Imagine a "Shut Up" World

Watching the 67^th session of the UN General Assembly come to a close with their promise of assembling again the next year for their annual talk fest, I wondered how the world would sound without humans having the ability to talk.  

We have the power of speech which we use the most amongst our humanly faculties but many a times we use it for no use. ‘What?’ ‘No!’ ‘Don’t believe this.”… could be some of the predicted responses of many a humans on this earth to this accusation but a peaceful analysis of our own habit will prove the same.

Take a look around. We find ourselves talking, almost always. Be it at home or in office or elsewhere. Seldom have we witnessed ourselves keeping quiet, sometime not even in sleep! Humans want to be surrounded by fellow humans not because they are scared of feeling lonely but because they feel that they will not have any one around to talk to. Being alone per se is not such a big deal in today’s era of mobile phones; access to people’s voice anywhere anytime has solved this problem to a large extent. It is a different matter altogether that mobiles have also separated actual beings in real life setting with both being busy most of the times on their respective handsets talking to people invisible in the surroundings but being oblivious to the person in the vicinity. 

Many people talk just because they have to talk; unfortunately we all been subjected to the merciless symptoms of verbal diarrhoea! Others sentiments and frame of mind are of no relevance when they are on a roll; so what if others around are feeling like fainting or punching the talker! These talkers are almost always suffering from i-know-all syndrome! Then there are free advisers; so what if they themselves lead a messed-up life! The regard for a balance in any conversation is hardly maintained; almost in every conversation there is a talker and there is a listener; talks between young friends are altogether a different proposition where everybody is talking and nobody is listening! Even scarcer is somebody walking his talk!   

So ‘talking’ is our prime hobby, undoubtedly!

However, a sincere appraisal of God’s gift of gab to us humans leaves me wondering. That how have we managed to remain aloof in a conversationalist world; that if historically we have been talking then how come the world is still so ignorant of everybody and everything else. Why even after living in a universally-connected world through the internet we humans have failed to connect with fellow humans all across the globe. Why is it that in spite of talking always we have sustained the mentality of “Us vs Them”?

We all have continued to survive in our cocoons since ages. We have created boundaries all around us. There are countries and communities and regions and religions and all other reasons to divide the world and humans repeatedly. Though we share the same DNA sequence as human beings but we have remained separated by our self-created shared beliefs in our own superiority over all others. It is quite amazing!

I am sure in a moment of honest reflection John Lennon must have composed his memorable ‘Imagine a world’ song!

Imagine, we keep talking all the time – in place of living, in place of work and everywhere else. Still we find people as parents and children not understanding each other; companions – husband-wife/girlfriend-boyfriend  -still being apart after years of living together; whether it be siblings or colleagues or neighbours, everyone is a stranger to everyone else around. Incredible, isn’t it?

Then why do we indulge into so much of talking? Are we scared of being alone and lonely? Do we don’t know anything else to do and, thus, as a time-pass, we do nothing else but talk aimlessly and foolishly? Well, I haven’t really understood the necessity of talking all the time when we cannot understand each other through our words and also gestures.

If conversations could help, there wouldn’t be so many humanitarian problems plaguing the world. If only like crumbling talks, we could witness crumbling boundaries! In today’s times also we see numerous crises continuing unabatedly. Millions of refugees scattered all around because of inter-nations conflicts; religious fundamentalism thriving and slicing the world; ambitious nations bombing other nations in order to expand their territorial boundaries but in effect narrowing human hearts and minds. We witness the world flare up with scant so-called provocation in terms of a film or a book or an art piece or an innocuous comment, contradicting the age-old beliefs on a particular subject – the most inflammable being the one of a religion. If millennia of existence with the power of speech haven’t been able to make humans know each other, then would the world have missed human talks if we were born without a tongue?

Imagine a tongue-less world!

Dag Hammarskjold, the second Secretary General of the United Nations once commented famously in defence of his organization that “It is better to Jaw-Jaw than to War-War!” And “Jaw-Jaw” was at its liberal display – like always - at the recently concluded UN General Assembly! Imagine a UN without endless political speeches! If only these speeches were a bit less hollow.

Similarly, imagine an India without its own share of political gabfest in the Parliament! (Talking with ‘forked tongue’ is still a tolerable trait in our ‘honourable’ politicians but talking with fists and chairs and tables and microphones and all that is ‘handy’ is … Well, I am sure you must have understood my words on ‘mute’ here :)

Well, in the same breath, if we imagine a world without being able to communicate, the scene is pretty scary. I see ourselves being silent always as animals, busy fending for ourselves and being with each other just like animals, wandering aimlessly. No sounds, no words, nothing to hear, nothing to say; no songs, no poems, no stories, no lullabies; no love talks, no quarrels, no gossips, no time-pass talks; no cinemas, no plays, no dances, no theatres; no lectures, no speeches, no debates, no arguments; no television, no radio; no sound of life, no sound of death; not even the sound of silence … 

Therefore, let us Keep Talking! However, while talking, let us also apply ourselves in understanding ‘others’.  Then only our tongues will serve its purpose and the world will be a better habitat.

