Why Change Anything at all?

Some of us feel this way - Life is so beautiful without any changes at all, and so is our country. In fact, some of us at times, feel like India is just perfect – diverse in all aspects. India is so full of diversities that we may also be proud of how our nation is almost like a treasure chest of different cultures, religions, people, how funny politics and illiteracy is, how patient and tolerant people are, etc. In fact, we laugh at ourselves, at every single thing that we think makes us ‘Indian’ – like watching movies in pirated CDs, throwing trash about, teasing politicians and more. Life goes on for all of us and it’s simply beautiful to live in India. Everything’s just as it should be, as long as you mind your own business and learn to adjust to the situations. So why should there be any change at all? Why should we start protesting for small stuff, restrain ourselves for trivial things and be so rigid? It’s perfectly okay to be carefree and easy-going, right? That way, we’ll find more happiness and joy in our lives. If we fight for justice, fight against poverty, fight against discrimination and a whole lot of such causes, where will we find the time to live?? Life will be too full of heart-breaks and disappointments and dangers, that we won’t be able to afford even a single moment of true serenity. Isn’t that just about right?

No. It’s not.
It’s true that many of us think likewise. We feel that being happy and peacefully is a great help to the world and that’s all that you can really do without harming anyone else. But that’s just like turning a blind eye and refusing to realize that you’re actually blind. If ignorance is bad, then intentionally being ignorant is even worse, because in the latter, there’s probably little chance of changing yourself.

Yes, the world is beautiful and perfect as it is. It’s silly to argue otherwise. But the world is not the same for everyone around you, at least not those who are so far away and yet are affected by the little things you do [or don’t do]. There are about 25,000 people worldwide who died of hunger today, 1.44 billion people without access to safe drinking water [because of which there are 4,200,342 deaths from water-related diseases this year], 332 billion US$ of money spent on illegal drugs and 1 billion under-nourished people in the world. Please, do you still think it’s okay to lead a happy, peaceful life and mind just our own businesses? Is it okay to be ignorant to these facts and just go on with our lives, just because the world is a beautiful place for us? Yes, the world is perfect… but sadly, the lives of millions of people out there, isn’t and that’s why change is important. That’s why we need to make every small difference we can, to ensure we don’t go out without giving anything to the world at large. Finally, I would like to end it with two great quotes from two great people:

“It's not enough to have lived. We should be determined to live for something. May I suggest that it be creating joy for others, sharing what we have for the betterment of person kind, bringing hope to the lost and love to the lonely.”

Leo F. Buscaglia

"A man who won't die for something is not fit to live."

Martin Luther King, Jr.

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