The last few days I was reveling in the company of a few of my labmates and one thing was clear: that my tolerance level for stupidity has hit the bottom. My ability to look at things in a simple perspective has completely vanished. Some nights ago, I was discussing about world politics in large with an American perspective (it was midnight and we had nothing to do) and one of them remarked that former American President Ronald Reagan was the best president this country ever had as he bought down an “evil empire” namely the Soviet Union. I was perplexed at most of the comments he was making that Reagan had the balls to call a spade, a spade. I questioned his view with a simple question which he could not answer: “Isn’t that actually over-simplifying certain issues and ignoring a lot more?” to which he replied whatever the means the end justifies it. Then the topic shifted to how the rigid caste system had brought downfall to India as such, to which I replied “The essence of class struggle is the primary shift in Socialism. Infact the modern democracy is a socialist idea being equal representation”. He was stumped for a second and then replied that “Communism is an evil totalitarian regime which needed to be wiped and unfortunately America today was in the grips of communist conspiracy”. I felt that this absurdity did not warrant a reply. I mean, look at Enron, Worldcom and a billion other failed initiatives. Does that in any way sound like Commie to you?
Anyway, the point being that it is not the question of who is superior. “Man will always be a man. There is no new man. We tried so hard to create a society that was equal, where there would be nothing to envy your neighbour. But there’s always something to envy. A smile, a friendship, something you don’t have and want to appropriate. In this world, even a Socialist one, there will always be rich and poor. Rich in happiness, poor in happiness. Rich in love, poor in love. – Enemy at the gates (cited due to “qui tacet’s” concern)”. In the grand scheme of things, even a utopic world is bound to fail due to every human being’s greed and innate selfishness. Like how any average American would think that he would be recognized anywhere in this world because he is American. What happened to the values? What happened to decency? And what happened to accept, acknowledge and respect another person with a different belief?
So I despair….
nice reference to the best lines in enemy at the gates, though some citation is surely in order.