This Is The One And Only Reason That Keeps You From Being Completely Honest In Life

We are driving home from work.
We witness an accident in front of us.
A crowd gathers.
We want to help.
But we wait.
So do others.
For someone else to go and help.
Finally, someone does go ahead and help.
We sigh out of relief.
We drive away.
We have Game Of Thrones to watch.

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We go to a shop to buy a cold drink.
The cold drink costs Rs. 30.
We have a 50 rupee note.
The shopkeeper charges Rs. 33.
We ask why?
Cooling charges, sir! Electricity bill, sir!
We do not want to give money.
The shopkeeper refuses to sell.
We are thirsty.
But we go, “What the hell? Take it.”
Shopkeeper does not have change.
He gives you only 15 rupees back.
We take it.
We drink it.
We want to scream at the shopkeeper, calling him a thief and a liar but we refrain.
It is convenient to just pay the extra money and walk away.

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You and your friends just saw a movie.
You thought the movie was bad.
Everyone else thinks it was good.
You want to say that it was bad.
But no one listens.
You want to show them why.
But you let it slide.
They are too many.
And it is too much effort.
So you all go for a great dinner.
And talk about the good old days instead.

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You are standing in a police station.
With 5 other passport verification applicants.
You start college abroad next month.
You cannot afford more delays.
The head constable walks in.
He demands Rs. 500 per person as application charges.
You do not want to give.
But others do.
Only you are left.
It is plain bribery. Extortion.
But you give.
Because if you do not give, the constable walks away.
You don’t get your passport.
You could complain.
But then the police station officials might harass you later.
So you take out your wallet too.
You give Rs 500.
Because it is convenient.

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Your friend sings.
He has a concert.
He sings.
He sings horribly.
But you say he sings well.
And so do the rest.
You did not like it at all.
You want to say that he is shit.
But you don’t.
Because he will get angry.
You will lose a friend.
Friends don’t grow on trees, you know.
So everyone is happy.
He still sings like shit.
But it’s convenient.

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It is late night.
You are driving with your loved one.
Two men stare lecherously at her.
They make obscene gestures.
You want to take action.
But it is late night.
And no one is around.
So you let them pass.
Your heart is pounding.
Your head is hot.
You should have noted the number plate.
You should have done something.
But you have your loved one.
So you stayed quiet.
Because it is safe this way.
It is convenient to let go.

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We all have faced these dilemmas. We could have been the first ones to go and help the injured but we do not. And the one who does gets called a hero. There is nothing heroic about it. There was a time when helping people on the road was routine. We could have reported the constable for asking a bribe to process your passport, but we didn’t, because then there will be a case, and we filed a complaint, and there is no way we can be tied to a police case now, one month away from our first foreign trip.

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It is convenience.

It is convenient to just let it go. We want to confront the assholes who eve-teased our friend. We want to scream at the government officials when they work slowly, we want to say that a movie is bad because it was bad. But there is so much inconvenience.

Explaining each and every friend of yours as to why the movie sucked. Fighting the two assholes who teased your friend. Massaging the ego of the friend who sang badly and compensating for the fact that you said he sings badly.

The honest way is tough.

We have to fight egos, popular opinions, and discomfort. We have to be alone doing all that. Sometimes someone will stand by us. But most of the times we stand alone.

But if we let it be, to stay in our convenience, we take part in a tradition that is dangerous. We take part in bribery, in false compliments, in encouraging sexual assault, in encouraging people robbing people in broad daylight. Just because it would have been inconvenient for US.

The next time, go ahead and refuse to pay the bribe.

Go ahead and fight the assholes who eve tease. Give it all you have got. Fight with your life. Teach them a lesson. Yes, you will be bruised and hurt, but at least your conscience will be clear. At least the two offenders will think twice before eve teasing again the next time.

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We revel in our convenience. We see rubbish gathering in our society, but we do not do anything. We are too busy in our easy lives. Someone else will do it. Someone else who has the ability to take the inconvenience on himself. It only hurts when something happens to us personally. Then we want people to stand up for us in the crowd. We meet with an accident, we want everyone to come and help. But we didn’t go instantly the last time we saw an accident, did we?

Pick inconvenience the next time.

The shopkeeper will sell at MRP.
Your friend will try to sing better.
The constable will think twice before asking for a bribe.

And the world becomes a better place.

Slightly better. But better.

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