Who is to be blamed?

Sometimes the way people around me behave, it makes me wonder. Am I to blame? Have I put up with such totally nonsensical behavior that it has been accepted normal. Am I the only person with such feelings around?

Surprisingly, no.

Think.

How many times have you been in a situation where you were very uncomfortable with certain behavior and put up with it?

How many times has another road user spit on the road and you kept quiet? Plumber, electrician, mechanic charging for a days work, while he did only an hours job? Drunk misbehaving, not necessarily molesting? Have we tried to do anything other than just moving/turning away?

Forget the 3rd person. Have we never been in similar situations with friends, colleagues or relatives? Have we always tried to retaliate or just that once when it got very personal?

The other day I was out with some friends and we ended up drinking in another friends place. With complete knowledge that there are others around us, my friends went on drinking, shouting, dancing. I did not stop them for once. I even took them out to get their stock of drinks replenished. I interfered only when it was getting late for me. Personal again. Why did I not interfere earlier? Who is to be blamed? Them, for indulging in the act? or me, for letting them go on?

RJ's - Radio Jockeys or Radio Jokers

I was listening to the FM on Radio the other day and the other day happens to be a day or two after the last price hike on fuels. Petrol and diesel prices going up was the common talk of the day. Every media was putting out its piece on the common mans take in front of million others. When I say putting in front of million others, that requires a little bit of intelligence, cohesive thought process and sensitivity to people's emotions. All three above mentioned are missing in the new breed of RJ's that we currently have, at least most of them lack this. Intelligence, I would say is not even required for the job, but lack of cohesive thought process and sensitivity to peoples sentiments are most required since you have this common "call in and talk to me" programs running almost all the time.

On this particular day, one of the RJ's was discussing the effect of price increase on a talk show and our common man (CM) calls in.
RJ - What impact does this price increase have on you?
CM - Prices going up and income at the same levels is really biting
RJ - Do you think the govt. has done enough to keep you happy?
CM - I think they are trying really hard? "And he was very sincere about this"
RJ - If you were the Chief Minister/Prime Minister, would you reduce the price.
"now this pissed me off no end. The RJ had no clue on the subsidized price at which she was getting all these fuels till date and how much our state run fuel plants have incurred loss due to that. And with spiraling crude oil prices, there was very little the govt. could do to keep the price low. The worst part is, she had a constant snicker on all through the conversation."
CM - I will
RJ - Started crooning an old film song "naan aanayitaal" ridiculing the caller. The song literally translates to say "if i have the power, i will give out the orders"
"it was the most insensitive act that I witnessed in recent past. Here we have the common man sharing his woes with you and you are ridiculing him. Which one of us would NOT want to set this thing right? Why ask someone a stupid obvious question like that and then make fun of him??"

If this is not clear lack of sensitivity to peoples emotions, nothing else can be. Media and people involved in media should necessarily understand and learn to empathize with the common man.

Opening Sequence - 7/18/2008

Having decided not to give out the whole identity of "outragers" - people who behave such in public, here I go publish the first set.

TN-01-U-201* -White ambassador
Location - Nelson Manickam Road, just outside Loyola College.
time 7:20pm on 18 june 2008.

Heavy traffic with bumper to bumper pile up

Behavior - Flashing the powerful headlights onto the car in front. And continuing to honk incessantly without understanding that there is no way any one can move any faster. The only other option is to "fly over". What worries is that the person driving looked very educated and his wife (I presume) was sitting right next to him.

TN-20-ba-77* -White tata safari
Location - Nelson Manickam Road, just outside Loyola College.
time 7:20pm on 18 june 2008.

Heavy traffic with bumper to bumper pile up

Behavior - The SUV was on the other side of the road next to the Europa showroom. The SUV was some political parties vehicle as it carried the flag in the bonnet. With no thought to the traffic pile up the driver (driver actually as the political leader inside was sitting next to him) cut across the road and jumped into the non-moving traffic. Typically he should have continued on his side of the road and taken a U-turn a little distance away. He was not willing to take the 2 min drive but willing to inconvenience scores of road users. But the icing on the cake is the way he jumped signal at the Anna Arch. With no respect to any road user or police patrols. Is this because of the "flag" in front? I wonder.

Outrageous Acts - On road and some off it

I post this blog to share some of the most outrageous behaviors of people I see around with total lack of common sense, etiquette and thought to people around them.

Disclaimer:- Please mail me at sooriya.s@gmail.com if I am violating any rules whatsoever and I assure you that I will remove any postings that are so.

If you catch yourself or any of your friends/acquaintances featured here, be informed that this is just a posting to let you/them know about how you affect others through your thoughtless acts, subconsciously or otherwise.

Remember - We can make our place a better place by changing ourselves first. Others will follow suit, if they understand the value. For those who do not understand the value, what can we say!!!