We know this famous story – The Blind men and an Elephant. The story is on six different characters at six different positions having six differing point of views about an unknown scenario.

As children, we were amused when Blind Men described an elephant as a rope or a wall etc. We loved the “Wise Man” who, as a passerby, helped those blind men know the “whole truth”.

The story depict arguments and a settlement. But no solution! The “Wise Passerby” makes a guest appearance, promptly settles the argument, thanks to his gifted-sight, and disappears backstage.

The “Passerby” is called “Wise” because he saw the elephant as a whole. He was able to convince those Blind Men that the sum total of their argument equals an Elephant.

What-if the “wise passerby” said it’s a Camel. Pillar and rope etc. can apply both to Elephants and Camels. And the “wise” can concoct explanations to delude the differences. But it’s not wise for the “passerby” to go against the tide. If you see, the “Passerby” was “wise” because he knew that the readers of the story know it’s an elephant. So, it’s always “wise” to side with the majority. Or be dubbed – The Seventh blind man.

This story creates three problem-groups. One, the “reader-group”, the mass, the WE, who already know the whole truth but can’t participate in the solution. Two, the “blind-group”, the others, confused idiots. Three, the “wise-group”, the powerful all-knowers who pass expert comments favourable to “our satisfaction”.

Sure, the arguments of Blind men were silenced. But with no blind-men the wiser! Since no solution was attempted the problem persists to this day. The “passerby” acting as “wise” still pass “judgments”. Look, the ‘Wise passerby” knew before-hand that it’s an Elephant, therefore rope plus wall plus etc. will ultimately be made to equal an elephant. Hence individually held positions are acceptable if that agrees to what the “wise” think as right. Here, the story projects arrogance.

Can this story be retold differently? What-if, the “Wise passerby” chose a different approach. Look, the men were blind but not lame. If they couldn’t see, it doesn’t mean they can’t move to explore. The Blind men listened and bought the “Elephant Theory” from the “wise passerby”. They would do better listening to some wisdom instead!

The “wise passerby” could have said to the six blind men to relax and swap places. So, each of the six will be exposed to the other five positions. Instead of passing “judgment” which left the blind men fixed to their own point of views, the “wise passerby” could have added some wisdom and made the blind men and the readers “see” reason. Hence a workable solution is to have individuals agree with all stated positions. And, no “One” the wiser!

 

Some things happen for disturbance. Things like WikiLeaks, RTI and Jan Lokpal. WikiLeaks is an expat, but RTI and Jan Lokpal are home grown terrorist groups. They assault the government. It is said, more than Five Lakhs RTI applications were fired in Maharashtra in 2010. Similar Lakhs are boasted in other states. Besides increasing workload, these non-state actors have instigated vested interests to run for cover. The best remedy is to kill the activists. Someone’s doing a good job.

While RTI is a bomb, Jan Lokpal is a missile. Terrorism has improved. Instead of petty skirmishes, they have launched a full blown legislative war. Some citizens have suddenly realized that they can make some miniscule differences by gathering in a field. The rest watch the drama on TV and update their knee-jerk thoughts on Facebook or Twitter.

You see; half our life time is spent listening to FM Radio in traffic jams. The other half is spent holding the mobile to our ears. Either ways, we can claim to be expert listeners. When two senses, tongue and ears, has succumbed to recreational hijack, what about our eyes?

After a lifetime in a Jam when we see the cause of it, we take detours like herded sheeps. We have no emotions left to express, when we see workers pouring sand and dust to cover the potholes. We know it’s not gonna work. One shower and the landscape is back to normal. Our thoughts and emotions too follow the same beeline – It’s not gonna work!

Change should always happen elsewhere. We are good. We are what we are. One must see the glass half full. I’m OK, you’re OK. Nothing should disturb our snail-pace. We are used to two Hours in Traffic. That’s our gym. Without workout, we don’t feel like working. Travelers of buses and trains need sauna too. That’s the exercise of life.

Any idiot causing deviation is Draconian. We need not know what he wants. He sits on a fast, gathers mankind and swears to change the system. He wants to make a Quasi-governmental organization. By the way, Quasi is a terrorist from Afghanistan. This “Quasi” is planning an assault on our Gyms and Saunas and our snail-pace. We have to avoid this. Or else, we will be forced to commute without exercises. Worse – we will be on time.

Enlightened souls must have a humanistic approach. If bribes stop, hawkers will be history. Then where do we buy Cheap Crashable Helmets. Despite our snail-pace, we enjoy jumping signals. Another good reflex-exercise! Now that too will have a cost. We can’t pay a bit and escape. We have to pay in full. Also, we can’t afford a house now. When everything is white, we might as well live in a tent – like Gaddafi!

Any systemic change will increase the cost of living. It is economically and financially deplorable. Lokpal threatens to address all levels of administration. And we have to suffer the overheads. Like VAT, we will now have LPT – Lokpal Tax. Anna can fast. Heck, we need a drink or four in the evenings.

We don’t need a monopoly-system. We need a Hoi Polloi System. A Lokpalic-Biryani. All Draft Inclusive. Confusion begets Fusion. From each according to his fancies, to each according to his desires! Shakespeare was lying when he said – “Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt.”

In fact, our sweetest song is this which tell our real thoughts;
“The old order must prevail, un-yielding its place to new,
And MAN fulfils himself in many ways,
Lest one good custom should deform the world.”

Long Live our Status Limbo.