SWIMMING AGAINST THE TIDE

Learning to swim with the tide is something which comes naturally to every individual. He does not need to learn it formally from anyone. It is imbibed in him from his interaction with the environment, the situations he faces and the manner in which people around him act and react. ‘Following’ is a group activity which is not required to be taught. The herd mentality is a simple example of swimming with the tide.

However, swimming against the tide is an activity which requires a lot of courage, determination, will power and the fire-in-the-belly to succeed AGAINST ALL ODDS. Such people become LEADERS of men and their followers look up to them for leadership, direction, guidance and support.

Swimming against the tide is an uphill task, especially in a country like India, where corruption rules the roost, and every system in India (right from the top level to the lowermost level) is seeped in it. By corruption, I also mean erosion of values and ethics in society.

Such situations bring about a sense of frustration among people. Many of the people would already have resigned themselves to this fate, although in principle, they think otherwise. But, they get stuck and drawn into this system (many times unaware of its consequences and repercussions on themselves, their families and their near and dear ones).

When such events become more frequent, it leads to moral and ethical degradation of the society. The moral, healthy, financial, and emotional well being of society is seriously affected and the well being shows a downward trend with passage of time.

It is when this well being of society reaches the nadir that people open their eyes and realize that what is going on is detrimental to the interests of their children, whom they want to be ideal citizens of this country.

This nadir makes the people wake up and feel: ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

However, no one is
i] willing
ii] capable and
iii] inclined
to take up the reins, take initiative and try to start setting things right.

It requires a man of steel, with a warm heart and a single-minded purpose to rise up to the occasion and stem the rot. Such people are not extraordinary – they are ordinary people, but those who are charged with doing something good for the society.

In fact, it is society that throws up such people (to lead the group) in a crisis situation. Ultimately it gives rise to the age old question –

ARE LEADERS BORN OR MADE?