Followers

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Are we being sacrificied by our apathy?

There are too many dangerously disturbing things that are occurring around us and yet we have decided to remain apathetic. Many reasons why we decide to act like that. it does not affect us. It is someone else's problem. They are the minority and therefore they can be sacrificed.

My experience and observation in life has taught me that if you are apathetic to injustice done to others, it will visit you and your family one day.

It will destroy society in the long run.

Remember, remaining apathetic and indifferent is a decision NOT to act.

A friend of mine sent me this email which I would like to share with the Raperas.

Insight into Decision Making - Good One


"A group of children were playing near two railway tracks.

Only one child played on the disused track and the rest are playing on the operational track.

The train is coming and you are just beside the track interchange.
You can make the train change its course to the disused track and save most
of the kids.

However that would also mean the lone child playing by the disused track
would be sacrificed or would you rather let the train go its way?

Let's take a pause to think what kind of decision we could make.......

Most people might choose to divert the course of the train and sacrifice
only one child.

You might think the same way I guess.

To save most of the children at the expense of only one child was a rational decision but most people would make the decision morally and emotionally.
But have you ever thought that the child choosing to play on the disused
track had in fact made the right decision to play at a safe place?

Nevertheless, he had to be sacrificed because of his ignorant friends who
chose to play where the danger was.

This kind of dilemma happens around us everyday.
In the office, community, in politics and especially in a democratic society,
the minority is often sacrificed for the interest of the majority
no matter how foolish or ignorant the majority are and how farsighted and knowledgeable the minority are. The child who chose not to play with the
rest on the operational track was sidelined.

And in the case he was sacrificed no one would shed a tear for him.

The great critic Leo Velski Julian who told the story said he would not try
to change the course of the train because he believed that the kids playing on the operational track should have known very well that track was still
in use and that they should have run away if they heard the train's sirens..

If the train was diverted that lonely child would definitely die because he never thought the train could come over to that track! Moreover that track was not in use probably because it was not safe.

If the train was diverted to the track we could put the lives of all passengers on board at stake!

And in your attempt to save a few kids by sacrificing one child you might end up sacrificing hundreds of people to save these few kids.

While we are all aware that life is full of tough decisions that need to be made
we may not realize that hasty decisions may not always be the right one.

'Remember that what's right isn't always popular... and what's popular isn't always right.'

Everybody makes mistakes, that's why they put erasers on pencils".

Peace !

7 comments:

PARPUKARI said...

Fantastic article sir!

jon pour do care said...

Salam Bro. Jay,

Really an 'eye opening' subject and I have to admit here, it did open my eyes bigger !

Bro. Jay, on this day and at this instant, I have made a solemn promise to myself that I would be using what you have written in this post as a yardstick in all my decision making !

YOU ARE A RAPERA ! SYABAS ! SYABAS !

Unknown said...

Jay,

I do not know what to say! I was stumped! I even cried! I actually was choosing the one child who made the right choice....

After so many years, you can still provoke and shock my mind. I pray you never change (and I know you will not) and I can understand you lone struggle to to make people think.

I also pray sincerely you never get into trouble for what you are trying to do. Let me know when you want to visit Canada.

take care.

PahNur said...

All this thinking would have been possible if there was time. If there was time, instead of thinking, the person responsible to divert the train should have run out and saved both kids. Since time is of the essence here, humans tend to rely on reflex rather than thinking. It is human nature to save as many lives as possible. Without thinking we tend to swerve our car away from a little dog on the road (unless you're a fundaMENTAList who actually think dogs are the forbidden creature of god), at the expense of putting your life in danger by swerving that car...

In a way, under pressure, humans will show the reflection of their souls, unpretentious.

In the case of the boy, majority may sacrifice the poor boy who chose to play on the safe track, and to soothe our conscience, we will convince ourselves, that the boy died a matyr. It's nothing personal, just our reflexes.

Indeed mistakes are made and only a real man would be able to admit it. The real mistake is when one do not learn from their mistake.

Lovely post. It reminds us all, that even as we are conditioned to not make mistakes, mistakes are indeed necessary as a learning curve. That is why the word "ooops, I'm sorry" was invented and that song, "Sorry seems to be the hardest word" compliments that line :)

jon pour do care said...

Salam Bro. Jay,

I have someone answering the issue like this:

I will jump in front of the train and when the train's driver see me, would immediately pull the emergency brakes, run me down, killing me but enough time to stop the train, so that those kids survived. Then later, they would build a statue at the site, remembering me, THE HERO !

P.S. Ada orang macam tu ke ?

Jahamy said...

Jon,

That's a self sacrificing act and admirable indeed. Completely selfless.

The HERO must also be prepared that after the erection of the statute and the speeches by politicians who have nothing to do with saving the kids and the train passengers, the HERO's family and dependents will be left completely uncared for - even by the kids and the passengers that he saved...:)

Our society is more inclined towards rules, speeches, claps and dramatic "heroism by others" rater than COMPASSION and EMPATHY..:)

PEACE.

jon pour do care said...

Salam Bro. Jay,

Rightly said Bro ! The hero would only be REMEMBERED !