We often see people saying "great", "he is great". We know number of persons, especially historical images, having epithet "Great" prefixed or suffixed with their name viz; Alexander the Great, Fredric the Great, even the Great Wall of China and so on. There may be some specialty, special achievement behind those guys being termed as “Great”, I being not a blind follower, rarely agrees anyone others view, opinion on any specific aspect, unless it specifically satisfies me. Not only this, I am of certain and confirmed view that everybody should be very much selective and fastidious in every matter. As such it is to be known or determined what exactly is meant by the epithet “Great”, as to what yardstick should be applied before deeming one to be “Great”. In this context, what appeal to me is summarized below.
Everybody is living in his own time. Everybody is child of his own hour. Such time or hour is having various internal flows, streams. Externally there appears no difference in the particular spell of time; it definitely differs from each other. As such - as to how far one reaches from the time is he living - should be the first and foremost yardstick and criteria applied to ascertaining any one’s greatness. To have a better idea of this particular logic, I would like to explain as follows.
I am from India. In India, lot of population still resides in very remote places, where life is much arduous. Even for drinking water, one has to walk for number of kilo meters. Energy supply is rare, means of public conveyance are little and infrequent. All other amenities are still very far for those people. Ok.
I resides at a district place having population of a half million plus. I hail from a middle class or rather higher middle class family, earns in five figures. Whatever possible amenities I can have, I have. My son is of eight, student of primary school. He knows what is refrigerator, washing machine, computer, etc. He is growing in adequately good social and academic atmosphere. I can manage hired conveyance for him to school. Ok.
Now a boy of similar age of my son from the remote area, which I have discussed in earlier paragraph, does not have all the amenities, facilities, academic atmosphere which my son has. All these aspects may not be available in such remote area for at least one more decade. Thus, a boy of the age of my son from such area might not know about computer. To me, it is not his fault, but for the span of time he is presently living. Since all these aspects may not be available to him for one more decade, there is no harm in stating that such boy from remote area is living at least ten years back span of time than that of my son. If we are now in 2009, that boy I believe is now in 1995 or so. These are the two different span of current hour.
Similarly, a Mumbai boy of the age of my son might be having more amenities at his educational center; he may be living ahead of my son at least for five more years i.e. in 2015 or so. Likewise, a boy from U.S.A. may be having much more such facilities available to him even than that of Mumbai boy; he may be living in 2020. Thus, although, externally looking it is now 2009 we all are living, in the particular and specific situation I have mentioned above, a boy from remote area is living in 1995, my son is living in 2009, a Mumbai boy is living in 2015 and a U.S.A. boy is living in 2020. Ok.
Now let’s turn towards our topic of discussion. Apply the yardstick which I have quoted earlier in this particular situation. If the boy from remote area succeeds in the academic career more than my son, he crossed ten twelve years of the time span. If he has more success in life than that of Mumbai boy or U.S.A. boy, then he crossed 20 – 30 plus years of the period in which he lives. And in such event, he may be eligible to be stated – “Great”.
The criteria quoted by me may well be applied to different age groups, professions and situations. Howsoever, it should be ensured that the yardstick being applied should be rational and uniform.
I, therefore, urge everybody to consider one’s greatness in the manner prescribed hereinabove and get their self satisfied that such and such person is really “Great”.
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