[centaur]

Originally Posted by dark.knight

Education has little if not nothing to do with the way people behave, I'd define it as learning a specific set of skills, rules and/or knowledge to take up a trade and simultaneously become conformist blockheads since education limits their ability to assimilate the *now*.

Literacy is only the ability to read, write, speak and respond to others.. but by being literate, it doesn't mean one has grasped the ability to interpret the truth from every statement or express the truth via every statement, it merely teaches one to express their own views (more often than not, deluded ones).

I beg to differ on the above. What you say about literacy is very accurate but saying that education has nothing to do with breaking/following rules is something I dont agree to and that is the predominant difference between being literate and educated.

Education teaches you to think and evaluate a particular situation and take a decision accordingly with respect to it being right or wrong. I am not sure about the system now but when I was in school, we had a subject called moral science which taught a host of social things like cleanliness, traffic rules, following of traffic rules, right and wrong etc. If a person is educated, then that person can easily differentiate that going against the traffic is definitely not right and they shouldnt be doing it.

Infact, like you say, education is become a reason to show arrogance and take things for granted including the rules and laws. On the contrary, I have many times seen many not so educated folks following a rule to the 'T' because they have just been told that, that is the only right thing.

[itwasntme]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

These self-same parents will take their International postings and take their kids with them and then, be forced to imbibe the rules and norms of the International societies that they land in - but only for a time. Because when they come back to dear old homeland, they will simply "revert to type" and very fast too!

I fully agree with your very blunt statement. Without wanting to stereotype, let me say that I have come across many such types who will toe the line (largely) abroad, but revert back to type as soon as back in the homeland.

It is across the spectrum and includes pretty senior people too - case in point is where I stay: a gated community with far wealthier people than me + my previous 14 forefathers put together. Many of them made a lot of money in the US software boom times and brought it back to India while times were still good.

BUT if you interact with them most 'sane' people will realize the shallowness of their characters. A few examples:

Without exception their kids study at the international and 'international' schools. Most of them are American citizens and care 2 hoots about Indian culture, values, humility and respecting those who cary out manual labour etc.

I cannot blame them as their parents are equally bad if not worse. Many of them treat Indian festivals as a onerous burden and mix mostly with the trash 'expat' set who deride most aspects of our culture. Even our Republic & Independence Days are treated as a joke and many do not bother to come.

Some of them do not hold Indian driving licenses (lapsed etc.) but make it a point to boast that why bother when a 'Gandhiji' is enough.

Driving etiquette is pathetic and borders on outrageous if any 'small' car belittles their CLA/GLA/Countryman egos. This goes for their chauffeurs (without exception silver/golden Innovas) as well as they are given the impression that Saab will save them whatever happens.

Road and traffic guidelines are largely treated as a joke.

Many merrily violate community guidelines on property extensions and modifications.

Collection of sundry maintenance charges becomes an issue as they question every paise spent.

Garbage segregation, water conservation turns out to be an uphill task as many do not comply.

Some blame India for everything starting from BESCOM pulling their fuses due to unpaid bills. Why have they not paid? It is because they have misplaced the paper bill and cannot be bothered to either register and pay online or maintain adequate balance for 2 months bills with BESCOM.

I could go on and on but GTO will (very rightly) point out this is off-topic :-)

Net net, some many educated people in India go abroad, work hard and return. Unfortunately, many do not imbibe the better things of the West (like civic sense, cleanliness, respect for all, orderliness, discipline etc.)

We have a LONG way to go...

[Chetan_Rao]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

........many educated people in India go abroad, work hard and return. Unfortunately, many do not imbibe the better things of the West (like civic sense, cleanliness, respect for all, orderliness, discipline etc.......

How dare you suggest the 'evil' West could teach us anything? Aren't we the most ancient civilization alive, the beginning of all knowledge and the end of all wisdom?

It's their humble fortune that we deign to plunder the monetary riches their lands offer, simultaneously blaming them for all our follies. When we refuse to learn from our own glorious past and learned ancestors, who the hell are Westerners to even dare suggest there may be anything worthwhile to learn from them?

P.S. My tongue and cheek both hurt from the 'tongue-in-cheek' effort needed to type that out.

P.P.S. We Indians are too full of false, misplaced pride in a glorious past we ourselves don't respect, to learn anything from anyone. Need proof? Visit your nearest local historical monument and weep at its pitiable state of disrepair, then contrast them to how the rest of the world maintains its heritage. That's just a small sample to begin with, the list could stretch miles.

[sajo]

This was in the news today.

With parents like this, the future is still very

The two boys — aged 14 and 15 — had been accused of extorting money by stopping the car of the complainant..
..
Pagale told Mirror, “I had given a scooter for convenience, to commute from home to tuition classes and back. I was unaware that the kids were engaged in such activities. But, I still think a public post was unnecessary. I have assured the police that they will not do it again.“

There is nothing about stopping them from illegally riding on the roads, neither from the cops or the kids' parents.

[deathwalkr]

The bold part is what is seen on roads. Convenience taking precedence over rules.

Take right at round a about. Why when i can cut across the median.
Indicators? Too lazy. Others can see me turn right?
Oh man the U turn spot is far away. Let me ride against the traffic. After all i'm on the side of the road.
Footpaths? Pfft. They are short cuts for me on bikes to skip the idiots staying on the road in traffic.
Stop line? What's the point when i can save time by going and waiting right under the signal.
No parking? But i want to just go and buy from the store. Besides there's space for others to squeeze by.
etc etc

The video posted earlier was pretty good. Not just for driving but in terms of living life our role as parents are very very significant.