Majority Rules. Rethink!

About a month ago Tejashree, my student, remarked that if something wrong is endorsed by a majority it cannot be termed correct. Everybody present there acknowledged the fact but it escaped my mind and I forgot it. So I thought. Last Monday, while jumping a red signal I found majority of my fellow passengers doing the same and bang came the remark from Tejashree straight into my mind!

And along came certain incidents in the mind which are done by the majority but cannot be justified. Let’s have a look.

Ø  Majority of motorists jump red light. It facilitates if the policewallah is not there (I’m a habitual offender as well). It is illegal but since majority does it, should it be legalized?

Ø  Majority of us spit and throw garbage in public places. This is not only unhygienic but also uncultured. But since majority does it, should it be considered an act of hygiene and culture?

Ø  Majority of us give bribes to get our jobs done quickly. Again it is illegal but since majority does it, should it be legalized?

Ø  Majority of us love to take tobacco in some form or the other. Tobacco is a major reason for various ailments. But since majority does it, should it be considered that consumption of tobacco leads to better health?

Ø  Majority of us are jealous of success of others, known and unknown alike. Jealousy is not one of the virtues one expects to be present in one’s moral fabric. But since majority does it, should a rethink be done on the moral virtues one need to possess?

Ø  Majority of the students get marks in and around 50%. That means they don’t know almost half of what was taught or at least half of what was asked in the examination. But since majority does it, should 50 be considered the new 80?

If we were to answer these questions, majority will say NO. But then why are these repeatedly done by the same majority which does find them immoral & illegal?

So, what we find is that majority does not rule always!!! On a serious note since even a slim majority (not absolute (66.66) or even simple (50)) can get a wrong person or thing to be in the right place, we must chose correctly!