A world full of CRUTCHES

A crutch is a thing used for support or reassurance. They are physical objects used to make lives better for people who have difficulty in walking and moving forward. Here, I am looking at the basic meaning of support or justification .

We use verbal crutches in our everyday lives without even knowing that we are using them. Our statements are a reflection of how we look at the world around us and use crutches to communicate about our justifications for actions or inactions .

There are crutches in the aspects of race, caste or religion that take a strong place in our subconscious mind on account of the upbringing and guide our thinking and reasoning . There are also certain crutches we pick up over time as we grow and as we get experience about the world around us. We place a lot many of these crutches in our mental stores for their "reuse" in justification of past or current actions.

When people see more examples of crutches being used by many people around them, they are embolden to use it when their time for use arises. They find it perfectly normal to take liberty to using examples and/or quotations to justify everything they do .

Sometimes people use crutches to take them out of a situation when they find their actions were not something desirable .You may sometimes come across examples wherein some offer people insights and guidance with statements containing crutches.

Let's look at some statements or questions that reflect on people holding on to crutches.

• Be a practical person. The world works only this way and no other way (and many have been doing this in the past too and also doing at present).
• Why should we pay SO much tax while others who are earning much more are paying less tax.
• I have been waiting for this opportunity after a long time . All people who have got this opportunity in the past have been doing the same thing in the past. So, why should I be different.
• You are questioning me (for holding on to this crutch of referring to them) but you didn't question them at earlier time when they also did the same.
• I am older and more experienced than you . So, don't tell me that you know a better way. Have already tried whatever you have thought and would be thinking in future.
• Why are you putting so much effort in following the path of truth and principles?. How many of these successful people we see around us are really seen as doing that? Yet, they are the role models. Nothing succeeds like success. No one asks you what you did to get you here. You need to be either related or develop relationships to succeed.
• Its quite OK to lie and manipulate if this fulfils your goals. End matters more than means.

Crutches reflect insecurities . They provide encouragement to jump at and exploit the opportunities as and when they arise without thinking whether this is the right way to proceed . They are used as shield for self defense when questioned.

Karma is about action without thinking (much) about when you will get the results. Karma with use of crutches is about rapid realization and maintenance of the fruits of actions or inactions.

How prevalent is the use of crutches in your workplace, society or country?

Do crutches slow down a nation's progress and the spread of wealth across its citizens?

What other statements do you see that reflects use of crutches?