07 May, 2010

Do you like the thing that holds you back?

Would you like to be on a leash, for instance? (BDSM jokes apart!). Isn't it amazing how human society and its norms change the behaviour of animals—dogs especially? Everyone's come across the dog who is overjoyed on seeing its 'owner' reach for the leash: that could only mean it's walky time! The leash, made for the very purpose of restricting freedom of movement, sends a dog into a fit of joy and hard tail-wagging because it means freedom from the restricted environs of its home. But while the dog is free to do what it wants to at home, on the leash its movement is quite restricted and dependent on the person in control of that leash. Yet, it chooses the leash over freedom at home. So do we. Governments, institutions and the society at large, almost always give individuals the leash treatment. One step forward and five back. Some petty allowances here and there in exchange for taking away some really important rights. And we're usually happy and thankful for this.