When do we say we are human or being human? May be it is tough to answer that in one sentence. But if you were to ask when are we being inhuman? people will give answers citing recent examples. That is the tragedy of our world. It is ironic that we remember examples of inhumanity than humanity in a world over populated by humans.
The recent video of a two year old in china being run over by vehicles and indifferent bystanders who walk through the scene carrying on with their life was quite devastating. Though this has sparked an outcry online and people questioning our morality as human beings, I think there is more to this than just the lose of morality.
While the incident is one of the most tragic that I have heard, I think blaming on the people who passed that way and did not respond is the easiest way for others to roll back into their blankets and sleep tight. Every human being is responsible for every act of inhumanity because we are so more connected with each other than before and carry the influence of one another in our lives. I am deliberately not putting a picture here of the incident as thinking why it happens is more important than watching what happened.
The outcry comes from people like us who roll on the ground and laugh when we see a viral funny video where normal people are made fools by pranksters. These kind of prankster videos are one of the most shared items on Social Networks. If one of the people on whom a prank has been played would have been there witnessing the incident, would he have run and picked the kid. May be yes, may be not, but if he did not he will probably give a valid reason for doing so which many would silently agree as well.
Our online life transports us to a place where within the cosy affairs of our home we look at the world like watching a movie, disconnected and thinking that the front door will never open to anything bad. As we see people share the beautiful things in their lives we start believing that world is indeed a great place. The countless people who text and walk or browse and walk on the road don’t care who is walking towards them leave alone hear or acknowledge the cry of a child in distress a block away.
The only thing that makes us human beings is the ability to be aware, to be aware that we exist and coexist. Technology, stress, life, greed, selfishness, addiction, entertainment all are part of our life, but should not take away the basic essence of being human ‘awareness’.
When we are aware of our surroundings and acknowledge that this awareness is the basis of our existence, we climb several steps to reach back to the same higher plain where our predecessors stood. From here we will be able to see, feel and act on what happens. The incident is unfortunate, the guilty should be punished, the mute witnesses should be ridiculed; but we should also be ready to acknowledge and accept an element of responsibility in the incident and decide to be more aware of what happens around us.
With my prayers and wishes to the kid and her family, I hope this would be last time we see reflections our own passive and indifferent nature in action even if it comes from someone else.
Categories: Articles, Life, Life and Happiness, My Two Cents, Opinions, Responsibility, Society
Vinod Narayan 
Leave a Reply