I am one of those people whose blood starts brewing at the sight of lack of basic civic sense anywhere. Unfortunately, there are endless times during the day when such occurrences cost me peace of mind. I can't stop asking myself frustrating question, "why can't we be civilized as Nation?" If you live in India, it would not take you long to understand where this frustrating question is coming from.
Since the FIFA matches started, the news that has wowed me is about how Japanese soccer fans graciously cleaned the stadium after the match was over. Their country lost the match against Ivory Coast but the fans did not fail to show basic civility and in their customary style, stayed in the stadium, cleaning their trash winning over hearts of millions globally! Despite their defeat, they displayed exemplary behaviour and great manners in their commitment towards civic duties and orderliness.
We Indians should accept one truth as immutable; that we are by large, amongst the most uncivilized people in world. I know, it hurts to accept it honestly but that is reality. Whether you are travelling by public transport or in cozy comfort of your own luxury vehicle, the littered roads, complete disregard for traffic laws or the callous discharge from the gutka/paan eating drivers being spewed generously on the road would be a very common sight. Pay visit to any cinema hall, theatres, railway stations, airports or food court or even the toilets in a swanky shopping mall, and one sees we have not much evolved since stone age when it comes to displaying basic civic sense! Try stopping a person littering road/public property and in all likelihood, you would end up being subject to abuse and ridicule.
In my observation and experience, we don't teach our children to clean after themselves and sometimes, when pointed out, it is considered as offence! This conditioning is so deeply rooted that even when the floors are messy, the dishes soiling the sink, the huge piles of clothes that need washing or the newspapers that are scattered across the room are the jobs assigned to domestic help or someone else and considered below one's dignity to attend to! There is no harm in getting work done from anyone but showing complete inability/will to attend any of these tasks when needed baffles me!
Few days back, we had some NRI guests over dinner. The conversation was flowing smoothly over how India has still not progressed because of number of reasons and the lack of civic sense was cited as one of them. I was happy to see the genuine concern and valid point the lady made and enjoyed the evening. But during our next meeting, when I was taking them out for shopping, the same lady threw some trash from the car window without any iota of guilt or shame! And to my utmost shock, when I pointed the bag meant to keep trash, she replied, "when you go to India, do as Indians do"!
There was time not very long ago, when lack of basic manners or etiquettes was considered blasphemy. I truly lament its loss. No matter what claims we might make for having progressed, we can't be an evolved society if we are not civilized too! And cleanliness is just a small part of being civilized.
