Perceptions

Empty Field Full Gallery

SUBIR DAS

As it appears, we have got inured to witnessing the bizarre events happening around us every now and then. Almost all of us, including your humble narrator, get wild pleasure in giving commentary on what is happening or what should be done for the welfare of the society, but cunning enough to stay far from the battle ground.

Just travel on a local bus and listen to the conversations that you can perceive without making any sort of effort to eavesdrop. While you are caught in a maze of vehicles in the road, you will get acquainted with innumerable solutions to reducing traffic jam, such as making flyovers from one end to the other of the city, constructing an underground railway or suggesting that the honourable prime minister use private helicopter instead of blocking roads while going to parliament.

You come across a good number of people who, heaving deep sighs, express their utmost sorrow about the corruption pervading all quarters of the country. You are familiar with the sort of gossiping that produces ripples in a teacup. Imagine a gallery teeming with spectators exuding excitement while the field is void of players.

Everybody likes to twist the facts pertaining to any circumstance known to him and place it along with his own theory. Making comments is compulsory while work is up to your discretion. Here are some examples that clarify how unnecessary comments symbolise the act of sheer ignorance.

While interviewed by a journalist, a guard of Titumir Hall, BUET, said, “Titumir (the great warrior who built 'Bamboo Fortress' and fought vigorously against the British regime') bhai was an extra-ordinarily meritorious student of our hall. Besides, he was a soccer ace. That's why this hall was named after him.”

Once a survey was conducted in the educational institutes in USA. Asked about Beethoven and Michael Angelo, most of US students replied that Beethoven is a canine and Michael Angelo is a computer virus.

Once the queen of France was told that the people of the country cannot afford to eat bread. The queen said, “let them eat cake” roughly interpreted from “Qu'ils mangent de la brioche”. Brioche is a luxurious sort of bread soaked in egg and butter.

While conveying condolence to a bereaved family immersed in the pain of getting dear one murdered by miscreants, a minister of Bangladesh said, “Life and death lie upon the discretion of God. We are helpless.”

After an Iraqi journalist hurled shoes at the former US president George W. Bush, some journalists wrote, “Thumping shoes express sheer insult in Iraq.” The rubbish part of this comment was later ridiculed by the comic author, Nury Vittachi. He wrote, “Do thumping shoes show love elsewhere?”

In 1969, after man for the first time stepped on the ever luring celestial body, the moon, some Bangladeshis who were entirely oblivious to the modern world, said, “How do they enter the moon? Where is the door to the moon?”

Indeed, there are innumerable intellects around us who are not willing to let any issue they can comment on slip by. The practice of throwing unnecessary comments, is unlikely to be abated unless the phantom of Socrates whispers to us that patriotism is nothing but the virtue of doing one's own duty.