Tried and failed

'Failures are the stepping stones to success' is a well-known saying in the English language. To have the courage to attempt something new, with due diligence, and not succeed in your first try, but to hold on with hope and boldness and not give up trying; is a sure sign that one has the aggregate of qualities, the mental makeup, to someday succeed in the endeavour. Therefore, one need not lose heart, nor feel dejected or depressed, by the initial defeat. Non-success is not fatal, nor deplorable; and in fact become the pillars upon which to build one's triumphs and fortunes.

It is part of the learning process of life. Even if, many a person equates accomplishments and achievements with happiness, delight, ecstasy, contentment, elation, felicity, and pleasure; such susceptibilities are, in reality, not a true part of triumph and success. It may at best be a mirage, an illusion, of such emotions; and, certainly temporary in nature.

These feelings are, in fact, the phenomenon of the mind; and, not the law in accordance with which, such emotions are produced.

Success and failure go hand in hand. It is true that success gives us a sense of joy and pride, while failure discourages and depresses us. However, we should not forget that in the battlefield of life, failures do come. All great beings have had to face disappointments at some stage of their lives. Man is imperfect, so he often stumbles in life. Misfortune, try him and purifies him - as fire tries gold. Infelicity, in fact, grooms him for better achievements. Failures appear to be unpleasant, but they are helpful in many other ways. They are our best instructors. Each time we fail, we learn a lesson.

Failure

We come to know the reason of our failure. In the next attempt, we guard ourselves against committing the same mistake.

The knowledge we gain with each try makes our path to success smooth and easy. If we give up trying as soon as we meet with failure, we remain defeated in life, though we may possess the strength to reach the goal. Exposure and encounters, irrespective of the results, is the best teacher; and steel us to endure life. We, at the same time, discover our hidden powers.

Every failure makes us more experienced than before. Thus, they are neither fissures in our character, nor a mark of inefficiency. A person, armed with the experiences of failure, picks up courage and goes on to success. Hence, there is no need to feel ashamed, if we fail in any undertaking.

Defeat, therefore, is not a hindrance, but a help. It is not a bane, but a boon. Life is the sum total of experiences, including failures. It adds to our knowledge, and helps us become wiser.

It makes us active, vigilant, and bold. It injects vigour and enthusiasm to our will, provided we take it in the right spirit. But, can the same be said of those who decry, those who take pleasure in laughing at, the miscarriage and fiasco? Every country has such persons. However, Sri Lanka seems to have a surfeit of such individuals. We, as a Nation, await the downfall of another compatriot.

I have noticed how we laugh at someone who slips and falls on a banana skin; which a callous person had thrown on to the road. More often than not, the so called comedy scenes in our movies, is all about the unfortunate situation in which another is placed.

Instead of concern for the hapless, we take his situation as comical. Is this a part of our culture? If such assumptions were intended to be a gesture of jest; I must say that it is indeed a cruel person who can take pleasure at the misfortune of another.

Comfort

To take comfort and enjoy in the discomfiture of another; to laugh, and be overjoyed at the travails and turbulence of another; is not the makings of a man or woman of accomplishment, of culture. Yet, it seems so in our society; and this is but one minor example.

How, why, and when is it that we have left our values; and taken refuge in a twist of ethics that is not a part of our culture, is the greater question?

Schadenfreude is a German word for pleasure derived from the misfortunes of others.

The term suggests debauchery and disorder in addition to sadistic enjoyment. The German word is used as a loanword in English. A near equivalent English word of similar meaning is "gloating", where "gloat" is defined as: to observe or think about something with triumphant and often malicious satisfaction, gratification, or delight.

The philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer mentioned Schadenfreude as the most evil sin of human feeling, saying famously "To feel envy is human, to savour schadenfreude is devilish". Thus, it brings us to the original question of why we Sri Lankans enjoy the misfortune of other individuals; because, during calamities, we exhibit praiseworthy qualities. Are we then, a corrupted and debased people; that cruel enjoyment should become a part of our life, values, and character? Is this the reason why our society has degenerated to exalt corruption - to dignify it, elevate it, ennoble it, and honour it?

We openly worship the corrupt, whilst in private, just to show that we are not a part of them, condemn them. We say we are impeccable, but in reality wish to savour the fruits of corruption; to imitate the corrupt; and, wish to be able to live like them, even by becoming rotten as they are.

We long for favours that the corrupt dole out, and yet are steeped in hypocrisy and say: 'I am an honourable person'.

We are willing to bend laws, rules, and regulations to benefit self, kith and kin; and claim to be honourable, akin to 'Brutus is an honourable person'. We are deceitful, deceptive, and duplicitous as a people. We have not the courage to stand alone, and call a spade a spade.

Cowards

We are cowards to boot. There indeed are some, who are not this. But they are far and few; not sufficient to make a dent for the better.

If this be the exemplary lessons we teach our children; the next generation; our future; then lo and behold, for there will be no redemption, nor deliverance, for us from depravity.

I have always maintained that nations, like men, have a destiny - a destiny of their own making. I feel it in my marrow that there is ample goodness amongst the youth in our country. They, in spite of the values exhibited by the older generation, possess sufficient wisdom to defeat, to subjugate and vanquish, and to treasure not, those depraved desires of the elders.

Confidence

This I have confidence in, and therefore feel that there is hope for our future. It is not an anticipation, nor assumption. Neither is it based upon the uttering of the makers our destiny. The majority of the youth of today reflect a new set of values that are not visible to the corrupt.

They have cast aside the shackles of their forefathers; and have reached out to grasp new values, newer visions. In them is hope that Lanka will be the land that our literature tells us it once was. A land where people were generous, kind to all life forms, just, and justly proud. Perhaps, by reverting to the past, we discover the future. Going back two-thousand years, we move forward.

See you this day next week. Until then, keep thinking; keep laughing. Life is mostly about these two activities.

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