It's a sultry afternoon, an over crowded bus, and all you know is that the person standing next to you hasn't had a shower for days …
You are seriously considering such people should be awarded capital punishment!
But you'd rather not give up that seat, in all it's stinking glory…Oh no, it's still better than being mauled by the ruthless crowd in the bus…Worse still dancing to the tunes of the bus driver, swinging rocking at every turn…uh!....prefer the 'scent' rather.
The bus stops at the next stop, spewing out people on the way, only to get in twice as many inside. Can't blame them, this is their last resort as the benevolent BMTC do not ply on this route regularly. In comes a lady carrying a toddler.
'Oh boy…she had to choose THIS bus of all!'

This could have been any day, it could happen to anyone.
Any woman can easily be in that lady's place, and any person, man or woman might be in the your place, blissfully seated.
The question is, would you give up the seat for this lady?
Some might think, why is there a question at all?...isn't that obvious?
No, apparently it is not!
It's a welcome change that our generation doesn't accept anything on the face value.
We reason it out, rational thinkers that we are.
And finally pass the judgement of how one should act
It's a healthy sign to see a society think and react than merely following someone's action.
But it's equally disheartening to realise that we have gone one step further to analyse everything merely with our brains and not giving much role to our heart.

The Brain man would think:
I have stood in my bus stop for more than half an hour, turned up early because I wanted to get this seat.
So there you go, I earned it!
I am equally tired after my day's work; the summer's got the same bad effect on me.
I don't fancy standing in this pandemonium either!
On the other hand, the lady might have happily arrived late at the bus stop, did not have to fight to get in. But nevertheless is guaranteed a seat, why because she has a kid with her. How fair is that? In fact, the lady did not have to board such an over crowded bus, she could have arranged for another mode of transport! But she did come on board feeling confident that the crowd does not affect her, you got a kid, hell, you'll get a seat anyway! But how right is it to expect me to give up this 'hard-earned' seat and go through the torture of standing for the rest of my journey? I am an ordinary person, I am no Budha/Gandhi. So I'll be my own selfish self and not give up my seat. I don’t care if someone thinks I am insensitive. But I am staying put! You want a seat, make it to the stop earlier!

What does the Brain plus Heart man have to say?
Let's hear that as well.
I have stood in my bus stop for more than half an hour, turned up early because I wanted to get this seat. I am equally tired after my day's work, the summer's got the same bad effect on me
I don't fancy standing in this pandemonium either….
If it could be so difficult for me, how difficult would it be for the lady carrying a wailing kid and balancing in this rickety bus? Yes, she could have gone in for another option, but I must know that not everyone can afford to pay a fortune to those autowalas. Especially on this route when they demand double the amount! I sure wouldn't have taken a rick myself….
And missing this bus would mean another couple of minutes in the scorching heat…awful, I wouldn't go through that. Might as well get into this bus and get it over with!
I don't blame her, may be she didn't really have much of a choice…none of my business really!
Because it could easily be me in her shoes some day…me/my wife could be carrying my kid and struggling in a bus one day.
And how would I wish that a benevolent soul to step forward to help!
I can go on and get harassed by this crowd, but at least I'll feel better I gave up my seat to someone who needed it much more than me
At least my inner voice won't torment me when I go to bed tonight!...
We don't need someone to tell us that it's a priority seat and needs to be given up for someone in need. We are sound enough to make that judgement by ourselves, aren't we? That demarcation is for the rather heartless robots that have so easily mingled with us humans and cannot really tell that someone might find it more painful to travel standing in a bus like this.

