We need a hero to fix the mess
There is a sinking feeling that nothing is happening right and the world is deteriorating every day
If our country’s newspapers were dashboards for the state of India’s security, they would tell a depressing story. Every page presents the mood and state of the nation that seems appallingly despondent. Rapes of children, deaths of the helpless, torture, nepotism, corruption, apathy, crumbling systems and the general degradation of society is chronicled in graphic detail. There is a sinking feeling that nothing is happening right and our world is deteriorating every day. And, while we berate failings of our institutions, advocate creation of new ones, ask for new laws, demand resignations and set up inquiries, perhaps we need a more radical answer.
We need a hero. A superman or superwoman to get us out this mess. Fortunately, there is someone who fits the bill perfectly. Before I tell you who that is, let me describe a typical day in the life of this superwoman.
When this superwoman goes for her morning walk, she notices rag pickers leaving for work. The rag pickers are often children between six and 10 years old, barefoot, filthy, hungry and scared. The superwoman asks them to follow her home. The children walk cautiously keeping a distance because they have been beaten by guards for entering gated colonies. Once home, the superwoman gives them old newspapers, magazines and other clothes, plastic utensils and trinkets she isn’t using any more. And this makes the children’s day.
Like Clark Kent, our superwoman drives to her regular day job. Before leaving however, she drops into the aged neighbour’s for a quick hello and to check if they need anything. Sometimes she helps them fix the Wi-Fi in their house or sort out some other errand, but mostly it’s just to make sure that they are okay. Her visit is often the highlight of the day for the old couple.
Unlike Batman, this superwoman doesn’t drive like a maniac. Matter of fact, she makes sure that rickshaw pullers carrying loads or cyclists who are edged out by the cars are given right of way. Like all of us, she is beleaguered by street kids at the traffic lights. She doesn’t shun or ignore them though. Instead she hands them small biscuit packets which becomes a meal to a malnourished child. When she runs out of the packets, she just smiles and talks to the kids nicely. And that makes their day too.
When the superwoman is at work, she finds time to talk to the peons, cleaners and other low-paid staff of the organization. Surprisingly, she seems to be the rare one who actually knows their names, details of their children, and their problems. Using her superpowers of treating them as individuals with individual problems, she has discovered that many don’t get their actual dues. Part of their rightful salary is withheld by contractors or not credited into their provident funds. They don’t know how to go about getting basic things like a voter identity card or a bank account. They also don’t know what acts and facilities such as the Right to Education or Aadhaar mean for them. The superwoman finds the time to help them with it. Of course, all she needs to do is teach a few of them and the rest learn on their own. And that’s how she makes their life a bit better.
Since her co-workers figure that she is a superwoman, those needing help come for advice on issues ranging from sexual harassment to learning the ropes within the city. For instance, young girls from the hinterland have no idea how to handle the challenges of a metro. The superwoman helps them find accommodation, vouches for them, connects them to people who can carpool, and teaches them basic survival skills.
When not working, the superwoman has other super tasks. She sometimes does book readings in the school for the blind. They like this so she records the books and hundreds who can’t see can now listen to her. Other times she is involved in resident welfare associations where she starts programmes to help tutor the children of household help. Sometimes she tutors them herself. When she is too busy, she gathers these poor children, switches on the TV at her home and just lets them watch educational channels for a few hours.
Every year, before the winters set in, she collects old clothes and distributes them to orphanages. Her cache of goodies includes used toys, old books, notebooks, diaries, and the list goes on. She knows that the unused trash of one person can be a prized possession for another and all she needs to do is to make that connect happen.
If she hears about ill treatment of servants in the neighbourhood, she gets involved. If she hears that a neighbour is unwell, she steps in. The superwoman has discovered that there are a thousand ways to be super and most are simple to the point of being mundane and yet sheer miracles for those who need it. All she needs to do is get involved. That’s it.
You know who the superperson is—or could be. There is indeed no hero in shining armour who’s going to come and rescue us. But there is another definition of a hero. A hero is any individual who, when faced with an undesirable situation, employs the means at her disposal to make that situation better.
We need a hero. And if we want to—we all can be one. All it takes is to get involved.
Raghu Raman is an expert and a commentator on internal security.
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