Sometimes I wonder that, if I had passed my Masters in engineering from another college, instead of an IIT, then how would life have treated me right now? Would I have commanded the same respect from society? Sometimes I also wonder that as a human being how good or bad I am actually. What are the three things that people respect me or love me for? Is it because I am an IIT ian, is it because of some of my individual qualities, is it just because I am the son of a very socially venerated and loved couple, or is it a combination of just everything?
My gumption has never given me a definitive answer to this question. I am not sure whether I should ever be thinking about such redundant issues, but a deeper dive into oneself obviously opens a can of worms inside the mind. A lot of questions keep cropping up that may not have a direct impact on daily life.
Irrespective of your actual nature, pragmatic diplomacy sees you through almost all of the time. However, the kind of attributes that civilized society looks for in an individual, to treat him with respect even when he is not any more, is what has enthralled me for quite some time. Being subservient would win you sympathy and love but would allow people to get on top of you very easily. Being pernicious does not help either. Temerity would help you to quell your competitors, but would create more enemies than friends. Smugness may win you adorations among one set of an audience but chastisement among another set.
Most attributes I just mentioned are contradictory to possess and hence confounding. The easiest thing to do however is to keep it simple, be good unconditionally, and, protest against evil in the rudest possible terms. Some questions have no answers and it is better if we do not search for them either. As long as we do not hurt people in any way anytime, we are fine. Rest I leave to God.
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