WHY DO PEOPLE PLAY POLITICS













“The enemy uses those things you are insecure about.
Free yourself and take your power back
by being secure in who you are - flaws and all.” 

― Yvonne Pierre, The Day My Soul Cried: A Memoir

Why do people play politics? Call them ‘mind-games’ or, as my dear friend, Kavita*, calls it in her frustration – ‘dirty games’. Let me make public a private conversation we had, this morning. She had written to me this…


“Hello sir… How to cope up with dirty politics played in school? I just hate it. Some teachers are ready to do anything to mesmerize the Management, and then play dirty games.

Sir, I have done my M. Ed; but, I am working with primary section only because I love being with the little-ones...

A couple of years ago, I used to teach Economics in XYZ college; but, I left it after a few months because I did not enjoy teaching older group. I sincerely love my school a lot… but, only thing is: I am bad in dealing with the dirty games played by some teachers. The Management is making me feel that I was stupid not to take up the better opportunities which had come my way…

Sir, now, I don't even feel like going to school... The same place where I once used to crave to be… always planning activities for my little-ones… But, not now.

I don't know politics nor do I want to learn to play it!”


I have known Kavita  since her school days. She is a live-wire… witty and playful and, yes, full of mischief, too. So, when I read the message from her, this morning… I could immediately sense, that something ‘dirty’ at her workplace – the teachers’ room to be precise – had compelled her to vent out her frustration…. It was more of a reaction… In my gut, I knew, that Kavita was strong and wise enough to deal with it…

And, I did say that to Kavita in my response…

“Dear Kavita, I think, it is a reaction to something nasty which is presently happening out there… It is not permanent. What is permanent is the fact: that, you love to be with little-ones… you love to plan activities for them… that, you crave to be at that place every day. So, just hold the fort… smile more, show more patience… There is no workplace under the Sun where egos and insecurities do not operate… where dirty and mean politics is not being played… Teachers, bankers, lawyers, doctors, consellors even priests and nuns…. you find the game of politics being played everywhere… So, if you stop going to the school which you once loved so much… yes, if you stop being there – where else will you find your happiness? Remember, we live in a world of imperfect souls… not in an island. You will go crazy living in an island… Those little kids need to learn early that lesson, too… that, joy has to be found ‘inside’ the chaos… not ‘outside’… Hang on, hang on, Kavita!”

The Wise have told us, that Confidence is silent… Insecurities are loud. And, that we are all beautiful except in the eyes of an insecure.

*Name changed

GERALD D’CUNHA
Pic.: Azriel D'Souza

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

MUTHU KODI KAWARI HADA

Image
Pic.; Ashwin Mohta M y Hindi was always bad. It still is. One reason for this was, that they introduced Hindi for us only in 6 th standard. Or, was it in 8 th ? I don’t remember… I only remember struggling to write and read… leave alone speak! But, I loved Hindi movies, and, strangely, I could understand the dialogues and the lyrics of the songs… I used to sing those songs (of course when no one was around me!) as if I was the lyricist… One of the songs was a very funny one. ‘Muthu Kodi Kawari Hada’. It was from Mehmood’s super-hit comedy – ‘Do Phool’. I was a 15-year-old high-school boy when I had heard that song (not watched the movie). I could grasp the meaning of two words – ‘Muthu Kodi’… which meant ‘Give kiss’… But, what ‘Kawari Hada’ meant, I have no clue till date! It was just like ‘Why this kolaveri di’... Yes, why ask? Simply enjoy the beats… And, the beats are great… The rest... Who cares? Really! So, whatever bit of Hi
Read more

"HAPPILY EVER AFTER IS NOT A FAIRY-TALE... IT IS A CHOICE"

Image
“Love doesn’t just sit there, like a stone… It has to be made, like bread; remade all the time, made new.” – Ursula K. Le Guin,  The Lathe of Heaven T welve years ago, when Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie got married, the world began to hail the couple as ‘Brangelina’. It became a fashion for couples around us to call themselves so… Norbert and Teresa renamed them as ‘Noresa’…  Amol and Vishaka baptized their relationship as ‘Amoshka’… and, Salman and Nargis became ‘Salgis’! I and my wife, too, got tempted to re-christian our matrimonial relationship as ‘Germa’... That is, Gerald and Anima, to be precise! B efore I proceed any further, let me make it very clear, here… that, I have no business to judge on the break-up of Brad Pitt and Angelina’ Jolie’s marriage. I have no inclination to go into why, how, what when etc behind it… The couple ‘chose’ to split. And, it’s their choice… Only they know how good or bad… how joyful or painful that
Read more

SELLING MIRRORS IN THE CITY OF THE BLIND

Image
“I laugh when I hear that the fish in the water is thirsty. I laugh when I hear that people go on pilgrimage to find God.” - Kabir T here is a universal human weakness – and it dates back to the days of fallen civilizations – and it is: to place people on pedestal and trying to be smothered by them, feel loved and protected in their company… worship them as mentors, heroes,  gurus, Mahagurus and Satgurus… Make these mortals larger-than-life cut-outs, worship them as flawless, pure and give one’s all… And, then, ‘take’ everything from them blindly as divine… Give everything to them blindly… Eventually, what happens is:  one more dangerous bondage… What was supposed to free you now becomes a new prison… It’s sad to see this happen! T his room, where I am writing this Post, has no image of any deity. I have no image of any Guru or Master around me… My question is: “Am I not able to feel close to Almighty God?  How does it matter
Read more
THE WILD, WAYSIDE FLOWERS
There is, always, something extra-ordinary in the wild, wayside flowers...