This is an old post that I had written on blogspot about 4 years back when I was in the US. It is still applicable and I still feel the same way.
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I have been meaning to write on this topic for a while. Ever since I arrived to USA for my undergraduate studies, I have heard arguments between Indians born in the US about what is bad about India and Indians living in India who find bad things, or things they can laugh about and point to say that people are the same everywhere.
Having been in the US and India almost an equal amount, my thinking is a bit different on this. I am more indian as far as thinking is concerned i.e. more social, less win at all costs etc. type of thinking. So, my thinking follows the perspective of those Indians living in India.
My brother(s) waste no time in telling me how this or that is not right in the USA. Admittedly, that is true. You can always find things that are not good in the US. However, one thing we Indians should keep in mind is that there are a lot of things in India we need to fix first. For example, when we are in India, we keep our house clean but when we are out, we throw garbage on the streets and anywhere we can find a place. However, the very same people, when they come to the US find a garbage bin to throw waste in. That could be partly due to the implementation of littering laws and partly because their immediate relatives in US ask them to follow the rules. This is just a small example.
My philosophy is that we should always keep our house clean first. Instead of finding things that are bad in other countries or something that can be laughed at, won't change the reality back home in India. We are lucky to be blessed with awesome brains, hard work, best teachers, spirituality etc. However, our trying to become like the US, our thirst to become superpower, to ape the west etc. is taking away from all the unique talents we have in us as Indians. We have to remember that we can become just like the US, but still not be like them in that we don't need to win at all costs, by sometimes pushing the weak ones aside, by resorting to wars abroad to stamp our authority. We can spread our knowledge (like we are doing now), spread our culture/religion (not convert anyone to it) etc. We have given a lot to this world and we are still giving the world in terms of technology, medicine etc. We should not be satisfied with just being like the west in terms of economy, but should rise much above that with our talent, which seems to be enormous and is strong in many fields.
We have given the world the number zero, scientists in many fields including medicine, engineering. Currently, our engineers are contributing heavily to many countries' technology prowess. Our doctors are in demand, our teachers are in demand in many parts of the developed world. Instead of saying "Haha, see things like corruption that happen in India also happen in the US", we should be first fixing corruption at home so that people could look up to us and rightfully follow our lead. What's the point in being achieving something that others have already achieved? As a goal, it is okay, however it is better to rise above it.
Yes, I know part of the reason why Indians in India try to compare and laugh at americans and indian americans is because of certain indian americans's shenanigans when they go to india. For example, gargling their mouths using bisleri water, complaining about pollution etc. True, it is not needed. However, it is also true that pollution exists in India. However, instead of saying that US is highest in pollution, let's clear the pollution up in India first. Then you can stand up and be an example for them.
Let's try to fix all our things first and with hard work, we can surpass everyone in this world as we have the deadly combination of brains, ability, hard work capability as well as the most important, our heritage and spiritual bacground. We have given the world Vivekananda, Yoganand, Patanjali, Raman and some of the best literature in form of Tagore. Why should we be satisfied with just be good as others? Let's be the best we can be.
*********************
I have been meaning to write on this topic for a while. Ever since I arrived to USA for my undergraduate studies, I have heard arguments between Indians born in the US about what is bad about India and Indians living in India who find bad things, or things they can laugh about and point to say that people are the same everywhere.
Having been in the US and India almost an equal amount, my thinking is a bit different on this. I am more indian as far as thinking is concerned i.e. more social, less win at all costs etc. type of thinking. So, my thinking follows the perspective of those Indians living in India.
My brother(s) waste no time in telling me how this or that is not right in the USA. Admittedly, that is true. You can always find things that are not good in the US. However, one thing we Indians should keep in mind is that there are a lot of things in India we need to fix first. For example, when we are in India, we keep our house clean but when we are out, we throw garbage on the streets and anywhere we can find a place. However, the very same people, when they come to the US find a garbage bin to throw waste in. That could be partly due to the implementation of littering laws and partly because their immediate relatives in US ask them to follow the rules. This is just a small example.
My philosophy is that we should always keep our house clean first. Instead of finding things that are bad in other countries or something that can be laughed at, won't change the reality back home in India. We are lucky to be blessed with awesome brains, hard work, best teachers, spirituality etc. However, our trying to become like the US, our thirst to become superpower, to ape the west etc. is taking away from all the unique talents we have in us as Indians. We have to remember that we can become just like the US, but still not be like them in that we don't need to win at all costs, by sometimes pushing the weak ones aside, by resorting to wars abroad to stamp our authority. We can spread our knowledge (like we are doing now), spread our culture/religion (not convert anyone to it) etc. We have given a lot to this world and we are still giving the world in terms of technology, medicine etc. We should not be satisfied with just being like the west in terms of economy, but should rise much above that with our talent, which seems to be enormous and is strong in many fields.
We have given the world the number zero, scientists in many fields including medicine, engineering. Currently, our engineers are contributing heavily to many countries' technology prowess. Our doctors are in demand, our teachers are in demand in many parts of the developed world. Instead of saying "Haha, see things like corruption that happen in India also happen in the US", we should be first fixing corruption at home so that people could look up to us and rightfully follow our lead. What's the point in being achieving something that others have already achieved? As a goal, it is okay, however it is better to rise above it.
Yes, I know part of the reason why Indians in India try to compare and laugh at americans and indian americans is because of certain indian americans's shenanigans when they go to india. For example, gargling their mouths using bisleri water, complaining about pollution etc. True, it is not needed. However, it is also true that pollution exists in India. However, instead of saying that US is highest in pollution, let's clear the pollution up in India first. Then you can stand up and be an example for them.
Let's try to fix all our things first and with hard work, we can surpass everyone in this world as we have the deadly combination of brains, ability, hard work capability as well as the most important, our heritage and spiritual bacground. We have given the world Vivekananda, Yoganand, Patanjali, Raman and some of the best literature in form of Tagore. Why should we be satisfied with just be good as others? Let's be the best we can be.
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