The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines myopic as an adjective used for a person who lacks foresight or discernment and takes a narrow view of something. Unfortunately, they do not have any definition for Myopism - in fact, no other dictionary online or offline even has the word archived with them. But, going by the definition of a myopic, we may go on to define myopism as a mass followership of the act of myopia, wherein every person in this congregation necessarily believe in developing and maintaining a narrow view of anything around them.And believe me, this is a national phenomena today in India. Youngsters and grownups, teenagers to executives have all been swept off their feet with the intense gratification that they derive out of Myopism.
So what exactly do we understand by Myopism and how can one get baptised in this new religion? It's simple. You don't need any priest, no temple or house of worship, no preachers or religious discourses, you just need yourself! Yes, you read it right. This is a religion which has a mass following, with no one knowing who all are there in it - you just know that you are a part of it. Sounds interesting? Read on. To be a follower of Myopism, as most others are today, you need to shrug off everything around you, for you are the chosen one - you are the most powerful being on earth - the masthead of your own self. You may be guessing how come everything involving you can become a religion! Don't bother about it. You just need to know that it is about you and only you. If you have not got it till now, then let me put it in bold letters - Myopism is a belief, wherein you stop thinking about anything beyond yourself and you tend to unlearn everything related to SELFLESSNESS. Now you seem to get it right. You grow even more selfish day by day and evoke in you the chasm of greed, dishonesty and fraudulence.
Myopism has actually taken the country by storm. Everyone across every age group, every profession, every gender, caste, creed, are blindly following this religion. It seems to be the new age mantra to salvation or moksha. Forget about others, in some cases, these self possessed myopics are all eager to lay their own life on the altar of sacrifice, to appease the cravings of the capitalistic demi-gods. Okay, let me make it sound lighter. What is our intent to live? To lead a life which covers our basic necessities and then to look forward to live longer for ownself and others (read: family members and next to kin). But, why is it that, we have lost the foresight to live? Take a look around and pick up any urban teenager. You get to see him spending hours on various electronic gadgets - be it the cell-phone, the tablet or any other gizmo. Of course, life has been made easier, but also shorter. Why dont you guys see the writing on the walls? Our media goes on to glorifying terms like finger fatigue, as if it is some short ailment while missing the suicidal steps taken by these youngsters by exposing themselves to hours of electronic devices, thereby letting pass various electro-magnetic radiations for hours through different parts of their body. What looks cool today to these myopics, is actually going to be uncool in days to come, when they will lie on the pyre - lying cold from carcinoma of the brain, the testicles and other parts of the body. (I may sound very harsh and raw here, but is there any other means to put this message through the plastered brains of these young adults - glorified as tomorrow's change agents?)
Myopism is also very popular with our politicians. Be it Mamata in Bengal, Jayalalitha in Tamil Nadu, Maya in UP (sorry to miss out the male folks - no female bashing intended!) or our most beloved Soniaji and Manmohanji in the centre. To look a distance, they probably would request for the latest high resolution army binoculars but will still not open up their mind's eyes to think of how to be popular and retain their vote banks for years to come. Oh no! I am the CM of state A or state B and I am only going to see that I, with my team of 'yes madam or yes sir' cabinet return back in the next 5 years. And why not? It is the most lucrative means of becoming a Mukesh Ambani, without even working hours in setting up petrochemical plants or offshore oil drilling projects. I need to dictate terms with the babus and the industrialists and the flow of Bapu (the Indian currency notes) remain intact in shades of grey to black. Why else, would our fiesty politicians, who when they are in the opposition, show every reason to fight for the cause of the common man, change their ploy the moment they sniff the thrones of power? Why else should one invest lacs to fill the oesophagus of the hungry millions with cocktail of the deadly methyl alcohol, when sacks of rice and pulses go rotting in the state warehouses? We all seem to know the answers, but are blinded by our faiths of Myopism to actually question what is wrong or unjust.
And let's not forget our industrialists. They are supposed to be the drivers of the Indian economy, but when they start driving people crazy with their short sighted vision to maximize their wealth at the cost of the investors, the employees and the final customers, it is once again the tainted babus and ministers, who come to their rescue using all the forces against a public uproar. So an effective tool like the RTI or a PIL falls flat with the power of the trinity - the babu, the minister and the corporate bigwig! In today's India, there are many a success stories of entrepreneurial growth. But, I wish I had the power and the authority to subject each of these entrepreneurs to a test using lie-detectors (these myopics do not even have the faith to say the truth by putting their hands on the holy book, and hence, some technology is required to get the truth out of them) and question their sincerity, their commitment and their truthfulness in areas covering employee satisfaction, customer satisfaction, tax and financial transparency and corporate governance. And lo, we would have seen a pandora's box opening. These short sighted, insensitive industrialists, who have always maintained the charm of the prince in any public gathering are nothing less than creepy goons in their private chambers - looking at means to maximize their wealth and power.
