Some common courtesy? And some politics to spice it up...

I am convinced that I may be the champion of bottled-up frustration. There are a lot of disgruntled people out there, but I may just take the cake in not expressing extreme levels of irritation that I feel on a daily, perhaps even hourly, basis. Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure that this level of pent up emotions have got to be terrible for me and that I should really learn to let go of this unhealthy amount of rage.

Perhaps the biggest reason I have for this level of rage, is that many, many things that people do bother me. But I feel perfectly justified in getting bothered by these points because they so often are matters of common courtesy or common sense. By the way, neither of these two attributes is as common as you'd like to believe. There are two primary things that have me all het up by the way and I point them out here so whoever reads this blog can appreciate and perhaps even empathize with my situation:

1. Talking on phones loudly in public locations: It's not simply a matter of YOUR privacy, it's every person's right to not be subjected to every last detail about the last crazy party you went to or the recent family scandal. So please, talk softly. Actually, let me refine this: Don't talk loudly in public. Unless your fellow conversationalist (conversee?) is hearing impaired or you are in a very loud place, there is no need to raise your voice.

2. Walking in large groups so that you take up the entire sidewalk: I am a fast walker and like to get to places quickly. It won't hurt your 'pack' to be a little more scattered so as to allow innocent bystanders passage. Is it too much to ask?

So now that I have let that off my chest…pheww. I’m now good till the next time it happens, at which time I may have an apoplectic fit. Or some other thing may grate on my nerves.
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In other news, I have come to the somewhat disturbing conclusion that bomb blasts in my home country do not seem to affect me emotionally anymore. I have become increasingly blasé about them and that worries me. It happens so often that I can no longer react in an appropriately shocked manner. Which, in turn, saddens me intensely. What does it say about the state of a country when its citizens have come to expect bomb blasts by extremists on a regular basis?

And while this cycle of violence and death continues, the only other news about Pakistan is the power struggle between the “democratically” elected parties and their power-brokering deals…best of both worlds? I think not. We are, once again, at a point where the military has failed us and Pakistanis once again look to democracy as a savior, only to be disappointed, and in about a decade the tides will shift again and the army will step in again. How does this cycle stop? Once we leave behind all our Zardari’s and Sharif’s with their false promises and feudal ideas and find an honest-to-goodness ethical and just leader. What a pipe dream it seems right now.

But there is good news. Not all change comes from the government and there is so much grassroots activism that is focused on diminishing poverty, improving health and education standards amongst a multitude of other noble causes. Hurrah for the development organizations toiling away in the difficult arena that is improving the lives of others. With no real guarantee of success, it is a brave occupation to belong to. Also, hurrah to the philanthropists who give so generously to those in need. There is still some light left after all…