Remembering Vivek!

April 17th, 2021

A beautiful soul left this earth early this morning.

Real heroes often hide beneath the many roles they play, and Vivek was one such hero. For most of my life, I knew him as a comedian through his films. But in reality, he did so much more. One example is the 3.33 million saplings he planted since 2011 through a movement he engineered, 'Green Kalaam.' He also used his film-comedy to challenge societal norms and promote critical thinking.

Now, we are left with a question: What stance should we take regarding the COVID vaccine he took just a day before his untimely passing?

It’s easy to blame the vaccine entirely for his death. This perspective is often held by those who are emotionally opposed to both COVID and the vaccine or to the vaccine itself.

On the other hand, it’s just as easy to defend the vaccine, insisting that it should be administered indiscriminately and that it had no impact on his health. This view is often held by those who have already taken the vaccine and want to reassure themselves that their decision was right, or by those who plan to take it out of fear.

Both of these emotional positions, however, push aside the critical reasoning that Vivek advocated for.

The truth is, the vaccine works by reducing the severity of COVID, not by completely preventing it. It has side effects, especially for those with allergies or certain medical conditions, so it is prudent to evaluate and administer it carefully. This seems to be a rational conclusion based on information from trustworthy medical professionals and from people who have received the vaccine.

But this conclusion could change, as any observation or conclusion about anything can change.

What if, instead of resorting to blame, we as a society made reasoning and love the foundation of our trust in one another and in the things we create?

And could we apply the same principles—love and reasoning—in administering justice to those who violate trust and commit crimes against humanity?

Bringing such a shift in our psychology would be a fitting and grateful remembrance of the majestic and loving soul that Vivek was, today and for generations to come.

#CitizenKK #Kamaraj

#ActorVivek

#Covid19

Battle Scars!

Driving on Indian city roads is no small feat! You can expect anything—from an abruptly stopped vehicle to motorists driving against the flow of traffic. Even the shoulder of the road often becomes just another lane!

I was feeling quite proud of the fact that our car had remained scratch-free for six months, especially considering the chaos of city driving. But that streak ended yesterday. As I navigated between a motorcyclist on the wrong side of the road and a van that had stopped abruptly, with a protruding metal bumper, I misjudged the space. The bumper gave the side of my car a good rub, leaving a noticeable dent.

I felt terrible about it and was determined to spend money to fix the dent. I even thought about addressing the other minor marks, which were barely noticeable and had been there since we bought the car.

But then, my daughter questioned my fixation. She suggested that we could drive the car as it is and save the money for when we really needed it. When I kept offering my reasons, she simply said it was great that our car now had battle scars. I initially disagreed, insisting that it wasn’t a battle but a simple error on my part. She then pointed to the small temporary scars on her legs from learning to ride a bike and proudly referred to them as her own battle scars.

In that moment, I recognized how proud she was of her learning process and how she never complained about any of her experiences while riding. It made me reflect on my own fixation with keeping the car perfect, versus her ease in accepting and even embracing the marks of her journey.

As the day ended, I remembered Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem, *A Psalm of Life*:

**In the world’s broad field of battle,

In the bivouac of life...**

Modern life might not be a literal battlefield where we risk our bodies, but it is a constant battle within ourselves—between our fixations and our ability to accept imperfections.

I thanked my daughter for her wisdom and had a good night’s rest, feeling a little more at peace with our car’s new "battle scars."

**Photo Credits:** Photo by Gantas Vaičiulėnas from Pexels

Humanity's Shame!

I recently overheard the audio from a video someone was watching next to me. On the surface, it seemed innocuous—an American man interviewing fellow citizens, asking them general knowledge questions about cities, countries, and even simple units of measurement, like how many hours are on a clock.

Most of the answers were wrong, or perhaps the interviewer chose to highlight the incorrect ones for entertainment. One of the questions was, "Which country is Venice, Italy in?" Unfortunately, the person answering gave a wrong answer.

For the interviewer and an unquestioning, innocent audience, this was fun.

But when you really think about what’s happening, your heart might cringe, and your gut might wrench.

Have you ever experienced being mocked in school? Or perhaps even now, in some avenue of life, someone mocks you?

What does this do to love? What does it do to innocence?

What does it do to how Americans are perceived by others around the world?

And really, what’s the big deal about knowing some trivia? Suppose a person develops into a true citizen, both of their country and of the world, with values of honesty, integrity, kindness, courage, and love. Wouldn’t that be far more valuable than becoming an arrogant individual who prizes intellect and information above the deeper aspects of humanity?

Such videos may be intended for fun, but the damage they cause is far-reaching.

I wish the gentleman who made that video—and others like him—would realize what they are doing to their humanity and what kind of accidental betrayal they are committing against their brothers and sisters.

Mockery, especially of those who don’t know the answers to trivia, chips away at the very essence of compassion and understanding. Instead of lifting people up, it diminishes them, and in doing so, diminishes us all.

Let’s strive to be better. Let’s value kindness over cleverness, and love over laughter at another’s expense. In doing so, we not only elevate others but also uplift ourselves.

#CitizenKK #Kamaraj

#TheUnitedStates #America