Abhijit Roy

‘The system’ here refers to the whole functioning of the society which more or less gives a shape to a society and “I” obviously is a part of the society which with due course of time falls into the vicious circle of “the system”.

In our childhood we were being taught the various rights and wrongs and always to support and do the right things. As we grown up further we understood that doing the right things will make us a hero or even a superhero like superman, spiderman etc. So although the evils were their we always used to think that we will be exception and will always do what is right. But now when we all have grown up what do you think how much we were being able to stick to our values of doing the right thing only. Let me share a simple example, I was always being told to respect the elderly people and help them as and when possible and I guess you were also being taught the same thing. So one day I was traveling by a bus and was sitting so when an elderly person boarded the bus I got up from the sit and gave it to the uncle and traveled one and a half hours journey while standing. But soon I realized that everyone is concerned about their individual interest and whether an elderly person is standing next to him doesn’t bother him and that’s how a system in the buses are being created motivated by the individual interests. And now I have also learnt to ignore any elderly or women in the buses inspite of knowing that my values don’t permit me that. The example just shows how people get influenced by the system.

And frankly speaking it is not only in the buses but it is in the every nook and corner of the society where we succumb to the system where we compromise even our beliefs and values. We always talk about change and than immediately talk about “the system” which serves as a blockade to the change. People from various sectors have tried to change but more often than not have fallen to the vicious circle of “the system” which moulds the person according to the system. One such case is the VC of the Assam University before becoming VC he was touted as the person who can bring change but ALAS!!!!!

And it needs to be mentioned that people like us fall victim of the system on a daily basis whether it is in the market, the offices etc only because I think whatever we think or believe is of no importance or have lost relevance in today’s context. I sometimes wonder how Subhas Chandra Bose or Bhagat Singh would have dealt with “the System” and I firmly believe that they would have come out as winners as they did before because they are the man of character and they will definitely stand by for what they believe. Whereas in today’s world if a person believes that bribery is a crime but if he needs to get his pension on time he/ she has to pay the bribe because every other person coming to the office paying the bribe and every person in the office is taking the bribe, so it becomes necessary for the person as well to fall into that category because he thinks its wise for him to do so in order to get his work done.

It is important to mention that I as well as every other person is following the system and very few people are fighting with the system so its more or less “I along the system” rather than “I vs the system”. And those who are still fighting to be in the “I vs the system” category do let me know and ALL THE BEST.