Politics of indecisiveness

"It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." So said the greatest wizard of all time, and we can safely say the old guy was spot on! Hello again, folks, we're back. Let's talk choices. Life is all about making choices. Every thing we do, every word we say is the direct result of a choice we make, sometimes consciously and most times not.

The things we choose to say and do, can have a tremendous impact on everything that follows that choice. Let's take World War II for example. If the American President hadn't chosen to bomb Hiroshima and Nagasaki thousands of lives could have been saved. But then again, if he had chosen not to do it, the war would never have ended, and millions of lives would have been lost as a result of the ensuing war. It's all very paradoxical. There are those who argue that the bombing was good, it was a necessary evil they say, for the greater good. The allies had Japan on her knees, and the war ended. Well, not really, but at least the battle did.

We do realize the above example is rather…uh…unnecessarily complex. But the point was to show just how vast the repercussions of one man's choice can be.

Looking at a battle closer to home (and heart), choosing your life partner is a choice that can have dire consequences, i.e. if you choose to see it that way. It is a make or break situation; life changing stuff. What if you end up with the wrong person? What if you don't? How can you tell?

We do not have the luxury of foreseeing the consequences of our choices. Most of us can't see past our own choices, because, after all, we're only human and not omnipotent beings.

The choices we make are influenced by a variety of factors: Our own belief systems and understanding of good and bad, the views and opinions of family and friends and the traditions and norms of the society we live in. It appears that more often than not, our choices are made for us by others. We are under the impression that we are not free to make our own choices. But aren't we, really? Doesn't it, or shouldn't it, come down to the individual?

Sometimes leaders have to make unpopular decisions, at the risk of losing their vote base. But very few of them are willing to take that risk. The choices they make can change the fate of an entire nation, for better or worse. A good leader will have the courage to make the right choices, as opposed to taking the easy way out. For instance if our leaders in the post independence days had taken steps not to discriminate and sideline the minorities we would now be fortunate enough to travel freely to any part of this beautiful country of ours without having to worry about getting blasted into smithereens.

On another note, women are often indecisive, they say. But that's because women want to know what people around them think before they make any decisions, whereas men seem to rush into decisions and then watch its consequences, sometimes in disbelief. Shoot first; ask questions later, seems to be the order of the day.

At times we are afraid to make a particular choice. We settle for the easy way out, because that way we wouldn't have to worry too much, about ourselves and about other people. But it is the tough choices that get you there and it is the tough choices that are hard to make.

Being on the fence doesn't help either, as sooner or later you are bound to fall onto one side or the other. And it hurts to sit on a fence with both your legs on either side. Ouch. On one side it is quicksand (not good) and on the other side it's solid ground where you can stand on your own two feet. If you fall on quicksand, it won't hurt, you'll just sink. But if you fall on solid ground, it hurts, there maybe a few bruises, but with a bit of help, you can stand up again.

And, as the wise old wizard said, there will come a time where you have to make a choice between what's easy and what's right. When it does, remember Cedric. (Don't ask).