It was in US, almost an year back. I was on my way back to hotel from work walking down a clean and beautiful road (well, here, simply mentioning "road" would've sufficed right? :) ). I had this sudden urge to throw away this chocolate wrapper with me. But, there was something which held me back. "What is this 'something'?" "Why did this second thought occur to me for this trivial act for the very first time?" . Let's step back.
Well, if this has been a case in India, there's no point in denying that I would've done it with no fear, with no one to ask question on this and without a second thought (who haven't..!). Why is that so? We grew up watching this each and every day around us and we figured, well, that's how it works. It's absolutely normal here. However, on the contrary, if a person keeps looking for a dustbin on the road to throw away a piece of paper, we find it amusing and hilarious (seen it!).
So, coming back to my case mentioned above, I tried to think over it a little bit more and came up with this - The "something" which held me back in doing so was a blend of shame and fear.
Shame - As a person living in the surroundings, I would probably be the only one in doing it; I hadn't seen anyone, anywhere juts throwing away garbage like that. My conscience didn't simply just approve it.
Fear - If I anyway do this and someone watches it, that would be a crime-like-scene for others.(they're simply not used to. If someone tries to keep their country clean, would they allow others to make it dirty? ). They'll catch me and make a big thing out of it in front of everyone. I would be anyway forced to have clean it up, so why not just avoid it in first place?!
Yeah, I think that sums-it up. I believe, these 2 things are the only ones which can help us in moving forward and not only applies to cleanliness but for every other issues; be it corruption, crimes, whatever. A person should feel shame and also fear (either fear from within/others or fear from punishment. Just make an Indian shell-out a big amount as fine for breaking a traffic signal. He would start riding a bicycle the next day!) in doing something wrong. Let's us all feel these and make others feel as well..!!
And just for closure, I kept that wrapper with me all along until I found its proper place, dustbin in my room! #MumkinHai
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