“Compassion and tolerance are not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength”
What does this quotation mean to you in the present context: “Compassion and tolerance are not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength.”
we generally consider power as the weapon of the strong. that is, to the extent that one can dominate others, is the extent to which he or she is powerful. but this understanding of power has been shown to be inadequate and even misleading by the likes of none other than Gandhiji, Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther king. for Gandhiji, non-violence is the weapon of the strong.
Whenever any situation of conflict arises, we have 2 options- either to lash out in anger and emotions or to be cool and compassionate and try to work around the issue. In the contemporary context, the perception is such that the former response is often seen as macho, assertive and desirable while the latter is dismissed as being timid and weak. But before arriving at such premature conclusions, we must pause and ask ourselves the utility of a belligerent response and if we really need it. 9/10 times, we'd find that a balanced, tolerant and sensitive approach works much better.
This not only makes our reaction much more measured and mature, but it often also makes the other person realize their folly. As Gandhi famously said- "If someone slaps you on one cheek, present him the other one too".
Not only in personal matters, but tolerance is important for present Indian society as well. In times when xenophobia and mutual distrust are taking root and values of 'unity in diversity and 'vasudhaika kutumbkum' are eroding, tolerance and compassion should become a way of life. This will act as a glue to hold the society together. Amnesty and mercy can only be granted who is strong, the weak can never forgive. Therefore, compassion and tolerance are virtues of strength.
More than the ability to do harm to others, for Gandhiji the strong was identified by his compassion and tolerance for the sinner and evildoer. it requires great moral capital to love one who hates you, to be tolerant towards the intolerant, to show compassion towards the hateful.
to show compassion towards compassionate beings is not very extraordinary, to show tolerance towards the tolerant is likewise. rather, it is our capacity to go beyond the breaking point, and still not break that shows our strength. to be hated and still not to hate, to be looked down and still not to look down, to be hurt and still not to hurt, should be the gold standard.
Nelson Mandela spent 27 years of his life in prison fighting an unjust regime, and yet when he came out, he embraced those same people as one of his own. and what a beautiful smell he has left behind!
Ramesh, once a struggling theatre artist was accused and later freed from rape charges, which the jury found out to be ill conceived and wrongly targeted. Not able to handle the situation, he changed profession and moved on. Many years later, while his closest friends know about the incident, his co-workers do not. One day, out of curiosity, he surfs his personal records on the internet, and to his surprise, finds that the results reflect an old report in a local newspaper about the rape charges he faced.
Ramesh is upset; after all these years, he would like to be able to disclose the event only to whomever he wants. He has been informed about the decision of the European Court of Justice, which allows individuals to submit requests to a search engine to remove certain results from searches on their names, and citing the same, requests the search engine and media outlet to remove the results.
Valid arguments can be advanced for making the ‘Right to be Forgotten’ a fundamental right? What those arguments could be? What limitations, if any, can it be subjected to? Should there be any obligations on the search engines regarding cases, which are no longer relevant, as the one mentioned above?
Solution
The issues involved in the above case are:
You are the officer in charge of a refugee settlement team in a multilateral humanitarian organization. There is an ethnic conflict in the nearby border area and as a result, many people are affected and displaced. The economically better-off neighbouring countries have accommodated the streams of migrants with financial support from your organization. The violence in the region has increased recently and the influx of people seeking refuge has grown exponentially. With countries following protectionist policies the refugees are left in a vulnerable situation. You are asked to represent the organization for the settlement of refugees with neighbouring countries, who also happen to be a powerful economic bloc. However, they refuse any more accommodation on the following grounds:
What are the counter-arguments that can be cited to convince the countries for an immediate solution? Suggest some long term measures as well that could be followed to address the problem.
Solution
As an officer overseeing refugee settlement related issues in a multilateral organisation, my immediate responsibility is to ensure a safe haven for all refugees and also ensure that they have access to basic needs i.e. food, clothing, shelter and also medical aid.
In face of stiff opposition or reluctance by the countries to accept the immigrant refugees I would propose the following:
Cite examples of other nations who are also rehabilitating refugees.
The problem though triggered by an immediate crisis, i.e., ethnic conflict, demands long-term solutions as it involves cost of life and livelihood, displacement and associated social tension, fragmentation and also inter-generational consequences. I would suggest certain long-term measures as:
39 videos|4682 docs|1032 tests
|
1. What are some current ethical issues in June 2022 that are relevant to the UPSC exam? |
2. How does the ethical implications of artificial intelligence impact society? |
3. What are the privacy concerns related to social media platforms? |
4. How does genetic engineering in agriculture raise ethical considerations? |
5. What are the ethical challenges in the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines? |
39 videos|4682 docs|1032 tests
|
|
Explore Courses for UPSC exam
|