Wednesday, April 14, 2004
The thing that often comes to mind while in India and even more acutely after leaving it is that there is this feeling of despair that one can do so little to change or positively affect the people who are so poor. This struck me sharply when we landed in Bombay to a quilt cover of shanties set up around the airport and escorted the taxi cab, like a red carpet, all the way into the heart of the city. There was so little chance to feel effective as the amount of people who are considered 'untouchable', referring to the lowest of the caste system typically diseased, malnutritioned and homeless, is absolutely overwhelming. I felt that even if I gave all I had on me, that I wouldn't be able to mildly impact the women, babies, disabled beggars and disfigured lepers staring me in the face, tugging on my shirt sleeve, calling on me for "One rupee".
Throughout the trip, I looked for ways to make a difference from a distance, and in truth the opportunities seemed feeble and insincere. I think the difference that one person can make is most effective in one's own country of origin. I have recently deduced this based on the fact that learning about a country as a tourist is merely an exercise in the ability to adapt and simplify the basic decisions of life. Living in a country is what really tells about the culture, so being Canadian, truly I should know more about Canada than any other place and therefore be able to tap into how I can make a difference, right? In reading more about the recent free sari distribution trampling, I have this idea that if the Indians who are running the government of the country can't get it right, than how can I? They were doing something that was meeting a need, and yet the effort still failed grossly. Still, this answer does not perpetuate a positive impact on countries, like India, that need attention and to be rid of debt to advancing countries, and therefore my resolve to find my place in making a difference remains firm.
As an idealist who only enjoys honesty as the best answer, I find the situation of the world very difficult to face, yet I am completely drawn to the news and how it clearly reflects (or not) the state of 'developing' countries. The other element that interests me is how the history speaks to the current status of the country. India's history reflects a varied group of leaders with connected family ties to one another. I find the more I learn about Indira Gandhi (not related to MG, rather daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru, the first independent Indian Prime Minister), the more I understand why the country has progressed so little. Reading novels like Midnight's Children - Salman Rushdie and A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry about India during this period of time are cause to evaluate the facts about slogans to remove poverty and enforce sterilization. Scary stuff.
Throughout the trip, I looked for ways to make a difference from a distance, and in truth the opportunities seemed feeble and insincere. I think the difference that one person can make is most effective in one's own country of origin. I have recently deduced this based on the fact that learning about a country as a tourist is merely an exercise in the ability to adapt and simplify the basic decisions of life. Living in a country is what really tells about the culture, so being Canadian, truly I should know more about Canada than any other place and therefore be able to tap into how I can make a difference, right? In reading more about the recent free sari distribution trampling, I have this idea that if the Indians who are running the government of the country can't get it right, than how can I? They were doing something that was meeting a need, and yet the effort still failed grossly. Still, this answer does not perpetuate a positive impact on countries, like India, that need attention and to be rid of debt to advancing countries, and therefore my resolve to find my place in making a difference remains firm.
As an idealist who only enjoys honesty as the best answer, I find the situation of the world very difficult to face, yet I am completely drawn to the news and how it clearly reflects (or not) the state of 'developing' countries. The other element that interests me is how the history speaks to the current status of the country. India's history reflects a varied group of leaders with connected family ties to one another. I find the more I learn about Indira Gandhi (not related to MG, rather daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru, the first independent Indian Prime Minister), the more I understand why the country has progressed so little. Reading novels like Midnight's Children - Salman Rushdie and A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry about India during this period of time are cause to evaluate the facts about slogans to remove poverty and enforce sterilization. Scary stuff.
