We come across many people who lie for nothing. It has been developed as a habit due to fear. Max Muller and other Europeans in India were offended by the lie that their servants were saying. Most of the servants absented themselves without permission and returned with a story of hardships. But they failed to withstand master’s questions and invariably admitted their fault. Hence, they branded all Indians as liars.
Max Muller disputed with some Europeans who made certain sweeping assertions against Indians as liars. “If I hear a man calling all Indians liars, generally ask how many he has known, and I do the same when I hear all Frenchmen called monkeys, all Italians assassins, all Germans unwashed, all Russians savages, or even England Perfide Albion. I have never in all my life repented having had eyes for the bright side rather than the dark side of nations as well as of individuals.”[1] Can we attribute personal pitfalls into communities? We should never do that.
There is another side of the story. Can a poor servant express his/her mind openly? The rich and the powerful are pleased to hear ‘ama aya’ (yes sir) and they consider ‘intrekku mudiyatayya’ (today it may not be possible sir) as an act of disobedience. How can an Indian servant say no to an Indian or European master? Max Muller observed, “It is easy to be truthful if you have nothing to fear, but we must not wonder if, to escape an oath or a kick, a native servant will now and then tell a lie to his master.”[2] There are a lot of people who hesitate to say ‘no’ even if they wanted to say so. A clear and distinct ‘yes’ or ‘no’ is very comfortable and convenient. We can develop trust and save time and energy. Actually, the poor servants oblige when asked, because they have no right to disagree. They are subjugated and ordered. They are unable to say ‘no’ and incapable to fulfill. Can we treat their inability as dishonesty? Give freedom and inculcate courage and credibility. Enjoy freedom and act courageously but be prudent.
Who is Max Muller?
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