[nukkad] Honest and natural selfishness; and two questions begging for answers

["Dr. M.C.Gupta" <>]

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Tip of the day: Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. 
                It's already tomorrow in Australia. -- Charles Schulz 
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Friends,
This is to clarify my stand. I probably have given the impression of being
an America hater. That is not so. I simply state my stand that America is no
god or absolute saint or superpower or champion of the world. In a comity of
nations, different members have to exist as brother or sister countries.
Some would be small, younf and frail; others would be mature, wise and
strong. But the elder and stronger one has to play the role of a supportive,
protective, instructive elder sib rather than the proverbial 'big brother'.
It is the 'big brother America' that one looks askance, not the USA  as
such.

There are very strong arguments in favour of USA, encouraging others to
emulate it. The most outstanding is the spirit of equality and free
enterprise. Every individual is FREE. Individual freedom is staunchly
defended. This respect for the individual is probably a major factor why
people from other countries are drawn towards US and, once drawn, tend to
stay there. This individual freedom is there in other democracies too, but
is shadowed by various social trappings and forces. In India, a young bright
chap can't admission to a good school because his parents can't afford the
exorbitant fees [in USA, good quality school education is free]; he can't
get admission to  professional college because he is not SC/ST/OBC]; he
can't get service because jobs are reserved and, even otherwise, are
cornered by less qualified, even unqualified, people who have connections
and approach or bribe money; he or she can't get married because of strong
barriers like caste, dowry etc. In UK, the system of royalty [knights,
counts, dukes. sirs, lords etc.] also imposes some restrictions. In US,
these hardly apply; what applies there, no not in law, is the colour of
skin, but that is a universal phenomenon, including India.

The great advantage in US culture is that in their short history of 500
years, those who went to US learnt to live there and compete as equals to
survive and prosper. It was the great melting pot where people from
different countries and cultures shed their original moorings and
inhibitions and participated as mere equal individuals in the struggle for
survival and prosperity. It was the survival of the fittest. A reflection of
that natural selfishness that is inherent in all beings, animal or human.
Darwin's theory of survival of the fittest led to evolution of the Homo
sapien; US system of survival of the fittest in actual practice led to
emergence of USA as the richest, strongest country. It is their honesty that
they do not hide their strength or riches or the manner of their
acquisition. This selfishness is natural and they are honest about it.

CONCLUSION

USA is good. India, UK, Russia, Israel, Palestine, Pakistan, Nepal, Arabs
and even the Taliban and all others are also good. Some may be less rich,
less educated, less free, less strong; but that does not make them less
good. When a country thinks it is more good than others, it clothes itself
with an arrogance that, in its own thinking, absolves itself of any
compunction in trampling, maiming and killing others. I wish the US
disabuses itself of that arrogance.

I am reminded of these famous lines:

"There is so much of good in the worst of us;
There is so much of bad in the best of us;
It is difficult to say which one of us;
Ought to reform the rest of us."

May be there is need to find answers to the 2 questions:

1. What is the good in Taliban? Or, is it all evil incarnate?
2. What is bad in USA? Or, is it all immaculate, pure good?





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