All Talk and No Action

Do you ask too many questions? Do you answer all questions that come your way?

Here, I do not refer to invasive and irritating, personal questions.

Time and again, people have tried to drill, unsuccessfully, into me, that asking questions is not the way to go.

Yesterday, someone went ahead and called me the "Torchbearer of Kyun".

Under normal circumstances, I would have taken that as a compliment. Yet, given the setting and the people involved yesterday, I took it as an insult.

Not just to me.

But to everyone with a brain. Everyone who seeks answers. All those who don't believe in blindly following instructions and are genuinely interested in knowing why we do, whatever we do.

Often people shun questions.

Some do it because they feel uncomfortable with the answers. Some do it because they cannot deal with people questioning their thought process and ideas.

But a vast majority dislikes questions, because, it is forced to think.

After all, thinking can be dangerous you see. It can make people realise how superficial and incorrect their beliefs can be.

Yesterday, I was reminded of all those school teachers who drone on for hours in class, not inviting any questions and punishing students who show curiosity.

It reminded me of a lot of bureaucratic, old world financial institutions, who banished voices of dissent and logic...which ultimately led to the current Financial Meltdown.

I also found time to curse our neighbour who is known to censor any information in the public domain and penalise citizens who seek information.

Finally, it rubbed in the point, yet again, how, not asking questions, is akin to showing respect to elders per Indian culture.

It's a miracle we could have an RTI Act passed.

About yesterday, I re-learnt an important lesson.

Never Give Up.

Finally, to answer my own question, it is never too much to ask. For if you fail to ask, think, explore and seek, you cease to exist.