So, it all boils down to one thing, a simple choice.
Either be the person who'd only use his/her brain, reason it out and decide the outcome. That's what the PC I am typing into does, doesn't it?
Or I could be the one who can listen to my heart as well, and then decide what to do. And yeah, my PC doesn't have a heart so I am more human that that by a mile :)

P.S: I typed it out following a discussion whether one has to give up their seat should there be another person who might want it more. I was surprised we even had a discussion there. Only goes on to show we are becoming more and more callous and seeking out one excuse after another to conceal a weak character. I am not stating which of the above 2 are right or wrong, but whatever be the case, I'd definitely not be a fan of the first one!
P.P.S: Hmmm….London has donned white today. It must be the heaviest snowfall the British capital has seen in years. It’s freezing, numbing…it’s beautiful :)

Song On: Nothing but wind
Mood: Blank

Labels: General

Posted by Sat at 9:22 AM
23 comments

23 Comments:

me the firstu :-)

By  Syam, at 8:42 PM, February 08, 2007  

//You are seriously considering such people should be awarded capital punishment//

they sud be awarded with Hamam soap first :-)

By  Syam, at 8:48 PM, February 08, 2007  

//At least my inner voice won't torment me when I go to bed tonight!...//

though all the points you have mentioned look reasonable...the above lines give justification...after all we sudn't feel guilty...great post sat...

By  Syam, at 8:51 PM, February 08, 2007  

this title reminds me of my cousin's car license plate 2B R 1 2B...but every one interprets it their own way...for ex : a realtor 2 bedroom and 1.5 bathroom :-)

By  Syam, at 8:54 PM, February 08, 2007  

Mez technically second...:D

By  KK, at 10:08 PM, February 08, 2007  

//You are seriously considering such people should be awarded capital punishment//
When I come across such people feel like taking a deo and spraying all over them just like how we spray "Hit" to kill insects :D

By  KK, at 10:09 PM, February 08, 2007  

Nice post sat... Slowly I see that the humanness in people is decreasing... Its becoming the survival fittest attitude... Just like Dino's humans will be extinct one day :D
Only heartless morons who think only about money and themselves will be living here... Actually you see more of these kinda morons more in an educated society than the other kind.

By  KK, at 10:15 PM, February 08, 2007  

//2B R 1 2B//

@Syam - I really read it as 2 bedroom and 1.5 bathroom :)

By  KK, at 10:16 PM, February 08, 2007  

Syam;
You have a gift of turning anything gloomy and serious light without really losing the essence....*applause* :)
LOL on hamam soap, a fact i obviously over looked...hehehe

Hmmm....ur cousin's car no. plate still reminds me of that to be or not to be lines by shakespeare.......the realtors down in b'lore use BHK for bedroom hall kitchen :)....though the concept of onra bathroom is lost on me! :-|

By  Sat, at 11:02 PM, February 08, 2007  

KK;
your hit is more on the lines of syam's hamam :) ....solli vecha maari commentureenga?!


Yeah, ppl are losing their human side, only leads one to wonder how much longer would our race be able to hold their heads above the water?...but guess what, at least int eh courtesy dept, Indians have to be the least scorers, or the first ones to be booted out. I've never seen such a scene in the london underground! (they dont carry the babies here, they have a buggy!...but still ppl are prompt enough to give way for them no matter how crowded the compartment)

By  Sat, at 11:05 PM, February 08, 2007  

Great post Sat, something that makes us think!. And yeah similar attitude is seen in sharing a bucket of water in Madras during a very bad summer season. People dont mind going to any extent jus to make sure they get a bucket of water.. they are not considerate even if the family has a kid or some elders :(

By  Heidi Kris, at 11:36 PM, February 08, 2007  

Nice post Sat.
very true,ppl have started to respond to brains and not to hearts. these r incidents which are subjective to a person and his/her mindset at that time but what bothers me more is overall, everyone provides a lame excuse for not doing their bit to the society :(

comparing human brains with a pc was a good thought.

and yeah
//
It’s freezing, numbing…it’s beautiful :)
//
itz the same here :)

By  Arunkumar, at 3:48 AM, February 09, 2007  

//
Slowly I see that the humanness in people is decreasing...
//
money's toll !!!

