(The following post is controversial, but the idea is to ignite the thoughts of understanding human behavior).
Over the years, I have learned that we are neither obligated to do any good to anyone nor entitled to someone to do good for us.
Yeah, pretty blatant! - But let me explain.
The only obligation we have - is not to do any harm to fellow humans! This is the most considerable good you can do for humanity. That speaks of your character if you rise and go beyond to help any other person without expecting anything in return.
Conversely, you are not entitled to any other human to do good for you. You are responsible for your well-being. But if someone has helped you, you should be highly thankful to that person. If your spouse makes soup for you in your sickness, you are not entitled to it. You should be grateful to your spouse!
Fortunately (or unfortunately), innate human nature, as we call it in Urdu 'sarshast,' goes beyond this primary tenant of behavior. Humans can't resist helping another human, but on the same token will not take a second to turn into a selfish, harming pig to benefit themselves.
~ aur bus yahin se saara khel shuru ho jaata hai
Now, it turns to talk about responsibilities. When we voluntarily sign up to become a parent, teacher, physician, artist, politician, or whatever - we sign up to fulfill related obligations, keep the decor and norm of such roles, and remain to adhere to basic ethics to weave the threads of the society. Again, the primary obligation is not to harm!
~ magar aesa hota nahi hai
I understand religions, philosophies, ontologies, epistemologies, arts, literature, functionalists, reformers, revolutionaries, etc., have gone to extremes to create ideal humans, their bondings, and societies.
Unfortunately, in many parts of the world, including the USA, racism is taking a toll on everyday human lives. I am very concerned and worried about the world we leave behind for future generations. My only hope is that our children are more intelligent than us and will figure it out in a better way. Today I talked with an African-American woman who further educated me on it. I met her while waiting to get my car fixed at the local dealership.
"I am 67 years old. I have been a teacher at a local community college for 30 years. I raised two daughters into functional professional members of this society. I experienced the civil rights movement of the 1960s and the racism in America firsthand. I learned that there is a bigger curse than racism in society and its prejudice. As far as you have this notion in your head that your white, black, brown, yellow, red, pink, or blue skin - or - your faith is better than the other person, it's tolerable. It's OK and may be acceptable as we all have been made to believe in it. You can go on in your life with it. But once it climbs the ladder of prejudice, it becomes blind. It kills your power to logic. It becomes violent. It justifies any harm to other humans under various pretexts. And, when and if your kind does not agree with you, you even turn against them. We are suffering today not merely racism but very quickly climbing the stairs toward prejudice."
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