Holier than thou...

 " Amma...a question?". Of course, ask away...I reply.

When the teen was younger, these 'I have a question' episodes were much more frequent. Now, that these are rarer I jump at the opportunity.

"We had 'Commerce Day' at school yesterday...basically, there were distinguished speakers who were to talk to us about academic and career pathways open to those who want to pursue Humanities in college. But, you know what...most of the  talk focused on 'comparing' Commerce with Science and showing the science streams in bad light. Shouldn't they have focused on just 'glazing' (promoting) Commerce. It kind of put us off. Afterall, we too were in the audience". She meant the Science batches, collectively.

Well, my dear...you've just had a live example of how the majority of our generation usually deals with stuff. Our focus is bare minimum on ways to make ourselves better. We believe that if we can dig up faults in others' it makes our choices shine brighter in comparison, automatically. 

You as a reader, don't believe me? Look around, also, take a deeper look within. 

- Our political leaders whose every public speech is an outright attempt at highlighting everything wrong with the other parties. Finding fault, passing the buck, never taking accountability is the modus operandi. With no exceptions. And, each one of us is the same. We 'choose' to believe blindly and join in if it is 'our' party/religion/leader/region that is being questioned.

- As women, the back n forth mud slinging matches we hold as 'Stay at Home Moms'(SAHM) Vs 'Working Mothers'. Each gang plays 'you are selfish and hence I am holier than thou' with little theatrical effects. No time to think of women for whom this is not a 'choice' to make.

- You see it in the  debates over a 'publicised' rape - 'What was she wearing, oh my!', 'But, why did she go out at that time', 'Have you seen the teenagers these days, they dress so provocatively', 'Men will be men'...

- You see it in responses to a natural disaster and the huge toll it takes. The conversation rarely veers to introspection into what is happening in our country/our region. Do we know why we  ranked 176th out of 177 countries in the 2026 Environmental Performance Index - the real reasons not the 'conspiracy' theories.

Now to shift the conversation back to 'Commerce Day'. How would it have been if there was a practical, realistic discussion about changing scenarios, which skills to harness, newer avenues...metamorphosis.

 What do 'you' think? And, a little introspection...which kind of person are you?