I'm not typically prone to panicky behavior due to catastrophic e-mail forwards prophesizing doom and gloom.
I don't usually listen to rumours and change my behavior accordingly. With all my neurotic semi-insanity, this kind of stuff simply doesn't phase me.
Over the weekend, uncharacteristically, I heard of victims being warned about essential commoditities shortage in a small town in India. The entire town ran out at 6:00 in the evening to scour the land for these shortage prone commodities.
Turns out, this was not to be an easy task and barely few succeeded at all.
Next day, the people in the town realized their action, coupled by similar reactions all about the area, caused the shortage in the first place and now the region is without any essential commodity.
How easy it seemed to just heed the words of apparent wisdom. We should not fault the messengers - people invariably choose to give in to the mob mentality, and afterwards they feel half guilty and half relieved, most houses had their stored commodities sit idle all week.
Did someone snatch the bare essential bread which could just get a household pass through the week? Was someone left stranded and worried on their way somewhere because they were compelled to rush out and horde "their share?"
It's this kind of thought I attempt to avoid - the "me first" way of our society. I've heard another sort of "rumour" that certain foreigners have a somewhat evolved "we first" outlook, and I've witnessed this around me too. Just not this weekend.
I can't exactly take back my rush to be totally immune to these rumours. I will, however, be more careful the next time to analyze whether my actions are in defense of my personal safety and welfare, or a form of greed. In this case, it's safe to split the difference and say it's a bit of both.
That makes me feel considerably better. It doesn't neccessaily make it okay.
I don't usually listen to rumours and change my behavior accordingly. With all my neurotic semi-insanity, this kind of stuff simply doesn't phase me.
Over the weekend, uncharacteristically, I heard of victims being warned about essential commoditities shortage in a small town in India. The entire town ran out at 6:00 in the evening to scour the land for these shortage prone commodities.
Turns out, this was not to be an easy task and barely few succeeded at all.
Next day, the people in the town realized their action, coupled by similar reactions all about the area, caused the shortage in the first place and now the region is without any essential commodity.
How easy it seemed to just heed the words of apparent wisdom. We should not fault the messengers - people invariably choose to give in to the mob mentality, and afterwards they feel half guilty and half relieved, most houses had their stored commodities sit idle all week.
Did someone snatch the bare essential bread which could just get a household pass through the week? Was someone left stranded and worried on their way somewhere because they were compelled to rush out and horde "their share?"
It's this kind of thought I attempt to avoid - the "me first" way of our society. I've heard another sort of "rumour" that certain foreigners have a somewhat evolved "we first" outlook, and I've witnessed this around me too. Just not this weekend.
I can't exactly take back my rush to be totally immune to these rumours. I will, however, be more careful the next time to analyze whether my actions are in defense of my personal safety and welfare, or a form of greed. In this case, it's safe to split the difference and say it's a bit of both.
That makes me feel considerably better. It doesn't neccessaily make it okay.
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