Let us improve

I remember a particular passage in a story in "I, Robot" (the book) where Dr. Susan Calvin says that it is easy to prove that an individual is human, but not that he/she is a robot. Basically, based on the three laws of robotics, it would be impossible to tell between a robot and a very decent human being.

Now, this post isn't about artificial intelligence. Far from it. What I want to talk about is culture. I'd once read somewhere that it is wrong to say that someone is uncultured. What one really wants to say is that the person in question is not of the same culture as I am. What I really object to is the use of the word 'culture' in the collective.

I know, I know. It's there in the definition of the word. Why I object to it is because I resent being grouped together with a bunch of people who, I think, have vile behavioral patterns. I mind being denied my individuality and uniqueness. I mind being given a label.

Tolerance, one of the qualities which today's "culture" sorely lacks, can come only when individuals can begin acting like individuals. I am Manjit. I stand alone. I don't give or take anything from a culture that decides that it owns me.

To understand it, become associated with the assholes who brought down Babri Masjid. The idiots who were responsible for the Godra violence. The imbeciles resposible for the Bombay blasts. Become the rich man who evades taxes. Become the Delhite who is materialistic. Become the shameless Puneri or the uneducated Bihari. Become the Indian responsible for that unemployed firang. Become the Allied citizen responsible for that homeless, orphaned Afgani or Iraqi child.

I resent being told that choosing my music brings about the decline of traditional Indian music, and that that is a bad thing.

I want freedom. I want to thank the people around me for having allowed this freedom that I have in parts. I hope that some day people will learn to be decent individuals before becoming decent groups. Only then can there be a single world, and only then will we all be us.