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Credit: DH Illustration
Many years back Hobbes had written that the principal causes of quarrel are competition, diffidence and glory; expanding further he said, even trifles can trigger violent reactions.
Nothing exemplifies this more than the increasing almost daily incidents of road rage which Bengaluru witnesses. Where drivers honk, yell abuses, tailgate, intentionally ram the vehicle, even attacking the other driver and causing tragically, death. The immediate provocation is a trifle- the perceived poor driving of the other.
Exacerbated by some angst being carried from work or home, there is an aggressive response. Patience is fast being seen as a virtue of the weak. Aggressive behaviour is cheered – and endorsed by movies; after all that is being macho!
What road rage does most certainly signify is an ill-mannered bully sitting behind the wheel who believes the anonymity which the vehicle offers gives him the liberty to act aggressively. Or is it that we all need a disruptive outlet? Which brings us to the concept of demolition derby popular in many countries; an event where drivers compete by deliberately ramming their vehicles into one other with the winner being the last vehicle which is still operational.
This spectacle apparently draws large crowds enjoying the spectacle vicariously.
Do we need to create similar such sanitized places where socially unacceptable behaviour becomes acceptable? Where in effect road rage is legalized? Is this the answer for inappropriate behaviour? And are we going to create such islands of aggression to address specific types of crude behaviour? Will that reduce boorish behaviour elsewhere? Or is it that we need to start teaching the young the need for inculcating patience, empathy, understanding, love, respect-all virtues which will make people better human beings on the road and off it? Educational institutions used to do this.
Today they barely educate the students -expecting then to teach values is unfair on all concerned. The family plays a critical role in inculcating these values in the young.
These are values which will last a lifetime and make them responsible citizens and caring individuals. It is on the dining table that such virtues are learnt, where through simple acts of passing a dish to each other, taking a smaller portion so that your sibling or parent also has something, one learns about sharing and caring.
It is when we sit together as a family enjoying a meal with conversation flowing that good habits are inculcated. But these days do we even eat one meal as a family?