Vi Veri Universum Vivus Vici

First they came for the Jews
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the Communists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for me
and

there was no one left
to speak out for me.

- Pastor Martin Niemöller



A career in science teaches one to be objective and rational in ones arguments. It encourages respect for conflicting points of view and above all it demands neutrality. Unfortunately or fortunately, science alone does not a man make – which is why this one is purely from the heart.

For all the beauty of the game of chess, it is extremely elitist in its ideology. Had it been a socialist invention, we would have had two rows of pawns battling it out – not very exciting viewing one would imagine. The classical game, however, revolves around a conceptually powerful albeit weak king. Flanked by his powerful queen and his religious bishop, he is the day and he is the night, and all rules are made specifically for his safety. While a square can only be occupied by one piece at a time thus bestowing equality amongst comrades, the game is true to its Orwellian roots and some pieces truly are more equal than others. In such an environment where any sort of collateral damage is viewed in perspective of the 'greater good', it makes absolutely no sense to care about the lowly pawns i.e. the masses.

It is an indication of the times we live in that news headlines have more to do with politics than human lives. Buried deep within, is a story of 5 army men that laid down their lives in a remote controlled explosion in the North Waziristan Agency. Of those, one was a brother of a dear friend. His only crime was that of simplicity and unquestioning loyalty to his chain of command. He leaves behind a wife and two children, yet in the 'grand scheme' of things, both his life and death remain inconsequential.

Even as one reads this, the demands of a 'normal' life pull us in conflicting directions. There's that report that needs to be faxed, that assignment that needs to be handed in not to mentioned that sales target that has to be met. Life north of the elitist border carries on regardless of ground realities.

It does not matter that lawyers and media-men are fighting for your civil liberties – our time is more important. It does not matter that as a result of their collective moral stance, the higher judiciary is without a job and their families under house arrest – our job is more important. It does not matter that the poor are being crushed under the weight of simple utilities – our money is more important. It is of no consequence that dozens of army men lay down their lives every week to provide the security blanket under which we rise and sleep – our sleep is more important.

In order to attain the zenith of human happiness, Faust made a deal with the devil Mephistopheles, offering his soul in return. It's about time we recognized that we have done the same. Feigning infant-like naivety, we assume that like a chess board, war remains restricted to an 8x8 playing field and will never reach our doors. Sooner or later someone we know will get illegally detained, someone we know will get killed without any cause or consequence and someone we know will seek justice in an inherently unjust land. On that day however, there will be no one left to speak for us.