::: Star Weekend Magazine :::

Chintito

Change Thy Attitude

Chintito

The world has for some decades now come to a point when there is a visible wide division between life in the poor countries and that in the rich, economically speaking. Our poets and litterateur have been telling us for centuries that we are indeed loaded in aspects that are not gauged by fiscal resources. It is perhaps rude to say, 'who cares?' at this particular point.

What underlies the pecuniary difference?

Is it the age of a country? Is it because we are only kuchu-kuchu 33 years old? Awww…

Could it be the availability of natural resources? Is the cause as deep as where our supposed oil is supposed to be? Or, as controversial as to the embedded quantity? Does anyone have any idea who stopped the slippery but entertaining debate on whether the unseen reserve was one trillion or two zillion cubic something? Most of us mortals are only anxious about the five litres that our car requires as daily lubrication?

In this rich-poor difference game does the amount of agricultural land matter? What will happen when the whole of Bangladesh will be covered with six-storied apartment buildings? Of course, there will be roads! How else will they carry the rod, cement and balu?

Is it a question of intellectual capability? Will even 52 private universities cohabiting with garment factories, sweetmeat shops and business houses not be producing enough degree-dharees? Cannot our drained brain, many of who do so much ha-hootash about this land from the abroad, make any significant contribution?

Is it the ingrown ethnicity of a people? Are some of us more fair and lovely than others? Can that sort of inequity (depends on which shade you favour) not be remedied by applying the magic formulae so often advertised on television? Is there no punishment for peddling lies on the telly, and on billboards and the print media? Perhaps we will talk about that someday.

What then separates the poor from the rich?

Michael J. Bonnell, nationality unknown but his 'we' below refers to poor, recorded thus:

"The difference between the poor countries and the rich ones is not the age of the country.

This can be shown by countries like India and Egypt that are more than 2000 years old and are poor.

On the other hand, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, that 150 years ago were inexpressive, today are developed countries and are rich.

The difference between poor and rich countries does not reside in the available natural resources.

Japan has a limited territory, 80% mountainous, inadequate for agriculture and cattle-raising, but it is the second world economy. The country is like an immense floating factory, importing raw material from the whole world and exporting manufactured products.

Another example is Switzerland, which does not plant cocoa but has the best chocolate of the world. In its little territory they raise animals and plant the soil during 4 months per year. Not enough, they produce dairy products of the best quality. It is a small country that transmits an image of security, order and labour, which made it the world's strong safe.

Executives from rich countries who communicate with their counterparts in poor countries show that there is no significant intellectual difference.

Race or skin colour is also not important: immigrants labelled lazy in their countries of origin are the productive power in rich European countries.

What is the difference then?

The difference is the attitude of the people, framed along the years by the education and the culture.

On analyzing the behaviour of the people in rich and developed countries, we find that the great majority follow the following principles in their lives:

1. Ethics, as a basic principle
2. Integrity
3. Responsibility
4. Respect to the laws and rules
5. Respect to the rights of other citizens
6. Work loving
7. Strive for saving and investment
8. Will of super action
9. Punctuality

In poor countries, only a minority follow these basic principles in their daily life.

We are not poor because we lack natural resources or because nature was cruel to us.
We are poor because we lack attitude.
We lack the will to comply with and teach these functional principles of rich and developed societies."

That list could be fortified with some B-factors that have to do more with Bangladesh than being poor:
1. Bangladeshi politics, indefinable by political science Nobel laureates
2. Backbiting
3. Bribery
4. Bragging the ami ki honu standpoint
5. Bank loan defaulting
6. Breaks tea, fag, extended weekend, official meeting, association meeting, self sickness, family sickness, nani-dadi sickness, children's exams, wife's interview, this dibash and that.