Pride and Humility
Sometimes, to achieve bigger things, people need to keep aside the differences and conflicts for a while. But, when a person who is holding an important position in an organization, gives utmost importance only to his own position and his reputation, then the goodwill of the organization is in jeopardy, and the goals of the organization can never be achieved. I am talking about those people, who discriminate among fellow colleagues, do not have minimum respect towards others, publicly humiliate others and believe in medieval practices of power. Most of these people specially come from those society, where there are social and financial inequalities; superiors (in power) treat inferiors (in power) as slaves.
I had an encounter with this type of person here in Norway, back in 2019, first quarter of the year. Unfortuantely, that was a bastard from my country. For all of my life, I have seen worse and worst people in my country, from my country. I didn’t have inherent hate for my country; but due to my encounter with people like these, I began to abhor it.
This person was in one of the three top executive positions in the national level of an NGO working for students. The positions are elected (or kinda selected) once a year. During that time, I was an ordinary board member in one of the local branches of that NGO. I had good relationship with that person since I came to Norway, at least from my side. Despite of knowing each other from before, we became friendly due to the same country, same university and same NGO. According to the culture of our country, it is normal that, we respect those who are older in ages, thorugh verbal communication and behavior. As I was a bit older than that person, our relationship was also more like elder and younger brother.
Meanwhile, one day he came to my city for a work, and at the same day I was at other city for work. He called me at a moment, when I was looking for place to sleep in another city. So I could not help him to give a shelter in my room. But I knew that there are other students from my country in my city, who can help him. And they were introduced before. So, I did not worry about him.
Before the annual meeting of the organization, I had some personal issues to notify the executive board. I had discussed those with that guy personally through messenger before; casually, and he knew that, I would raise these issues to the national board. In a good time, I sent emails to the other two members of the executive board explaining the issues. That asshole was the third member of the executive board.
After my emails to other two, he wrote a post (without texting or asking me anything) in a closed Facebook group of all the student leaders from my country. The language of the post was severely insulting and abusive. He started with the sentence- “Who the fuck do you think of yourself being in a simple local board of this big organization?” He was surprisingly insulted because I took my matters to others, without notifying him, and more importantly crossing him. He also threatened me regarding my position and reputation. He was completely blind due to his position; and in his each word of the post, he insulted me for opening my mouth despite of having no authority.
I was shocked and disgusted after seeing that sudden reaction; which was totally unexpected. And I was disgraced among many unknown and known people. Every audience of that post was silent; may be one tried to know the details and being neutral (as far as I remember). I was silent too. I just unfriended and blocked that MF from Facebook. I controlled my temperament anyhow, which is very very diffcult for me. But, considering the foreign land, my career goals, and the whole circumstances, I had nothing to do except being silent. I met him face to face after that in my city, when others in my city invited us for a feast. I tried to be as normal and civic as possible at that time.
The rage to prove him (& others who did wrong with me) wrong had helped me a lot afterwards to progress, and increase my range. However philosophical or spiritual we may be, most of the world always bow in front of money, power, beauty, position and possessions. To let them down, I realized that I need to focus on the growth of these. The abusive world out there does not believe in modesty, brotherhood and respect. This is the reason of unhealthy competition everywhere.
The footnote is, the majority of the people was, is and will always be besides these abusive and offensive Scumbags. Although their true faces are hidden from most of the people around them, but the lack of ingenuity in their intentions will always be an obstacle for the greater good of the organization.
