Thursday, October 16, 2014

7 effective attitudes

I happened to see a post by a regionally known public figure about her visit to a fashion pageant. The way they enjoyed at the venue was very evident. Then came the age old attitude problem. After they have got whatever they want from the event, or the place where the event was held, the abuse starts. The way the post ended was to where they were heading to. The regional town where they belong. The abuse was about the way the north Indians celebrate Diwali and the traffic issues. That was when the bulb in a cloud shaped dialogue bubble lit up above my head. Did they mean to say where they were heading to was free from traffic woes. Was the place free from pollution of all sorts. The answer was affirmatively an oxymoron-ic NO.

The problem with many of us is the use and throw attitude. People from the Gulf work sectors, start abusing their home town as soon as they land. But will they stop there. No. As soon as the vacation is over they will start writing articles, poems and works of art and give long discourses about how they miss their home land. "Nostalgia".

The best thing we need now is to clear this concept in our head and start loving what we have and strive for the better. For that, we need to understand some of the common attitude problems we have:

1. "Akarapacha" or the Mirage effect
When we are comfortable, we tend to complain about the discomforts in life, but as soon as a person with the same discomforts approach you, you are in murky waters. Lets face it, we need to save ourselves first and then others, a lesson learnt from my air travel, when the hostess gives the security brief :First put on your own mask and then help others. Refraining from such lengthy discussions about discomforts will help us save time and money. So think about it !!!

2. Born Critics effect
Criticizing someone is now become a better pass time than face book or whatsapp. You might even think what I am blogging right now is also a criticism. I agree. But this is also a self appraisal or evaluation. We tend to point at someone else with ease and never look at our own mistakes. We are all born politicians in such cases. So think about it !!!

3. Encyclopedia effect
More than iPhone or iPad, we would be hearing "I Know", "I Think" and "I told you" so from a lot of people. In which case these I's should have done something to prevent it. If they have done it then they have the right to say the golden words. Person who would not have even thought about cricket would be giving lectures on how Indian team should have played to win. A person who wouldn't dare to take pains to think of serving the society would give discourses on social change. Lets face it .... you know it better.

4. The anti-money syndrome
The more we see people getting successful around us, the common statement would be I know how he became rich. Cheating ....or it would be all negatives about the person. If we know how to do that wont we be in his position. That question would bring about the common answer, I would like to be poor and straightforward. But the answer beats the purpose and will come to a point where a big exclamation mark would rise about the listeners head, then why the gossip about the successful person. Living ones own life has become out of fashion.

5. The Switch Off Mode
When Sathyarthi won a Nobel Prize Indians know about him. How many of us know Sundarlal Bahuguna, , Shobeendran Sir, Father Gabriel Chiramel or Daya Bai. The Chipko movement started by Sundarlal Bahuguna believed in falling themselves before the trees - No Nobel. Shobeendran Sir lives for the environment - No one cares to know about him except his students and those who know him. Fr. Gabriel Chiramel has a species of snails named after him - No Nobel Prize. Mercy Mathew - A woman who walks out of the comforts of her home and lives to make the lives of the aborigines of our land, better just gets the name Daya Bai and no accolades from those who celebrate Malala. But thanks to the terror groups Malala is the youngest Nobel Peace Prize winner, enjoying the luxuries of UK now. There are so many around us, who give up their lives for the betterment of the world. Selfless is a word just made for them. We need to speak for them, as we should be proud about what they do and what we cannot do. At least stand for them. Sathyarthi was never honored by our people till date. Just because a crowd celebrates someone, don't start ringing bells for them, think and support the cause. Switch Off mode in us just allows us to like what others like. There used to be something called - "Individuality". Think about it if you get time supporting the someone who do things for themselves alone and still paint a rosy picture.

6. Follow the trend effect
What is liked by us is what we should like. This is an after effect of the Switch off mode or the blind followers trend. Think of setting trends and be an example to the world. I was asked by a client to say a word in a commercial in a wrong way. When I refused, the explanation I got was that the client wants it that way as the listeners or the end users know the wrong way of saying it. At least we need to make an effort to change the way we look at things. Learn to see the right and wrong as right and wrong and not what the masses believe is right.

7. Careless mode
After reading all this I don't want a like or accolades but want you to wake up from the age old slumber filled with glorious dreams of attitudinal fallacies. Reading all this and caring for nothing, will leave us in the same lurch. We are all perpetually in the careless mode ... Think about it !!!

Now enough of thinking. ACT on it....