The question of caste put forth by the nutty prof, surely hit many in the face. We have grown in a society which was not open to inquiry at times and many things were explained to us during the course of our development as if they were for granted. Almost all of us knew about the existence of the caste system in the country, its history and the scientific explanation provided by the fascists of a past generation that still has its impact over the youth of that generation and through them in a sense percolated to the youth of this generation.
The youth is the phase when our impressions are formulated and we develop a point of view of the world. A majority of us is too lazy or should I say too caught up in existential issues that they do not challenge the beliefs and customs which are now so deeply embedded into their very nature. By carrying out this great conditioning of the mind the society ensures that conformity is maintained. Though these issues may raise their hood through the vagaries of some concerned or perturbed soul, and influence us into questioning our very own self as to the nature of the whole system, we so conveniently forget about them over time. These issues are now so embedded into the fabric of the system that nothing but a great reorganization is required to strike at its roots and nip it at the bud.
We sometimes fight over issues like reservation- whether they should happen or not, whether merit is the criteria for education. Issues like the skewed distribution of wealth in a capitalist society and how it rots and eats away the society making its hedonist coefficient increase exponentially over time. How a communist society is also not an answer to the problem because of its inherent fallacies. Why in a society like ours where the bulk of the population is reeling in the throes of poverty we find time only for cricket and cinema. Why whatever we do adds to the chaos and our reluctance to find a solution just simmers this chaos under the garb of peaceful existence. I wonder whether this is just a lull before the storm.
History has taught us the implications of forcing a man or a group to its tipping point. Perhaps the tipping point is not that far away...