One Crime, One Punishment

The Indian Penal Code definitely talks about it and it probably holds good in many other countries as well, if I am not wrong. It makes sense to penalize a person once for a single crime they commit. You cannot keep punishing a person over and over again for that one mistake they made. If the offence is severe, the punishment is severe; if there are multiple crimes then there are multiple punishments. So, the legal system is all in place with their laws to serve us justice. We want nothing less. Do keep this thought with you even though what is coming just after this bears no link with it!

Every human being is working towards expansion, in whatever limited way they can. Everyone dreams big whether or not they have the grit to make it a reality. The ones who are actually toiling want to make huge success, even if they say they are just going with the flow. They dream of luxuries, of fame and fortune, of arm candy- the list is endless and the dreams may vary. Film stars, political leaders, sports persons and anyone who made it big are the epitome of having it all- looks, wealth, luxury and power, which is why the masses are in awe of them. The masses see them when they are triumphant, with all the media glare on them and though even an illiterate person knows that success couldn’t happen overnight, somehow the toil is forgotten and all that is visible is how famous they are, how blessed and how lucky! It is “Copium” (a term I learnt from my daughter, which gamers and youtubers often use and which is a combination of the words cope and opium, which means using a fictional drug to lessen the severity of the loss). It is always easier to blame your luck instead of appreciating another’s effort. Since, you cannot use this ploy every time but you still have angst perhaps of someone else’s glory, you find a scapegoat. This person is usually someone related to the successful person usually their children. (Those of you who are following the news in India have surely got a halo around your head “Ah! We know where this is headed!”)

Even Gods make mistakes and we are just human beings! Forgiveness is the most noble act and yet if you are a celebrity kid or the kid of a successful enough person, forgiveness eludes you for you have been blessed with everyone’s dream, without toiling for it! It could be your past life Karma but who cares. You may born with looks and brains and talent but the masses see you as brainless, spineless, ugly and without talent. Your parent/parents had to be disciplined to get to where they are currently and chances are they tried to imbibe the same in you but who wants to believe that; to the masses you will always be a spoilt, lazy brat. To be fair, they are a lot many brats among you, but aren’t there as many brats around not very prosperous people? We don’t want to go there though- your blood is sweeter!

Did you know that people have feelings? Yes, they do! Surprising, isn’t it? Irrespective of gender, economic status, religion, political ideology, marital status, profession or lack of it, age…all people have emotions! There are exceptions though. Successful people. They are crocodiles. They have no feelings. How can they; they have no hearts! Their lives are splashed across newspapers for national and international entertainment, depending on their status. It is our birthright!!

Aryan Khan, son of Shahrukh Khan, the King of Bollywood, has been arrested on the 03Oct21, for being aboard a cruise ship, which had drugs on it. He and several others were arrested and remain in custody. He is 23. The hearing for a bail, is today, when I write this blog, the 20^th of October. So, am I writing this blog to say narcotics is cool and that he has been wrongly arrested or a big deal is being made of it? NO. Narcotics has never been, isn’t and will never be cool. Same goes for cigarettes and other vices but this is far more lethal and needs to be dealt with sternly. Then why so much drama, you’d ask? Justice means every person gets the same treatment for the same crime. If all others are enjoying anonymity, why not him? His father is famous and we, the masses loved him for his work and put him on that pedestal. Are you telling me, he encouraged his son, to try drugs? I’d like to believe otherwise. You think, his wife and he are not devastated by this? Do you realise the damage to the young man? No doubt, he is solely responsible for the mess he is in and Yes, you are making an example of him to act as a deterrent but you must keep things in perspective. Punish him for his crime but all this unnecessary media attention can be and should be avoided. There is an element of copium for the masses every time, a famous person falls. They enjoy it. They love to show their anger and vent out their own frustration. It is bitter and unfair. Everyone aspires for “the life” so that their loved ones can flourish but they cannot bear to see someone else rise and their loved ones thrive! That’s what I call a really low vibe. Snap out of it, people! You have it all in you to get the dream life you want. Believe it and work towards it, enjoying the process so that you can endure it easily and not give up, if the road is tough and the wait longer than you expect.

Do you think, if you inculcated the perfect atmosphere at home and did all the right things at home, your kids would never go astray? Who guarantees that? How do you know that you haven’t marred your child’s psyche unknowingly with your own words? What if you loved your child and gave them the best you could but that one time you were harsh, was what impressed upon them, that they were unwanted; you didn’t know. You made up for your anger by buying them chocolate perhaps, but what affected them, stayed with them.  When faced with life, those emotions and the hurt could play up in so many ways and added with peer groups, the results could vary from anything to anything. So, do not be smug if all is well in your world; just be grateful. Avoid being harsh on someone else. Get to the crux of the matter. How can we eradicate this problem? Meanwhile, let the courts do their job and let us just learn to keep things in balance.

Also, remember that for every mistake a person commits, closer home as well, don’t keep bringing it up and rubbing it in, be it your spouse, your kid, your parent, your friend- bring it up, deal with it completely and then let it go. Every time something goes wrong don’t bring it all up, all over again. For example, if your spouse cheats on you, you have a choice to leave or stay; if you choose the former, file for a divorce, ask for whatever is the damage you deem fit and go your way but if you choose to stay then put your terms and conditions, agree on it and then move on. Do not make it a living hell for the both of you by keeping on tormenting your partner over it. One crime, one punishment!

P.S: I thank a certain Libran friend for some our great conversations in the past. Some of those insights are reflected here. Who else but a Libran to talk Justice and Balance? Danke, Dear D.

 

“If you can’t be kind, being fair is okay.”                                                                    _Marinela Reka