In a democracy every one is encouraged to have an opinion on things ranging from politics to what not. But does it give us the right to speak out our opinions about others which might create unnecessary pressure on them or might lead to them having a negative opinion of themselves?

Take for instance a child who had appeared for a competitive examination and was unable to qualify in the same. Our society leaves no opportunity whatsoever to have a go at the child and his/her parents either by drawing comparisons with someone who could qualify or blatantly speaking out their negative thoughts and opinions in front of the grieved.

Why is it that we become so negative and tend to lose our humanity when it comes to making fun of others or drawing pleasure from others’ sufferings? Why is it that our jealousy tends to conquer our minds so as to ignore the virtues that is characterisitcly found only in humans because of the way we have evolved over a period of time? Is it because of the competitive environment that has gripped all of us and has made us participate in this rat race?

During my college days, I always found the relative system of grading causing a divide, jealousy and enmity amongst batchmates. It was all about pulling the other person down in order to move up the ladder (a thing which is very much visible in the corporate world).

The team spirit which is extremely essential for not only development at the micro level but also when it comes to building a national outlook and a secular frame of mindset seems to have taken a beating.

What follows thereafter is back stabbing in competitve environments and a negativity that seems to pervade over all of us.

The questions that need to be asked and answered are: “Where the hell are we heading as a society? Are we as parents behaving in a manner so that the child learns the right things by observing us? What are we doing to ensure that this negative tide is made to come to a halt?”

Source for Image: http://vsthepomegranate.blogspot.in/2009_09_01_archive.html