Monday 28 January 2013

Why are we so intolerant


There is increasing cultural intolerance among modernized Indians. During annual literary festival at Jaipur in which elitist writers had participated, a small comment on rising corruption in India was taken as a big insult. He had no intention on hurting feelings of anyone. His words have been taken out of the context they were in. Academia was told give its opinion, and media kept on re-analyzing the issue. This is like enlarging the little comment and making a mountain of a mole hill. Nobody should say anything as it could be misinterpreted and taken out of context. This gives a bad name to the writer. It is as if the media is denting the writers, as it wants. There are intolerant persons who find something wrong with every word.Reactionary persons can revolt on anything. Then there are those who seek publicity by making themselves controversial.Reactionary persons and seekers of controversy create much commotion. Word are exchanged, then thee is no room for reconciliation.Enmity develops as hot dialogues lead to more hatred. This is not good.We so are intolerably intolerant.
There are healthy debates result when a writer who had written against holy books was asked by the religious leaders to talk about it with them.He can have a discussion and debate his view points.And conflicts can be resolved.
If one had views different from others, there is no forum to resolve it. Instead they make statements to the press infuriating the other side.Discussion is an effective way to resolve opposite views.But that is not done.Once spoken, the words cannot be taken back, so care must be taken. And if the words affect political or religious ideologies, then the writer has had it. Newspapers will go on and on publishing mutual disagreements. All disagree at all times.We are a republic of different viewpoints.
Often one must be "politically correct" otherwise, he could be jailed. This is a bad trend as it could erode our democracy.  

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