Long live Myopism! Long live our shortsighted vices.
So what exactly do we understand by Myopism and how can one get baptised in this new religion? It's simple. You don't need any priest, no temple or house of worship, no preachers or religious discourses, you just need yourself! Yes, you read it right. This is a religion which has a mass following, with no one knowing who all are there in it - you just know that you are a part of it. Sounds interesting? Read on. To be a follower of Myopism, as most others are today, you need to shrug off everything around you, for you are the chosen one - you are the most powerful being on earth - the masthead of your own self. You may be guessing how come everything involving you can become a religion! Don't bother about it. You just need to know that it is about you and only you. If you have not got it till now, then let me put it in bold letters - Myopism is a belief, wherein you stop thinking about anything beyond yourself and you tend to unlearn everything related to SELFLESSNESS. Now you seem to get it right. You grow even more selfish day by day and evoke in you the chasm of greed, dishonesty and fraudulence.
Myopism has actually taken the country by storm. Everyone across every age group, every profession, every gender, caste, creed, are blindly following this religion. It seems to be the new age mantra to salvation or moksha. Forget about others, in some cases, these self possessed myopics are all eager to lay their own life on the altar of sacrifice, to appease the cravings of the capitalistic demi-gods. Okay, let me make it sound lighter. What is our intent to live? To lead a life which covers our basic necessities and then to look forward to live longer for ownself and others (read: family members and next to kin). But, why is it that, we have lost the foresight to live? Take a look around and pick up any urban teenager. You get to see him spending hours on various electronic gadgets - be it the cell-phone, the tablet or any other gizmo. Of course, life has been made easier, but also shorter. Why dont you guys see the writing on the walls? Our media goes on to glorifying terms like finger fatigue, as if it is some short ailment while missing the suicidal steps taken by these youngsters by exposing themselves to hours of electronic devices, thereby letting pass various electro-magnetic radiations for hours through different parts of their body. What looks cool today to these myopics, is actually going to be uncool in days to come, when they will lie on the pyre - lying cold from carcinoma of the brain, the testicles and other parts of the body. (I may sound very harsh and raw here, but is there any other means to put this message through the plastered brains of these young adults - glorified as tomorrow's change agents?)
Myopism is also very popular with our politicians. Be it Mamata in Bengal, Jayalalitha in Tamil Nadu, Maya in UP (sorry to miss out the male folks - no female bashing intended!) or our most beloved Soniaji and Manmohanji in the centre. To look a distance, they probably would request for the latest high resolution army binoculars but will still not open up their mind's eyes to think of how to be popular and retain their vote banks for years to come. Oh no! I am the CM of state A or state B and I am only going to see that I, with my team of 'yes madam or yes sir' cabinet return back in the next 5 years. And why not? It is the most lucrative means of becoming a Mukesh Ambani, without even working hours in setting up petrochemical plants or offshore oil drilling projects. I need to dictate terms with the babus and the industrialists and the flow of Bapu (the Indian currency notes) remain intact in shades of grey to black. Why else, would our fiesty politicians, who when they are in the opposition, show every reason to fight for the cause of the common man, change their ploy the moment they sniff the thrones of power? Why else should one invest lacs to fill the oesophagus of the hungry millions with cocktail of the deadly methyl alcohol, when sacks of rice and pulses go rotting in the state warehouses? We all seem to know the answers, but are blinded by our faiths of Myopism to actually question what is wrong or unjust.
And let's not forget our industrialists. They are supposed to be the drivers of the Indian economy, but when they start driving people crazy with their short sighted vision to maximize their wealth at the cost of the investors, the employees and the final customers, it is once again the tainted babus and ministers, who come to their rescue using all the forces against a public uproar. So an effective tool like the RTI or a PIL falls flat with the power of the trinity - the babu, the minister and the corporate bigwig! In today's India, there are many a success stories of entrepreneurial growth. But, I wish I had the power and the authority to subject each of these entrepreneurs to a test using lie-detectors (these myopics do not even have the faith to say the truth by putting their hands on the holy book, and hence, some technology is required to get the truth out of them) and question their sincerity, their commitment and their truthfulness in areas covering employee satisfaction, customer satisfaction, tax and financial transparency and corporate governance. And lo, we would have seen a pandora's box opening. These short sighted, insensitive industrialists, who have always maintained the charm of the prince in any public gathering are nothing less than creepy goons in their private chambers - looking at means to maximize their wealth and power.
Long live Myopism! Long live our shortsighted vices.
