There was bombing at Boston today... Boston, the city of my beloved Harvard.. When people see something as cruel as bombing, the reactions across the globe can be very similar. Growing up in India, I have obviously been taught about Indian history, about the massacre of India-Pakistan partition. There are still a lot of elderly non-Muslim Indians who hate Muslims. I could somewhat understand the old people holding grudges, because they had seen their kin die... I assumed older Muslims would have similar feelings towards Hindus who had killed their family members. I say I could somewhat understand, because I don't understand it fully. I don't understand it well because the people who did those things are probably dead by now. Holding grudges against the people who had done the killings is probably expected, but to extrapolate it towards new generation doesn't make sense. But then again, if the world went around on reason, a lot of things would be different
Every one has some biases, which are based on their experiences in the world. Even the scientific world, which strives to be neutral, is not free from biases. I always knew that what one person does should not be generalized to all. However I myself am guilty of generalization of bad things, limiting them to a particular region or gender. Today's Boston bombing, laid bare the prejudices that people have. The advent of internet has provided people with a new platform to express their hate. Every thing was listed in comments section below the news , right from Muslims caused the blast to Christians killed the Jews, from Blacks are responsible for most homicides in America, to Arabs vote for terrorists. Reading it opened my eyes to the innate hate hidden in bosoms of people all around the globe, and suddenly I began to understand for the first time, how people in India can be roused to do anything in the name of religion, region and caste. A long held belief that it is lack of education that is responsible for problems in India dissipated. Maybe it isn't the education that makes up responsible and sensible citizens, Maybe education just gives you a better life, while you still practice what you believe in. A belief that probably begins even before one realizes what they want to believe in.
People used to say back home, that there is a lot of racism other countries. Well, I didn't believe it then. But it seems, not even one of the most coveted and developed nations has been able to teach abstinence from prejudice. It is sorrowful, how a tragedy can turn people against each other, instead of uniting them. How easily a game of blame and hatred can be initiated...
It strikes a sorrowful chord in my heart to see the fickle disposition of people, and I hope that in future, we shall be able to raise a generation that is more considerate towards others, a generation free from prejudice, and hopefully a generation free from terrorism.
