Others

Almost everybody has it ingrained in mind, character. The feeling of self versus others. What is
one's own and not so. One is responsible for only what is included in the self, and most easily
ignore what is 'others'. Be it people who are related and one has some sort of relation; e.g.
friendship, peers, or belonging to the same family, country or social class. o, we can survive very
comfortably without caring for the others who may be much less fortunate then us and may be
suffering much more. They belong to a different world then ours and do not apparently affect us,
our lives.
But, is it really true! "ome to thin# of crimes, terrorism around us;, our environment, can one really
be insulted from all others! Aren't we all connected in someway. $f others are poorer, less educated,
less informed doesn't it affect us sometime or the other. $sn't our present feeling of bliss temporary
that cannot last forever, if no one cares for others and be totally self engrossed, selfish! We are all
taught from childhood to care only about self and not be over concerned what is not ours. To have a
right to e%ploit anyone els, directly or indirectly, who is less privileged powerful than us.
$t is very easy for us to ignore the dirtiness that prevails a few #ilometers away from our abode, or
may be several thousand #ilometers away in a different country. We must concentrate about our
environment only, others who are affected let them care about theirs. &ow does it matter if our
lifestyle produces pollutants that affect others living far away from us as long as they are not in our
neighborhood and we cannot feel or see them at all. We may be luc#y to be able to visit places that
are inhabited by people much more luc#y then us and feel very happy and comfortable for awhile.
$s that really wise! Or we #now very well that it is not really worthwhile to be wise all the time! Or
is it that the idea that we are all different and each one has to suffer one's own fate is ingrained in
our mind, right from childhood, hence very little space left for compassion.
$ conclude with a 'uote of "onfucius( Consideration for others is the basic of a good life, a good
society.
Rakesh Mohan Hallen