Psychologist and philosopher William James once famously wrote, "All our life, so far as it has definite form, is but a mass of habits—practical, emotional, and intellectual—systematically organized for our weal or woe, and bearing us irresistibly towards our destiny, whatever the latter maybe."
Many times, be it, common people or state leaders, we keep making decisions one after another, which seems like a well-researched deliberative decision. Psychiatrists have stated that these decisions are reflex of our habits. Whether to be parsimonious or go for munificent expenses? Whether to work out daily? Whether to keep salad in the menu or mutton kebab- all these are based on habits.
As soon as the liquor stores reopened in the country, we saw long queues along with the stores on the highway. Rich or poor, vice-presidents of MNCs or migrant labourers, people lined-up at the stores. People did not even bother about the social distancing norms in the coronavirus pandemic.
One member of the parliament sent me a message over WhatsApp, “Coming Sunday sharp at 8 pm, stand on your balcony, on one hand, you have to keep spiced up peanuts on one hand and whiskey on the other. Then at eight past two minutes say Cheers!”
The liquor sales provide the respective state government’s significant revenue. It may help states in spending more for people, some have argued. There are merits to both sides of the argument.
We are in the time of coronavirus. Images of lakhs of migrants travelling on foot and crowded trucks force us to think. Cities have taken more from them in return for giving them a livelihood. The government is making all efforts to help them with free ration and shelter. In cities, we see them work in the construction sector, as maids and many related works that help things keep rolling. Industries and MNCs are growingly realizing their value as they press the restart button under relaxed lockdown guidelines. Though at the bottom of the social pyramid, these workers keep our economy, our country going. We must save these people to save ourselves.
We as an individual and as a society, need to change the way we behave. That will start with changing our habits, our spending mechanism, our lifestyle and so on.
The question is to what extent we can really change our habits? Renowned NYT journalist Charles Duhigg in his book - The Power of Habit – famously wrote: “There is no other work as hard as changing the habit of a group of individuals and political society.” But we need to change our habits to protect ourselves, our society and in fact humankind.
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