Every once in a while along the course of life you come across people who make you believe that the world could be different, that it could be better. When I come across such people, it ignites ambition in me. Not ambition for myself, but for them. It becomes evident to me in such situations that some people are here on this planet to really create a big impact. I become ambitious for them. Have you ever felt that?
Dusan, for me, is one such person. I've had the pleasure to share a great friendship with him over the past couple of years. Every single conversation with him is a deep dive into a great treasure of perspective & awareness. I feel ambitious about what he can accomplish in his life.
Growing up in India, I have never heard or learnt much about his home land - Serbia. My knowledge is so sparse that I have never even heard of any people from the country or any stereotypes about them. Dusan was the first person I got to know from Serbia. Having worked for the same organisation for a long period of time, we generally seem to have similar interests in the happenings around the world.
For some time now, the young & old alike in India have seen an eruption of protests for multiple causes across the country. I strongly believe that the media plays a huge divisive role in India. It is hard for me today to trust these "sources of information". "There are so many discrepancies in what is reported, that it is hard to believe if there is independent media. Very recently there were reports of the COVID data in the country being flawed. It seems like there is an absolute control over them by people more powerful."
While he was talking, it made me realise that India was not the only country where young people suspect foul-play in media & reporting. Our young people have been out on the streets for months, standing up against autocracy in governance and the death of journalism as we know it.
<aside> 📰 At first, Serbia's response to the pandemic was prescient and systematic. A full lockdown and strict border controls were introduced on March 15, when the confirmed cases were still few. Less than two months later and in preparation for the June elections, the government ended the state of emergency with no clear epidemiological explanation. Overnight, Serbia went from one of the world's strictest lockdowns to permitting and encouraging super-spreader events, including a Serbian Football Cup semi-final match with 20,000 spectators. Together, the sudden shift from lockdown to large gatherings and the falsified sharp declines in COVID-19 statistics served to tell a simple lie: The government had defeated the virus. This reckless move reflected the very logic of Aleksandar Vučić's long political career: Power by any means and at any cost, even people's lives and wellbeing. As expected, on June 21, they won by a landslide in rigged elections with less than 50 percent voter turnout due to the opposition's boycott and disillusionment fuelled by a widespread belief that the vote would be undemocratic.
</aside>
Reading about Serbia's political scenario over the past 40 years is a great insight on how autocratic leadership will eventually find its own downfall.
"Just like a pendulum swings, for a few decades we saw Globalisation help with the economic progression that the world witnessed until 2005-06. But since then, the pendulum is probably swinging the other way. The rise of nationalism around the world is evident. It is easier to sell hate at a time where people don't have their basic needs fulfilled. I'm afraid how it will impact the world."
Dusan has been working in different countries for some years now. "My purpose even now is to go back to Serbia one day. But the situation in the country is difficult right now. I suffer when I look at injustice. I tend to react. For now, I want to be putting myself in places where I can win than fighting the losses."
I relate to him as he says this. It is only natural for one to want to build a good life for themselves. I have thought the same myself about India.
Despite all the problems back home or around the world and the fear that all of us live with, Dusan is still hopeful. "Even if it is contradictory to what I said before, I think the world is in the best state it has been. I think the unity of people (probably not the governments) has never been like this before. My hope is that there is an abundance of opportunities in the world today, and I hope we figure out better distribution of them. The change is usually the opposite of now & that scares us. If we give people the opportunity to flourish and the society wakes up to be more equal, the world would be a better place"
Listening to Dusan makes me realise the same about India. There doesn't seem to be a lack of anything in this country, yet millions of people with a lack of basic necessities.
I have my own fears about this world too.
But my hope lies in people like Dusan.