Witoubou Newmai
The larger distressing part of our society is this - What is considered as the public conversation on common welfare of the people does not have any preponderance of genuineness. Our society must take an adequate note of this predicament.
From the social media to the public platform, from the fireplace discussion to the roadside ‘hellos,’ almost everyone cogently and convincingly speaks the language of common welfare. In doing so, they appear to be genuinely showing great concern for the common good of the society. This has had been the most consistent theme of our public conversation throughout.
However, there is enough evidence to show that this conversation has been reduced to ‘Just -commenting-in–public-for-delight,’ without any constructive action.
Retrospection on the recently concluded election to Nagaland Legislative Assembly, for instance, is convincingly revealing.
To cite a simple case, almost every electorate in public discourse supported the appreciable conduct of the Church initiated clean election campaign. However, the alleged spending of the contesting candidates and the post-election happy scenario of shop-keepers in town, who were doing brisk businesses reminiscing a Christmas rush, are proof that we did not ‘walk the walk’.
The trend, which has been our habit for a long time, has become our nature now. As a result, the effort to address this grim trend has acquired a sense of forlorn state.
Nevertheless, we have no other option but somehow make attempt to bridge the gap between public conversation and individual activity in order to develop into a progressive society.
Another worrying trend is the devaluing of certain universal ideals in our society. Consequently, we fail to see a clear notion of what the society needs. The credibility of a responsible society lies in facing the reality and acting responsibly in the face of the problems.
The prevailing situation reinforces the memories of the high cost the society has to pay, due to the absence of genuine and purposeful public conversation.
When should we start working to ascertain the apparent lack of any foreseeable answers to the myriad issues confronting the Naga society? It is not too late to pose such question.
While seeking answers to such poser, we should also realize that our society desperately needs the emergence of a new form of public conversation which is governed by a larger dose of genuineness and purpose. This can come about only when every individual, in one’s personal capacity, start admitting their hypocrisy.