//
Actually you see more of these kinda morons more in an educated society than the other kind.
//
i wud put it as a materialistic society rather than an educated society... basically, those who see some money feel that they are better than the rest !!!
i donno what logic is this :P

By  Arunkumar, at 3:56 AM, February 09, 2007  

12B,
Hamam soap and 2B matter super :)

By  Arunkumar, at 3:57 AM, February 09, 2007  

//at least int eh courtesy dept, Indians have to be the least scorers, or the first ones to be booted out.//

I think that holds true for most of the crowded countries... Amount of courtesy that Americans have is also awesome. Standing in queue, on the road, Bus, everywhere...

By  KK, at 9:13 PM, February 09, 2007  

Awesome post!

I completely agree wid you on the 'scent' thingie. Its when i get bk from class or lab late in the night, people who have had a nice long workout or jog, hop into the aircon bus.. and God save me!

I simply love the way u have compared the two opinions! It makes such a huge difference to our day when we do a good deed. However screwy our day mite get, when v get to bed, we have atleast one thing to be happy about!

By  prithz, at 9:35 PM, February 10, 2007  

I think you are right. It has become a materialistic world. Now we have an effort regarding global warming . Later we might have an effort regarding heart search ! :D

Vidya

By  Vidya, at 7:47 AM, February 11, 2007  

naan inga vandhutu ponen SAT! :)

By  Unknown, at 3:30 PM, February 12, 2007  

athepdinga..naan enna yosikarengaratha read panni postereengala :D en systemla draftla poatu vachirukara topica neenga postiteenga..chetpetlenthu veetuku busla pora episodea postalaamnu pathen.. :) scent factory LOL :D..but peak hourla verthu viruvirukara chennai veyilla...nasungi pora alavuku gumbal irukara busla vetrigarama mundiyadichi veedu vanthu serarachay kidaikara pheeling irukay...athu thani sugam :)vazhakiyoda thathuvumunga ithu...inum nalla yosichenganna naaama pirantha vidhamum crowded busla vara situationum onnu thaan...

P.S:
!!! guess i am yet to come out of my philo mood...swami thathipithuvamaanandaanu title varathukullara me d esc.. :D

P.S.S:

Coimbatore mathiri dabba oorla nalla naalaye bus irukathu...geometry box mathiri oru thagara dubbava busnu solli ooora emathikitu irupanunga..ethukum oru ettu chn vanthutu ponga :D :D hehehe...chary..cudnt resist it :D

By  gils, at 5:09 PM, February 12, 2007  

Heidi;
yeah, only when there's a crisis can we really see the true colour of people, and by large it's not good!

Arunkumar;
//everyone provides a lame excuse for not doing their bit to the society :(//
absolutely, one goes out of their way to justify their actions!...and yeah, agree on the materialistic point, but it's more being attributed to the fast paced lifestyle. at least that's beginning to be quoted as an excuse!

By  Sat, at 8:49 PM, February 12, 2007  

KK;
yeah the more the crowd the more unruly, reason being the demand for the resources increase and the supply is just not enough. even in the otherwise well behaved england, an over crowded underground train makes u think u've been transported to india miraculously!
prithz;
//people who have had a nice long workout or jog, hop into the aircon bus.. and God save me!
//
LOL!....totally with u there. worse, an early morning commute in the bus is the worst mistake u can do in any part of the world!
BSK;
idhu enna i was here-nu foot print vitutu poirukeengala?

By  Sat, at 8:53 PM, February 12, 2007  

Vidya;
Nope...don't think so....but i do hope it's made a crime to act like insensitive morons

gils;
hehe....draft adichu vaikira pazhakam ungalukum unda?....i still have so many sleeping in drafts....eppavadhu writer's block (!!!) vandha use pannikalamnu pottu vechiruken.
cbe vambuku izhukalena pozhudhu pogadho?...i wont justify anything....u are welcome to tour tht city and take a look. i have seen both the cities and their modes of transport and the less we say abt chennai the better :P

By  Sat, at 8:55 PM, February 12, 2007  

:D ungalukagavay spla oru fwd anupir iruken parunga :D

By  gils, at 11:45 AM, February 14, 2007  

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