In college I used to raise funds for an NGO called Udavum Karangal. Then I heard a critique of them - the reason children are orphaned or old people abandoned is because places like UK exist. People abandoning children know that someone will take care of them. And UK advertises the destitution of these unfortunate individuals to raise money.
On the street, any time Balaji Sampath came across children begging, he would give them something. I was firmly opposed, "The reason those children are out on the streets begging, Balaji, is because people like you give them money/food/things. You stop entertaining them, the 'market' for begging will collapse, they will end up in school". Balaji would never quite argue with me, but also not agree.
At this point, I could say, "how naive was I". But Balaji had delivered this fantastic talk about poverty at the CLT. He had made me realise that poverty isn't the fault of the poor. That poverty is created; it is systemic, and it is debilitating. Poor people take bad decisions, not because they are stupid or lazy, but because they are poor. I loved his talk. I had no reason to be naive.
But there were the others. Batchmates. Professors. Some folks I met in Chennai. They would explain to me their ideas very convincingly. To think that these people are all in positions of power now - It horrifies me more than the all pervasive poverty of India horrifies me. Business leaders. Academicians. Scientists. If they were so firm in their beliefs then, that they could easily convince me, how firm would they be now? And what decisions do they take based on their broken beliefs about poverty and destitution?
I suppose the answers are everywhere around us to see. When the poor die on the highways and trains, it is because those in power strongly believe they do not need help. Our education system has completely failed to impart basic empathy. And our society has actively sucked empathy out of us.
On the street, any time Balaji Sampath came across children begging, he would give them something. I was firmly opposed, "The reason those children are out on the streets begging, Balaji, is because people like you give them money/food/things. You stop entertaining them, the 'market' for begging will collapse, they will end up in school". Balaji would never quite argue with me, but also not agree.
At this point, I could say, "how naive was I". But Balaji had delivered this fantastic talk about poverty at the CLT. He had made me realise that poverty isn't the fault of the poor. That poverty is created; it is systemic, and it is debilitating. Poor people take bad decisions, not because they are stupid or lazy, but because they are poor. I loved his talk. I had no reason to be naive.
But there were the others. Batchmates. Professors. Some folks I met in Chennai. They would explain to me their ideas very convincingly. To think that these people are all in positions of power now - It horrifies me more than the all pervasive poverty of India horrifies me. Business leaders. Academicians. Scientists. If they were so firm in their beliefs then, that they could easily convince me, how firm would they be now? And what decisions do they take based on their broken beliefs about poverty and destitution?
I suppose the answers are everywhere around us to see. When the poor die on the highways and trains, it is because those in power strongly believe they do not need help. Our education system has completely failed to impart basic empathy. And our society has actively sucked empathy out of us.