High on the Unfortunate

Hello ho ho ho...

I told myself that I would write something here before the year ends. Well, it was supposed to be a few entries (done a few weeks ago), but I just couldn't find the time to do it. So much has been happening in the office that everytime I get home, I just can't be bothered looking at my laptop. So here I am, sitting at Starbucks at Bukit Bintang Walk, waiting patiently for my sister-in-law to do her last minute Xmas shopping. I'm on leave already starting today till 3rd Jan. Yay! So my first task on this first day of many great more days off, is to be a driver. Shit. Anyways, this driver is on his coffee break so his thinking of what to say...

I didn't realise that I had this topic "High on the Unfortunate" in my draft for quite a while now. I guess I should keep that heading, although I was going to put "Last Entry for 2007". Never mind. I might go to another Starbucks and do another entry before end of the year. If I'm up to it. Anyways, I've been living in KL now for almost 4 years and I'm still not comfortable with the way we drive here and the jams. Everyday it manages to put me on high-level stress even before I reach the office. As if at work isn't bad enough. Working in the media industry isn't exactly good for the heart you know.

(Digress a bit here) I once went to the doctor for a checkup, he asked me: "Do you smoke?" Yes. "Do you drink?" Extensively. He smiled. Not the "Oh that's kewl" kinda smile. But the "Another society waste" kinda smile. Then he asked me what industry I was in. "Media" I said. "Oh, that's good enough to give you high blood pressure" Well, he'd know best. He is a doctor after all. After the medic check, I wished him "Happy Deepavali". It was during then. "I don't celebrate Happy Deepavali", he said. Oh okay. I was just trying to be nice.

Back to the topic at hand, I've always wondered why is it always jam on the roads. There's tons of flyovers and some smart tunnel too. Too many cars? Yes that's one of the problems. Selfish drivers? Definitely. Crazy drivers? Don't even touch on that. Heartless drivers? Now this is something that irked me. I realised for a long time now that one of the biggest causes of a jam is when there's an accident. Even if it's just a car breakdown parked on the side, it can even cause a jam on the opposite direction. Why? We like to see. Rubber-necking. But why? Does it amuse us to see other people in misery? I think so.

Two weekends ago I was on my way back from the city and I think there was a very bad accident on Jalan Duta. This was almost 4am (okay I shouldn't be driving either under the influence. my bad) and for a few minutes I panicked thinking that it was a road block. But then I realised there were firetrucks and ambulance there. So I realised that it was an accident. What I wasn't prepared for was to see the long, LONG, line of cars parked on the side of the road. It almost looked like they were all going for some concert. People were running, walking, on the phone pointing frantically towards the crash site. I was so amazed. I wondered: Do people in other countries react or behave this way too? Do they stop just to go and see what's happening? What do they get out of it? Happiness? Natural high? Don't tell me some go there just to 'get-off' on such tragedy. Damn but there are sick people like that in this world.

So all these people were rushing to the crash scene and to do what (besides hogging around and being gleeful witnesses), I also don't know. Fine if it's someone you know who's involved in the accident. But the rest? I don't know. It was just ridiculous that at 4am there was a bad jam. Thought we had enough of that during working hours. But this tells me that despite how "caring" a society we are, this image of us shows that we are still heartless. We enjoy so much the misery of others. Deep down, we're no better than scums.

Object if you will. I would too. I think I'm a nice guy. But still, I have my fair share of rubber-necking but not because I want to. I'm just pulled in with the rest. If it's jam, then you drive slow, then you have time to look. So you look. And I'm thinking if I don't look, would the jam disappear? No. So since I'm stuck, I look too. But does that mean I'm not to be blamed? No. I'm still part of the problem. Yes, one person can't change the entire society mindset. That being the case, I don't see any reason for me NOT to crap on all of us either. These words of mine shouldn't hurt you at all. So, you and I, are scums. Period.

Ya, we get high on the unfortunate. Be it on the roads, in the office, anywhere. Deep down most of us feel great seeing others miserable. Yes, when the beggar sitting on the footpath, begging for money, we normally would just walk by and give a straight face but I bet deep down we're saying "Thank god that's not me". Yes I'm not ashamed to say I've thought like that. So if a nice guy like me can think like that, I bet you would too. Don't fight it. Just accept it. One day, you'll be smiling at someone who's unfortunate.

But in all that is bad in us, there must be something good out of it. So be happy that you're better off than the next person. That's your blessing. But make sure that you walk on and mind your own business. We don't need to show how lucky we are nor have that thought when we're passing someone less fortunate. We just need to keep in mind how lucky we are and move on with our own lives. Work on your blessings and be on your way. Just one more thing though: if you seriously can't help thinking how lucky you are, then try to help others that are in need. That would be good, really. If we could do that, then I'm sure our blessings will be twofold. Don't just stop and see the accident. Help. If you're not there to help, then don't stop. Better to be not helpful (and drive on) then to be there and not help at all. We are a caring society right? Are we? I'm sure we are.

Have a wonderful Christmas.