Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Service Before Self

On my way back home, I was passing by a school, the name of which I withhold for decency (or not, it is Delhi Public School, Bowenpally) on the big board on the main gate, under the name of the school, was written the tag line “Service Before Self”. It is everything that is wrong with the world.

If you think about it, these people and majority of schools are asking these kids to spend time thinking about some strangers who have needs, rather than spend time on developing their own minds and skills? These strangers are either too lazy to earn what they need or are molded into expecting help without their efforts or they do not have the mind to control their lives and lost. Kids need to learn to earn value and measure it. Kids as well as their parents and teachers. Value of one’s ingenious effort cannot be appreciated when it is asked to be given away, and as a rule efforts cannot be generated without incentives for the person putting in the effort. Value can be earned by paying the price of one’s efforts. Not when it is received because of pity or deceit or force. And value can be measured only when it is exchanged for value, not when you give it away without meaning.

The vicious cycle is this: If a guy is asked to give money or respect without getting anything in return, he may think its force. But when everyone is doing the same thing, he will think that it’s his duty. In turn, another guy thinks it’s his right that it should be given to him without any effort asked. It’s a normal phenomenon in the hypocritical society. It’s also normal that the first guy turns out to be the second when it is his turn.

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