I quit the journalism field nearly 3 years ago but the passion to follow developing stories will die in me.
And in this regard, the saddest day that unfolded in front of me was the 26/11 in Mumbai, referred to India's 9/11.
Forget the massive intelligence failure, but i tried to sit and analyse something - the mindset of these youngsters. I watched in horror a bunch of fanatical youngsters crossed the sea and carried out a spectacular blood-thirsty campaign that lasted 3 days and killed over 200 people.
The oldest of the 10 attackers was only 28. Only one was caught alive. He is now a pariah, his country does not acknowledge his existence while this country waits for the law to take its course.
I wonder what it felt when they shot down unknown men and women and spilled innocent blood in Mumbai. Am often left wondering the same question over and over again.
What has made these young men hate us so much? Reports in the Times of India says that these 'Jihadis' are only the final product of a long process.
The initiation process starts young and right in the schools. The school textbooks of a 7th and 9th grader is filled with hatred and distorted form of history. We are referred as 'eternal enemies'. This indoctrination is similar to what the Nazis did in the 1930's to instill a sense of hatred towards the Jews. The consequence of which the world had to bear for the next 50 years.
I see the same pattern being adopted by our neighbouring country, albeit on a smaller scale. I have no answers to some questions that continue to trouble me.
How could a nation thrive on hatred and raise an army that exists merely on suspicion? How could it continue to hate a neighbouring country for more than 60 years though both countries were once part of a single entity?
How could religion alone be a differentiating factor when people dress, speak and feel the same? How can they think of war against us, when we love their music and they love our movies?
Will their hatred be extinguished by the destruction of Bombay, or any other city? Will nuking us quench their thirst for revenge and prove that their religion is better than ours? Or will spilling the blood of a million innocents bring peace to their minds and ensure death of the 'infidels'?
The world is already facing chaos, financial meltdown, global warming and rising population. Why can't we both stand shoulder to shoulder to face this impending disasters together rather than fight like fools over religion.
When death and destruction come calling nothing will remain... not us, not them. But is anyone listening?
Sunday, December 28, 2008
1 Year and After
I write after a long hiatus. A job change, a status upgrade (as daddy) and a very eventful year in my career and life, I find myself again as the year draws to a close - Could I have done better? Worked smarter?
The job change to a blue chip major meant more money and respectability for the brand value it held, but did it provide me with job satisfaction? I will never know. An year ago money and financial security weighed in favor, compared to job satisfaction, growth prospects and a promised trip to the U.S.
Well that was then. With a difficult boss to handle and not-so-perfect colleagues I find myself questioning my rationale for the decision. Would i go back to my old job... No I don't think so.
The money sure is good, but as for the rest I just discussed above I have no idea about the growth in the company. There are too many fishes in this big ocean that are trying to gain attention.
Some try too hard to grab attention, so hard that the attempts almost seem ludicrous, while others do the same by doing someone in and getting a few brownie points.
Though people and their 'competitive spirit' no long surprise me, what surprises me are the levels to which people tend to stoop. Some you can laugh away and dismiss as a joke others that try to malign you are not funny. Yet I cope with them, as I have for the past 1 year hoping for better future.
As some people say some people grow wise only in retrospect, hope that's not true in my case. :)
The job change to a blue chip major meant more money and respectability for the brand value it held, but did it provide me with job satisfaction? I will never know. An year ago money and financial security weighed in favor, compared to job satisfaction, growth prospects and a promised trip to the U.S.
Well that was then. With a difficult boss to handle and not-so-perfect colleagues I find myself questioning my rationale for the decision. Would i go back to my old job... No I don't think so.
The money sure is good, but as for the rest I just discussed above I have no idea about the growth in the company. There are too many fishes in this big ocean that are trying to gain attention.
Some try too hard to grab attention, so hard that the attempts almost seem ludicrous, while others do the same by doing someone in and getting a few brownie points.
Though people and their 'competitive spirit' no long surprise me, what surprises me are the levels to which people tend to stoop. Some you can laugh away and dismiss as a joke others that try to malign you are not funny. Yet I cope with them, as I have for the past 1 year hoping for better future.
As some people say some people grow wise only in retrospect, hope that's not true in my case. :)
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