LETTERS: AS somebody who is retiring in a few years, I think my generation is grappling with the question of how much we can look forward to a better tomorrow in the medium and long term.
One can be pessimistic or optimistic, in view of current challenges in all spheres of life. I have to say I'm both pessimistic and optimistic.
These days, we are better informed of the trials and tribulations of those who have come back to the cities from their kampungs as public holidays end and work resumes.
The usual data on casualties on the road will be reported again and the reasons for them will be presented once more.
At the end of it all is whether we learn the lessons of safety on the road and the solutions to go for. The statistics will partly answer them.
At the other end of the spectrum, politics will continue to get public attention, whether in Parliament, on the street and especially so on social media.
Amidst all the politicking, it remains to be seen whether the virtues that we are supposed to uphold in Ramadan, patience and resilience in adversity, stay or vanish.
Most likely the latter, as social media platforms are also akin to a battlegournd where many now have become the so-called keyboard warriors.
If I am to be more pessimistic, what's been happening overseas dampened my outlook to a certain extent. The crisis in Gaza especially is top of the list given that it started before Ramadan and will likely continue post-Ramadan.
I believe people of all ages throughout the world wonder how such "live violence" inflicted on one side continues unabated.
The first conflict one can witness on screen in real time and the world's superpowers seemingly unable to stop it after more than six months with more than 33,000 deaths?
Rightly, people wonder about International law and humanitarian law.
Humanity is increasingly difficult to find when one talks about the Gaza tragedy. Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim posed the same question during his visit to Germany. So, ask ourselves about our own humanity.
If we do have that, then we would not waste time on social media talking and criticising back and forth every day, taking sides and bashing others who do not share our view.
While building a nation takes a lot of differing minds, using foul language, whether aloud in person or typing it out in social media, is not the way to do that.
Years ago my generation especially, were told to lead by example. In this respect, I have just read on Instagram about a person in Turkiye selling his house to buy 150 tents for the people of Gaza.
That's leading by example by an ordinary person. I applaud him, but how many are willing to do that? To be fair, I generally feel that it is a trait among the many ordinary people in all strata of society.
Thus, given everything that's happened in the past month or so, I would say that there's not much to celebrate during this year's Hari Raya festivities, though we must still believe in the goodness of our fellow man.
Therefore, a better mindset and attitude towards achieving peace and harmony are needed.
These we can strive for.
Selamat Hari Raya to all.
MOHAMAD ARIFFIN
Kuala Lumpur
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times
