Complaint

A complaint against someone is an indication of suffering. But, it is also an indication of hope. A hope that things will improve. A hope that behaviour may improve. A hope that voices can be raised. A hope that change towards positive is possible.

The complaint is about acceptable vs. unacceptable. Be it behaviour, attitude, actions, words, gestures, tones, comments, arguments – of certain persons. This is not about blaming a person for who he/she is, but is about what he/she does.

This has also been time to reflect and introspect. For all of us.  One who complains, one who supports the complainants, one who receives and process the complaints, one who act on complaints, one against whom the complaint is. All of us, can pause and take stock of situation, can identify our sentiments around it, identify our reactions and process them before expressing them.

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Restrained language, cautious approach. But, a courageous effort by many female students against a few male students. However, this must not be reduced to a women vs. men issue.

Creating and improving a learning environment is responsibility of all students. Some students negatively influence the environment through their personal preferences, without respecting collective preferences. Most other students also stick to their personal preferences, find a way around such behaviors, and choose to ignore the collective preferences. Some other refuses to remain silent, and raise an alarm when they found enabling environment to do so. In this case, their being women is an important dimension. All were suffering by certain behaviour of some men. Other men did not raise voice but women did. The men, whose behavior was questioned, may reduce this to men-women issue. Perhaps, certain women may also see it accordingly.  But, then, it is responsibility of all class members to alert themselves against such reductionist approach.

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It is important to recognize that the complaint is about unacceptable things inside the classroom and outside it. The outside-classroom issues were specific, but the inside-classroom issues were universal. The learning environment was getting disturbed. All were getting affected. A few raised voices against it. These few would be blamed for ‘disturbing’ status quo (at times seen as peace and harmony). They may pay certain price, and things may change for the better. Group dynamics may change for better and learning environment may also improve.  A new status quo will occur. All will be benefited by improved environment. Most in the class would then be ‘free-riders’, someone who hasn’t paid any price for improved learning environment.

But, that is how things change at societal level too. All suffer and accept the suffering. That is an accepted equilibrium. Some choose to reject the suffering and raise voices. They try for change. Equilibrium gets affected. They pay price of different kinds for this change to happen. Things improve and all get benefited from this change. Some recognize the price someone else has paid for the change, most other settle down for the new equilibrium.

When a stone is thrown in still water, there would be ripples. But, that is temporary. The ripples will reach the shores and settle down. The water would be still again at a new equilibrium.