Sensitivity is what I value the most in an individual. For me, it is the pinnacle of the evolution of life on this planet over millions of years and is, by far, the greatest miracle nature has managed to pull off so far. If it weren’t for sensitivity in its various forms, along with our unique capacity for imagination, we would have neither music, nor art, nor science, nor religion. In short, we wouldn’t be blessed with what I feel is the essence of the human experience!
And yet, despite what sensitivity means to me (and no doubt to millions of others), after close to two days of horrifically insane events in Bombay (or Mumbai as some might insist), this treasured capacity to demonstrate empathy (or even sympathy if empathy seems too much of an ask at times) seems like such a long lost virtue!
Starting with the attack itself, which is as incomprehensible as it seems heartless, sensitivity seems to have a died a slow and painful collective death at the hands of expedient political leaders, who seem ever more eager to exploit any situation toward a personal end, and the opportunistic mainstream media, whose sole aim seems to be shameless self-promotion, at the expense of journalistic ethics, in the race for an even bigger slice of the national viewership.
In this moment, when articulation fails me, I wish to defer to those whom it doesn’t. Here’s Sambit Bal on the subject.
Here’s a quote by Barack Obama (picked from the above article) that succinctly sums up my state of mind (and perhaps those of many others):
My powers of empathy, my ability to reach into another’s heart, cannot penetrate the blank stares of those who would murder innocents with such serene satisfaction.
Then there’s Carl Sagan, the perennial perspective-giver (to whoever seems even the least willing), on the pale blue dot that is our Earth. Such a lesson in humility!
And finally, here’s an old couplet by Rana Sahri:
barson main tere naam pe khata raha fareb
mere Khuda kahaan hai tu, apna pata to de!
Any other way to attempt to justify or rationalize the events of the past two days would only amount to the grossest form of debasing of this wonderful (but, sadly, endangered) gift of sensitivity given to us by the Gods!
Posted by srinivasv 