No, today is not the World Day for Talking. I just felt like having this heart-to-heart chat with my fellow humans all across the earth, and beyond, if my words and voice could reach to the life blossoming in the outer spheres of our Universe … :)   

World Leaders' Lessons in Dictator Management

Libya is burning and the world leaders are watching. They look as weak as ever and their almost stoic silence is baffling and frustrating. Muammar Gaddafi is killing his own countrymen; his illusion that he has the birthright to stay in power in conflict with Libyans’ wish should be put to an end immediately.

The United Nations which claims to be the custodian of global peace is looking as disunited as always. Even the US, the all powerful nation, is not manifesting any capability to stop the Gaddafi-sponsored carnage. The so-called compulsions of internal politics and governance in the times of economic slowdown are simply excuses. To think that in 21^st century we could be witnessing utter mutilation of humans’ rights and dignity and liberty while the entire world watched helplessly is appalling and not acceptable, and unavoidable. If the so-called global leaders cannot do any thing against Muammar Gaddafi – and all the other dictators - then they should vacate their mantle and let the courageous of the world take over the responsibilities of ridding the humanity from the shackles of stubborn monsters.

The time is still not lost. A lot could be done to oust Muammar Gaddafi. Ban Ki Moon should convene an emergency meeting of all member states and chart a military intervention strategy to stop Gaddafi’s use of violence immediately. Only sanctions will not work; nor will any amount of rhetoric satisfy the world. If force needs to be used then be it. Under the aegis of the UN, an allied force should be urgently sent to Libya to forcefully evict Gaddafi. Barack Obama, besides being the president of the most powerful nation, has the personality and the support of the global populace as a world leader, and, therefore, he should lead the world and support its pro-democracy pursuits. He - along with other global leaders - has to act his role and ensure an “orderly transition” in many parts of the world. He cannot afford to be a mute spectator and abandon the people of the world. And, hollow condemnation is akin to condoning.

President Obama, are you listening? …

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Muammar Gaddafi’s desperate attempt to cling to power in face of fierce opposition to his iron fisted rule is comical in equal measures as it is cruel. Because, if he has read the world history then he should have known that dictators do not survive people’s revolt. It is only a matter of few days before Libyans’ uprising will consume him soon.

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Folklore: In gratitude to the US president for not clamoring for his ouster sincerely, the erstwhile Egyptian president had decided to spell himself as Hosni MuBarack! …

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But the story or the struggle does not end here. World leaders have to evolve as geopoliticians and equip themselves adequately and become strong enough to deal with the future dictators of the world, if any; narrow ‘national interests’ should not be used as a smokescreen to conduct international diplomacy anymore. The rules of global governance have to be re-written by credible global leaders; they have already tasted the limits of their power and influence when it comes to tackling the world tyrants. And, hope they learn their lessons in dictator management soon…

Goodbye, Americans!

Yes, Goodbye, Americans! That’s what Iraqis would be saying today. And to add to their relief, I say, good riddance! I wonder what a certain Mr. Bush would have to add to my comments.

The name I refer here is the name of a person whose middle name is War: George War Bush. He prefers to present himself as George W. Bush – lest people easily deciphered his pastime: War mongering!

It was seven years ago on 20^th March in 2003 that George W. Bush invaded Iraq – an act for which he had been preparing America, the American troops - and the world (“coalition of the willing”) - from the 10^th day of his re-election to the White House. This monster was so intensely intent on waging a war against the Saddam Hussein’s regime that he did pay any heed to the United Nations Resolution 1441 terming his “Bush Doctrine” propagating pre-emptive attack on Iraq completely illegal – not in conformity with the UN charter. The world opinion opposing his plans also fell on his self-imposed perennial deafness. What followed in Iraq is “history” – well etched into the bloodied pages of modern world history and into equally bloodied hearts and minds of humankind. The only “unkind” person in the unending sordid saga remained, and no points for guessing, George W. Bush!

With Barack Obama taking over the United States presidency in January 2009, “Change” came to America – and to Iraq as well! Ending the never-ending war in Iraq was one of his election promises and he has delivered on his promise – withdrawing the residual 50,000 American troops in “advise & assist” capacity from the illegally occupied soils of Iraq on 31^st August, four months in advance from the 18-month withdrawal window set for 31^st December 2010.

Today I am happy along with the rest of the world for the people of Iraq that finally – hopefully - they will get their due peace and prosperity, and dignity. Their pursuit of happiness has been quite painful, all thanks to a certain Mr. Bush in America.

Today I join the people of Iraq in saying “Thank You, Mr. President for honouring your words. With joy in heart we say goodbye to Americans. May they live in peace – in America!”

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Post-script: If George W. Bush were an Indian political leader, he would have “planted” the otherwise “elusive” WMDs in the “tyrant” Saddam Hussein’s courtyard and would have “legitimized” his “war on terror” in Iraq! …