Sanity in Insanity

People find various ways to justify their acts of being in-human, inconsiderate sometimes illegal. There always seems to be a valid reason and explanation for their behavior. I have heard so many stories about people jeopardizing their relationships based on past bad experiences. I have heard stories about bad childhood, bad parenting being cause of crime streaks in young adults. Men justifying rapes as an act of 'revenge' and/or 'witch hunting'; the list is long. Recently, I visited a slum area, notorious for theft in the adjoining plush locality. The people living there were of the opinion that the "rich society" had enjoyed a free run for far too long and as part of their plan for social justice, their kids took up thieving to reduce the disparity seen in the society. "Robin Hood" syndrome was in vogue in this slum and they somehow did not see the "illegality" of their actions. This is just an example I am taking in context, I believe in social justice too. However, I cannot justify crime as a solution. I can still remember the words of Gujarat CM, Narendra Modi justifying the Gujarat riots as a "mere repercussion" to the Godhra train carnage. I could not understand till today, how can this be justified. How the killing of 2000 Muslims could be justified as a repercussion or a spontaneous act of revenge. Politicians across the board have been justifying humanitarian crimes as a valid tool to gain political advantage and split the people on communal lines. However, when left in political vacuum, people exhibit amazing human traits that restore my faith in humanity. In times of major calamities, human beings (not politicians) actually stand together for human spirit and not use it as an excuse to inflict further pain upon others.

14:20 hrs (local time) on 11-03-2011, a Tsunami hit the coast of Japan after an earthquake measuring 8.9 hit the pacific coast of North Eastern Japan, the world saw the crude face of nature's fury. Sendai, a small town of NE-Japan, lost almost its entire population to the tsunami. I remember watching BBC footage of the entire town being swept under waves after waves destroying everything in sight and purging the town of its people, buildings etc. The aftermath of this was not any better. For the week that followed, there were many after shocks felt in Japan and each one created a fear of another tsunami. The Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear plant was shut down causing fear of a major nuclear meltdown that would affect millions of lives in Japan and elsewhere. People were homeless, without food or any necessary items, without power in the darkness and a nuclear threat looming large. Yet, in their collective grief, they elevated humanity.
1.THE CALM
Not a single visual of chest-beating or wild grief. Sorrow itself has been elevated.
2.THE DIGNITY
Disciplined queues for water and groceries. Not a rough word or a crude gesture.
3.THE ABILITY
The incredible architects, for instance. Buildings swayed but didn't fall.
4.THE GRACE
People bought only what they needed for the present, so everybody could get something.
5.THE ORDER
No looting in shops. No honking and no overtaking on the roads. Just understanding.
6.THE SACRIFICE
Fifty workers stayed back to pump water in the N-reactors. How can they ever be repaid?
7.THE TENDERNESS
Restaurants cut prices. An unguarded ATM is left alone. The strong cared for the weak.
8.THE TRAINING
The old and the children, everyone knew exactly what to do. And they did just that.
9.THE MEDIA
They showed magnificent restraint in the bulletins. No sensationalizing. Only calm reportage.
10.THE CONSCIENCE
When the power went off in a store, people put things back on the shelves and left quietly.

Human tragedy or loss of human life is always a moment of grief, we all bow our heads to honor the departed souls, but, its the people who were left behind in the carnage; whose lives are changed forever; some handicapped for life, who actually show the way. Some choose to make an issue out their experience and milk the situation to extract benefits; some others are so deeply grieved that they find it impossible to live on; some use the grief to seek revenge of the perpetrators and a only a handful, peacefully accept that the event was destined to happen in their life and celebrate the victory of life over death and destruction. We all stood with our Japanese brothers and sisters in their hour of grief, but the fact that they stood by each other is what acted as a soothing balm to the deep pain inflicted by nature's fury. The politicians did not make an issue of the Government handling of the emergency and each one pitched in to help the cause of their brethren. Even the media held restraint and did not dramatize the entire episode to garner TRPs. They were merely reporting the events and not looking for stories. (Some tips for TRP crazy Indian media)

We need to learn to grieve in a dignified manner from Japanese people. The world is bound to face many a calamities, some natural, some with human intervention. What is important that we never let go of humanity and at all times stand up for the victory of human spirit. People salute the "spirit of Mumbai", I feel even Mumbai can learn a lot from the Japan, for its very difficult to maintain sanity in the times of insanity.

PS: Special mention to Dr. Amruta Nayak Pai, whose e-mail inputs taken into account while writing this post.

So long...