Category: Values/Ethics

It’s easier to tell the truth, than lie

Our lives are embedded with truth and lies. We try our best to live truthfully but do end up with lies when we face challenges and find it difficult to overcome them truthfully.

If we look back at our lives, there could be millions of instances when we wanted to tell the truth, but had to a lie ,since we did not have the courage to speak the truth.

Our childhood is testimony to many such instances. We may have broken a glass bottle but would unhesitatingly blame our sibling ,since we do not want to face the wrath of our parents. We may have bunked school for a game of football but would lie to our teachers when caught, that we were not aware that the class was on.

As adolescents, we may have smoked or had a drink in a party, but when caught by our parents ,would again lie that we never smoked or drank although we attended the party and so on. The list is endless and the excuses become more innovative ,as we grow older and more experienced at it.

After having invented many innovative lies in different stages of life like a kid, adolescent or an adult at work, I realise today that it is easier to tell the truth, then lie.

The trend continues at the workplace. We may lie many times that our aunts, uncles and grandparents have passed away, when we bunk office and have no plausible reason to give for taking leave. We may fake sickness when we miss deadlines in a project and so on.

I can recall many instances, when one lie had to be covered up with a hundred more lies. If I bunked a class and went for a movie and was caught by a neighbour, I may have faked that some classmate met with an accident. Then, when the neighbour enquires which hospital, we have to lie again and then what injury ,would lead to a third lie and so on . the list is endless.

On the other hand, sometimes telling the truth may solve the issue faster and is simpler. If caught watching a movie, bunking a class by a teacher and accepting that we bunked and went for a movie , it may end the issue without any complications. However, life is not so simple. so ,sometimes we tend to lie and one lie leads to another thousand lies.

As we grow and learn in life, we may realise ,that speaking the truth is easier. However, it needs more courage and honesty, which is not easy in life. As we speak the truth, life becomes more challenging ,as sometimes we may lose our face and at other times , our prestige. But in the long term, the path of truth may be easier to live ,than the volley of lies.

It could be difficult to speak the truth ,as a kid and even as an adolescent but as we turn into adults, we could realise the ease of speaking the truth versus the complexity of speaking lies ,everyday of our life.

We could be forgiven as a kid or even as an adolescent, as we are learning by the mistakes we commit ,every day. But, as an adult our ability to learn from the mistakes accelerates and it may be difficult for people to forgive us for speaking lies, so easily.

It is easier to speak the truth, then lie in life.

S Ramesh Shankar

17th Sep 2023

Think before you ink

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Our ability to think before we ink may help us determine our future.  This may be the true barometer of a democracy as much a measure of our true success in life.  Let us first examine this hypothesis on what is a true democracy in society at large.  A nation, where every citizen can at free will express herself or himself without any repercussions or consequences is the foundation of a true democracy.    A country where the vote of every citizen is equal and valuable in determining its future is the crux of a democratic state.

I am lucky to be born in India, the world’s largest democracy and thriving for the last 60 years and counting.  We are multi cultural, truly secular and thrive on democratic values.  We may not be the most prosperous country in the world in money terms but we are the wealthiest in the world in emotional and spiritual power.  This has been possible only because every citizen of India determines our future.  Our constitution makers have ensured that every citizen contributes to the making of India.

The vote of the citizen in India is equal irrespective of whether you are rich or poor and whether you are educated or illiterate.  We are the first country in the world to have 100% electronic voting machines almost a decade back and we proud of our democratic credentials.  While the election commission of India, which is a constitutional body plays the role of an independent watchdog to protect and promote the rights of its citizens, it is each of one of us as independent citizens, who have contributed to this success by thinking before we ink in every election.

Now, if we move to the individual, the significance of thinking before we write something is equally important in our lives.  While everyone does appreciate the value of communications in life, it may be forgiven if we use inappropriate language verbally and seek forgiveness as soon as we realise it or someone points it out to us.  It may be erased from memory and easily forgotten too.  However, what is written down stays engraved in stone and lives in memory for eternity.

We need to think before we ink.  This may be easier said than done. In an era of emails and mobile communications, there is more communication through written forms of emails and chats rather than speech.  This makes it all the more necessary for us to think before we write.  We need to choose every word with caution and imagine the impact of the words we choose on the recipient of our communication.

We need to realise that it is easier to speak than to write.  The more we think before we ink, the better may be our expression and the more its impact.  It is we, who determine how others perceive us.  It is we as citizens determine the future of our country. The kid in the photo above seems to be thinking intensely before he puts his thoughts on the iPad.

Let us think.

S Ramesh Shankar
January 2017

Past versus Future


If we signify the “Past”, our children epitomise the “Future”. Our generation is history but the future generation is a mystery. I have always wondered as to why we study so much of history and not much about the future.  We have to realise that our past generations have contributed to our success and happiness in life. It is our duty to invest our best for the benefit of the future generations.

Let us look at the family as an institution.  How much of our time are we investing in our children ?  How do we contribute to the success of the future ? Many of us believe that investing in academics and ensuring our kids get good scholastic education will insure their future.  I am afraid we may be wrong. The future will thrive on the values and beliefs we inculcate in the next generation.

If we move to the work place, the situation is not very different.  We believe that if we hone the skills of the younger generation, we have done our duties. It is important to remember that future of human kind is an optimal combination of ‘Skill ‘& ‘Will’.  While “skills”can be trained, “will”has to be internalised.  We cannot expect that the younger people will listen to what we say.  They may follow what we do.

It is in this context, it is important for us to lead by example.  We have to as parents, teachers and leaders be clear what will shape the world of the future.  We have to continue to invest in new skills but is equally important and may be more relevant to inculcate the will.  It is also very important to realise that while skill can be be developed over the years, will gets deeply embedded in the mind and may be difficult to change.

The values of the past may not be a passport for the future.  Just as the skills of the past may not create a future of our choice.  Thus it is critical to review and reshape the future by investing time and effort into it.  We cannot inculcate values by investing money.  We can train people on skills by spending money.  But, it is virtually impossible to inculcate the right values by spending money on our future generations.

The success of the future generations lies in the investment of our time today. We cannot expect miracles in the future without establishing the foundations of values required for its sustainability.  The future will become present even before we realise it.  It is important for us to realise the impact we can make today for creating a future, which all of us will be proud of.

Just as in the photo above, the future generation will follow what they see of the past as measures of success.

Let us invest today for a tomorrow we feel proud of.

S Ramesh Shankar