Moral stature need not necessarily follow systemic elevation

Sometimes....Oh! no almost all the time we humans particularly of the modern age have this innate inability to distinguish systemic achievement and moral stature. If you are one of those rarities blessed with astute observation you would perhaps notice how people at social gatherings indulging in vain, ordinary, vulgar middle class outbursts come off with the most stupefying expressions such as, "Oh! my goodness he was no doubt a brilliant lawyer," or "My God he was a top class businessman" or even, "Gosh! he was a leading politician of his times."

Top class, brilliant, leading, clever, superb, excellent - these then are revered terms that are afloat what with eyebrows reaching even the seventh heaven!!! What's more even their biological appendages lay claim to what was once forebears' glory. Wow! if only such brilliance was family heirloom.

However, the bottom line lies here. How far have such personalities availed themselves of their respective disciplines out of which they have emerged so very starry into becoming personalities of moral stature?

Pah! talking of moral stature, I remember long years back at one of those workshops or talkshops, one in the fraternity running into self confession disclosed, "It is only here and now I hear of ethics." What's more he and I happened to share commonality of profession wherein lay the danger for a scribe minus ethics is like a building without foundation (if there ever was one) the irony being journalists role as moulders of public opinion - a clear case of blind leading the blind.

Moral stature today stands submerged in the pecuniary resolve. What's more, the high rate of politicization and pecuniary thirst conflicts the moral reserve. These twin forces confront morality in no small measure giving rise to social frustration. Under such circumstances laws are openly flouted, personal administration replaces personnel administration, a discerning social gamut transforms into a mean, grotesque and self oriented one.

Yet we gloat over scientific development, extended life span, improved lifestyles and high literacy rates.

Political Leaders

Even in the broader and wider periphery of international affairs, moral stature is on its way out. The world's political leaders that simply tow the line with US flagshipping global supremacy is testimony to that shortfall.

However, history was made only by those that swam upstream confronting the tide. Outstandingly Abraham Lincoln, Nelson Mandela and Mother Theresa were persons of moral stature that courageously swam upstream turning their backs as it were on the very mediocre oppressive rest. They for even a second would not tolerate insolence and to challenge insolence itself warrants moral stature. The world renowned Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore whose conscience was incessantly stormed by moral stature came off best in the following lines.

"OH! Lord give me the strength ne'er to disown the poor nor bend my knees before insolent might."

Fear then hurdles moral stature. The fear of losing political foothold, loss of status, power, fear of one's own communal following oppress in some way in working towards this goal.

Modern society is most accommodative of dishonesty - the reason being the survival thirst. To turn one's back on dishonesty needs much moral clout which absence facilitates deceit. The social spunk regretfully is waning and people willingly succumb to what should not be.

Recall he would I mean Tagore, of a story coming off his own conscience stirring where a king's vain attempt to educate a parrot and a method resorted to in achieving that objective. Say's Tagore, "the parrot knew no rules, nor ettequette, nor anything that goes with what is called a civilised life. It jumped, sang and flew about yet did not know how to read the sacred books.

It was made to day in and day out swallow reams and reams of written paper till it lost its beautiful voice and flight what with chained legs and clipped feathers. The inevitable happened. The king ordered its inspection and found let alone a song not even a whimper - the only noise being the rumble and rustle of dry paper in its stomach.

Contents

Given the story's contents one can fathom how contemporary education and the prevailing economic system have failed in the sphere of bringing about men and women of moral, stature.

Known for its ability in only churning out intellectual dullards, we need not be surprised at the levels of intellectual bankruptcy that has come upon us as a result of an education system restricted only to book learning that has been a long standing feature. What's most dangerous is its characteristic into spinelessness. "Go the world's way" is uppermost everyone's mind. Not surprising then the moral stature shortfall. By the way Tagore's poem "if no one calls" will shed light on the article's theme itself.

If no one answers to your call

Go your way alone

If all are mute oh! hapless one

If all are filled with fear

Then open your eyes

in a fearless burst

and speak the truth alone.

If all go back oh! hapless one

When you are on your way

along the deep dark forest track

if no one turns his face,

Then walk the thorny path

with proudly bleeding feet,

with face set bravely forward

the bloodstained dust behind.

If no one lights the beacon

on a dark and stormy night,

if no one hears your knocking

and all men shut their doors,

then lose not heart

oh! hapless one

but in the fiery thunder

set the torch of thy heart aflame

and burn in the dark alone.

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