If you look at the world around you, you will see most people viewing life through a cone. Sometimes the cone comes with proper lenses which allows them to see with some clarity, but most of the time the views are blurred when looking at a distance. Looking close is better, but the total vision remains a cone. A few friends, family, some relatives and work colleagues---and that's all. Don't we need more? Of course, we do. But being in the cone is so comfortable, that we are content with it. In a public journey, we rarely talk to other people. In a cinema hall, the person next to you is the one who has to move their legs so that you can get in or out of your seat. In the coffee shop, the other tables are occupied by just persons babbling away. And the reason why we stay conish is that we are shy to make the first move, afraid that we may be rebuffed, rejected or seen as a quirk. The Cone stays with us, expanding little and often diminishing with age. We then become the great Sectarian Viewer.
Some become sectarian viewers by professional choice. They are often termed specialists.While they quibble over footnotes, they often miss the bigger picture. Many specialist doctors see their patients as a case--you know the one in which the fracture never united, or the one with the rare bone tumour. They cannot remember names, occasionally they recollect faces, forgetting that the patient has a family, position, and feelings. I dare say the situation is the same in most professions except PR personnel who remember all about the "contact", because that is their job !!!!
Some are so because of their ambition. See the politicians. One becomes a rabid Hindu, crucifying other religions, because his constituency is full of ultra-religious voters. Some Leftists become overtly religious and have "charanamrit", hoping that he can squeeze out some button-pressors on election day. Some become developmental and promise free meals, free electricity, non returnable bank loans, Rs2/Kg rice etc. etc. Their cone view is winning an election only, irrespective of the aftermath on the economy or honest taxpayers...
And there are the corrupt officials--mainly governmental. Officers and clerks who need a bribe to pass your bills. Menial staff who need money to clean the rooms or passages. Taxi or auto drivers who demand extra to go to a less traveled road, although they promised to go anywhere within their jurisdiction whenever required, when they got their permits to drive. Did you know that there is a rush to designate places as Maoist areas? Once this tag is obtained, people can be jailed for months for questioning, business enemies can be killed and passed off as "encounters", special buildings can be constructed with fancy interiors for the meetings to tackle terrorism, and extortionists can take on a "Maoist" label and happily carry on their money grabbing, confident and safe with the backing by the conniving district officials. Their cone view is getting money, irrespective of the means. and unafraid of the consequences...
So India has the highest amount of money (70 trillion rupees!!!!) stashed away in Swiss Banks courtesy, politicians, Government officials, artists, businessmen etc. China is fifth!!!!! Cone view of life---Swiss Banks!!!!!
However there is discernible movement in the other direction. Candles are lit for Rizwanur and Jessica, and the groundswell became a torrent forcing action against the right persons. Politicians threatening officials are being forced to pay for their misdemeanors. Members of Parliament are being sent to jail. But these are few and far between.
The sectarian viewers are simply too many. It is time to ascend to the top floor of a multistorey and see the world spread out below you, to think of a broader approach, a less harmful procedure, a humanity caring project which will enrich all of us, to move away from being a sectarian viewer to a world viewer.....
Yes, it is time to throw away our cones!!!!!!
Listen to these thoughtsome songs by Roger Whittaker and Bob Dylan.
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