Your
attention must have been drawn to the recent news reports on
the death and injuries to the indigenous Garo people in the
hands of police and forest guards in the Modhupur forest.
This ethnic
group is fighting tooth and nail to stop the development of
an eco-park in their ancestral home. The casualties occurred
during one of their protests at the fencing of a large chunk
of the forest area.
Yet, some
of us may have overlooked the fact that an age-old sinister
game of 'passing the buck' is being played deep in the forest.
The police
have made the forest guards the scapegoat for the death of at
least one Garo youth and injury to another and created a storm
of controversy.
However,
the nature of the death and injury amply suggests that a force
equipped with a relatively overwhelming firepower, in the context
of the conflict, could have caused such casualties.
What is
most unacceptable is having to witness this process of someone
being made a scapegoat right in front of me. Is it my strong
doubts in the efficacy of the Jewish atonement ritual of 'passing
the buck' on to a poor animal, or is it my sense of discomfort
with the fact that someone should be allowed to bear the blame
for others, I cannot tell.
Most people
make others the scapegoat for the sake of their own survival
but a few do resort to such practice to chill themselves out.
Comedian Danny Kaye had to do so in the 1940s film, 'The Inspector
General,' for the latter reason. He spanked his goat because
he was slapped by the municipal guard who was himself smacked
by his superior and that too, as a trickle down effect.
That is
true to fiction, in reality at your workplace the practice is
honed to an art form and applied with surgical precision. If
it is where creativity and enterprise are all that matters and
if anyone has taken a particular dislike to you, it is no one-time
affair; rather you will be constantly robbed of your best achievements,
and pushed to the brink of utter desperation. If you are among
those who are used to taking things lying down and be inept
at asserting himself, you shall soon have to call it quits.
Your case
is unlike that of the others. The saying, 'what is good for
the goose is good for the gander' does not apply to you. You
are a non-entity ever ready to be goaded into action and perform
you must, no matter what. If you say you are ill, you are feigning
sickness; if you say you are feeling fine, you must be engaged
in a plot. If you had ever complained of being pressed too hard
perhaps, you did so not knowing that it was an out-and-out insubordination.
In effect,
you are a mere plaything at the whims of your superior and so
are the forest guards to the policemen.
Meanwhile,
it is time for you to walk a tightrope. If you choose to stand
firm you shall be mowed down, and if you give in to the onslaught
you shall be dripped dry. It is up for grabs, take it, or leave
it.
The crux
of the matter is that regardless of your age, education and
social standing you are more likely than not to be made the
scapegoat by a fellow 'smarter' than you, if only you happen
to be one rung below him, and not necessarily less gifted. Lesser
mortals do, more often than not, rule the roost.
If the bully
is known for what he is, and is at a cross with his superior,
he shall take an animal satisfaction in snubbing and humiliating
you in front of others, especially your juniors.
Perchance
whoever matters at your workplace happens to be one of your
family friends, a onetime acquaintance, or a former neighbour;
you will be met with a vengeance hitherto unknown.
You are
most likely to continue to serve him to the best of your abilities,
foolishly accepting challenges on his behalf knowing fully well
that he will take the laurel. In turn, you shall be continually
bullied should you demand what you rightfully deserve.
If you cannot
pass the buck to others you are a spent thing. You stand no
chance in this rat race at your workplace. You are eligible
to apply for membership of the losers' club and join the ranks
of the likes of the forest guards!
But for
now, a word of advice for the forest guards too, follow the
sages' suit-- wait for better days and keep on hanging like
a punching bag as long as you can.
