As a lot of development has already taken place in the country bringing many changes in society. Disappointingly quite a good number of the changes is negative. Growing insensitivity is one such thing. In this country, more and more people are turning insensitive to others. The insensitivity is in terms of gender, profession, religion, wealth, education, health and what not. To put it simply, insensitivity is a lack of feeling or sympathy for other people's feelings, or an unwillingness to give due importance to something.
Not that there was a golden era when people were all caring and courteous. Nevertheless, showing mutual respect and being sensitive to others' causes was largely innate. Things have, however, started to change gradually since the material comfort of people became a priority thanks to persistent economic growth. Rapid growth helps uplift a large number people from severe poverty. At the same time, it creates income disparity across society mainly due to distorted distribution of growth.
The distortion further fuels unhealthy competition among many people to attain more wealth and power. This rush, driven by selfishness, makes people insensitive and they care little about others' problems. Thus neighbours are keeping distance with one another. They become less cooperative. More and more parents are less interested to teach their children about the importance of sensitivity. They are mostly concentrating on tests and academic results. Schools also keep sensitivity and mutual respect off the syllabus. Teachers have no time to provide lesson on this many of them are also not sensitive themselves.
Insensitivity is at its full display on roads and motorcyclists lead the pack. They have no respect for traffic rules and pedestrians. They care little about other vehicles especially private cars, auto-rickshaws and rickshaws. Their attitude also indicates how poor their cultural-orientation is. Jaywalking of pedestrians is another thing directly linked to insensitivity. Though bad management and unplanned development are mostly responsible for chaotic traffic on roads, lack of sensitive attitude en masse contributes to make thing worse.
Insensitivity to women and children has reached a dangerous level. From house to road, from school to office, from shopping centre to recreation centre, women are generally subject to insensitive attitude of men. By not showing sensitivity to women, from teenagers to elderly one, a large number of men find it a matter of their manly superiority.
Fast but flawed urbanisation also plays a role in turning people insensitive. The list is long. It is important to think about the matter seriously. It is time to inculcate sensitivity in young generation from an early age. No doubt this is challenging but it is essential for a nation's growth.