation sound? Just for the effect, mate:))Anyway, will have none, I know. Well..the link is not from Harrappa. But, generally, our people cite the stupid thing in not letting go of many preposterous customs/traditions/beliefs of our society.
I agree with Mohan Sivanand's argument. In India we don't thank for every little thing. We have our own ways of thanking people which might be as simple as a smile. I live in the US where you are supposed to thank for every damn thing. 99% of the time they don't even mean from their heart. You say it because you are suppose to say it.
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