From the past several years, I have stayed out of state. I’ve had the opportunity to analyze the contrasting features of different societies. I’ve come across corruption, fraud, theft, deceit, and whatnot, yet I have seen honesty, hope, care, and piousness in various people of different societies.
And ultimately, what do I end up doing? Obviously, like everyone, I compare.
I consider comparing and finding faults in the people I love and care for an act of patriotism. Who wouldn’t want their child to be sober and on the right track? Likewise, the criticism towards our own should always be taken constructively unless otherwise proven.
My journey of comparing and understanding would have been incomplete had I not joined the workforce a year ago as an intern at GMC Baramulla.
The past year gave me the proper yet devastating perspective of the rot I had never anticipated. Look, finding a society corrupt and unjust is a pain to the body and mind. But a society filled with predators, who prey on women day in and day out, is a pain to the soul.
Now, let us classify the Men of our Society based on the level of rot spread.
Level 1: The Intermittent Oglers
An ogler is a person who gives a flirtatious or lewd look at another person. Unfortunately, such an offensive act and such harassers have found the lowest place on my list. I don’t know if it’s still considered offensive because when “evil gets so prevalent in a society, then at some point, it becomes the norm”.
It might be a hard pill to swallow for some, but checking out is like shrugging off an ant from their shoulders for many. Checking out a female is not a term related to strangers alone. What makes a relative stare at you with that big fat smile? See, I am not against manners and nice gestures, but women know when someone is nice and when they are corrupt.
The first line of defense against the shaitan as a Muslim is none other than the control of gaze. But sadly, this line of defense has been completely shattered and breached. It’s not limited to the young only – married, old, and even younger than the young have been affected.
Level 2: The Continuous Oglers
These shameless creatures are a level up from the intermittent ones. In this category, the residual fear and shame are also lost. I cannot exactly tell what goes on in their minds, but remorse is the last thing to be found in them. I don’t even think that such people consider anything wrong in continuous gazing.
Speaking from experience, intermittent and continuous oglers mostly belong to the uneducated class of society. There is a reason for it – they lack confidence in intervention.
Hilariously, such confidence comes with education. Haha. I know it might sound a bit strange, but the next category will surely explain.
Level 3: Compliment and Care Givers
“Miss, let’s have lunch together,” “Should I drop you back home?” “You are looking beautiful today” are a few examples of unnecessary care and compliment givers.
I categorize it as soft or white-collar harassment. Such predators are largely present in workplaces, and their count is not small. Mark my opinion, every other female has gone through this harassment or has to go through it every day. This often leads to an uncomfortable work environment for our women folk. These shameless talking clowns have lost their self-respect. I have witnessed it firsthand, and it is so disgusting to see that even after repeated declines, these animals don’t succumb.
The additional hierarchical decorum reinforces this annoyance. This kind of sexual harassment of juniors is quite prevalent in every workplace.
I have placed such educated predators on level 3. The lack of fear of doing wrong because of the position they possess and the courage to ask or tell or give subtly illicit things is the reason for their ranking.
Level 4: Eve-Teasing Tram Trackers
If anyone is at this level, he has somewhat killed the human inside. He has almost flamed the decency within and poisoned the son/brother he once was.
Of course, Allah forgives and guides whom He wishes, but to be at this level, one needs to cross all the barriers. For this, the heart should be numb and the soul should be dead. Only then will you find the courage to follow someone to the limits of actual fear and pass undesired comments. Such sadistic behavior is mostly a gimmick and source of fun. And unfortunately, I am not talking about some rare species here. We all have women related to us, be they mothers, daughters, or sisters. Ask them, and I’m sure you won’t be surprised. Because like me, you also live in the same society. Our sisters have to go through such barbarism daily, and that is the reality, believe it or not.
Level 5: Physical Molesters
This is the only category where the graph seems to be declining. I repeat “seems” because I believe such cases are mostly under-reported. Intentional touches and pushes in crowded public places are common. Such vicious animals are surely sick. What is more concerning are the hidden pedophiles. And access to children is mostly from within.
I would still say that this group of people is limited in our society, but their presence surely is.
Conclusion
This piece of writing was critically focused on deranged men. Of course, that doesn’t mean there are no good men left. I strongly believe in our collective consciousness, of which I have seen no parallel. The amount of enlightened youth we possess is a gem to behold. My intention is not to discourage but to fact-check and appreciate the reality. Talking of roses won’t get us a garden. Yes, taking out the weed is definitely the first step towards it.
