Acceptance – a word, a myth?

‘YES’ is the first word we usually say when we agree for something. But agreeing doesn’t always mean that it has been accepted. I know it sounds contradictory but that’s the harsh reality of today’s ‘modern’ generation.

Indeed we live in the 21^st century but still there are some whose mentality hasn’t left the 90s. They still believe that topics like The Same Sex Marriage or A Wife Working While the Husband Babysits is unconventional.

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The role of acceptance and denial has been into play from a very long time and has been feeding on human brain till present times. The world has seen those times on numerous occasions, being the topic of untouchability (where high caste people used to seclude themselves from the lower caste people) or the topic of Apartheid (majority of nonwhites South African population would be forced to live in separate areas from white and use separate public facilities, also the contact between the two communities would be limited). In present scenario we still see it as the face of Racism, where members of one race believe they are intrinsically superior to members of other races.

Considering an example – CNN published a report on 18 August 2017 stating how black and whites see racism in the United States (US).

Excerpts from the report are:-

• 87% of black Americans say they face discrimination but only 49% white Americans say that.
• 6 in 10 Americans said racism against blacks is widespread in US – up from the point when Barack Obama’s first term.
• While majority of non-whites labelled this as a ‘serious problem’, only 39% of whites felt the same way.

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We as individuals have also been playing this scenario in our day to day lives. We have been born and raised in a society where the role of acceptance & denial starts from childhood and carries on till being an adult. So when time comes, we tend to believe in them and commit some mistakes that we usually regret later on.

Some lessons taught in childhood-

1. Not to befriend someone lower than your caste or status, because directly-indirectly it will tarnish family name.
2. Speaking English publicly is acceptable because it shows how good mannered you are and belong to a well to do family, whereas speaking in native language is not that accepted.

Some lessons taught in adulthood/teenage-

1. Watching of T.V. commercial with family where a random boy sprays a branded deodorant/perfume on himself to attract girls is acceptable but watching an advertisement regarding condoms/sanitary pads is not acceptable.
2. A widower with kids marrying again is acceptable but when the same is done by a widow, it’s not acceptable.

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Recently the Supreme Court of India Scrapped section 377 of the Indian penal code that criminalised homosexuality. There were waves of happiness & joy among the LGBTQ community but was the rule accepted by everyone? For some maybe Yes but for most it’s still a No. People with old mentality usually see such amendments as an erroneous decision. From outside they’re like “Yes, it’s a fine judgement” but from inside they haven’t accepted it yet.

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So, 2 big questions arise-

1. How much more time will people take to realise that acceptance isn’t a myth anymore?

2. Will they ever understand that accepting will not make them small, instead it will open their mind for their own good and for the bigger picture – the world?