Are we all corrupt

Corruption – one word that is synonymous with current affairs these days. You would identify with the term even more if you are from subcontinent. Every day a new scam unveils its ugly surface only to be nipped in the bud later on. Corruption is quite rampant in developing countries as it exists at grass root levels. In developed countries, or so called first world, it mostly exists at a higher level. Numerous Ponzi schemes, BP gas leak, Wikileaks, Wars in Iraq & Afghanistan prove it. Are we all part of this? No matter what we protest against, the powerful and mightier always wins. How does one put an end to it? The ugly truth is – no one in this world is clean. We are all corrupt. We all stop at MONEY. Here’s my take on corruption.

We become corrupt the moment we are born. If corruption means bribing someone to get work done, then every child is corrupt. Try stopping a toddler from crying without giving him something in return. If toys are not provided, a child is not happy. As we grow older and start going to school, we want what other kids have. Do we not hate our fathers for refusing to provide us with what we want? Haven’t we all been there? If you get what you want suddenly love for your parents increases by many folds. We want favours in return of a good behaviour.

As we grow older, we start going out with friends and have relationships. How much do we spend on our bfs/gfs so they are pleased? A LOT. What’s that? Bribe? In a way it is, otherwise why would you spend even a penny on a stranger? Of course there’s human bonding but buying expensive gifts to please someone is nothing but bribery. It’s the purest form of corruption. If we don’t get that kind of attention from our partners we don’t like the relationship. There are exceptions but most of us succumb to the material way of taking a relationship forward.

Corruption is human nature. It’s a part of our lives and we don’t seem to understand it. Yes, we all want money in order to fulfill our needs but it doesn’t stop there. Once we get money, we want more. Bigger house, bigger car, bigger everything... How does it come? Trust me; it’s always at the expense of someone else. People living in west enjoy many luxuries because poor kids are employed in other countries to build products they desire. They don’t need to bribe someone because somebody above them has already bribed many. Why is there a need to outsource? In the name of trade, we say it helps both the countries but why does a task become menial in your country at the first place? We never want to keep others at same level as us. We want to be above others. They say China’s labour is cheap and that’s why we outsource. Why is it cheap? Because you made it through your corrupt policies!

Corruption is within us. We will exercise it whenever it is required.

Let’s end this with a Buddhist Quote I read recently – “All wrong-doing arises because of mind. If mind is transformed can wrong-doing remain?”