Being good. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? Like helping an old lady cross the road, paying your taxes on time, saying “thank you” to the waiter—neki kar, Facebook pe daal type of good. But if you scratch just beneath the surface of this feel-good veneer, you'll realize that being good, especially in today’s kalyug, is nothing less than a full-time, underpaid, and underappreciated job.

To be good in a world that celebrates shortcuts, corruption, and narcissism is like trying to dance in a room full of landmines—one wrong step and dhuaan dhuaan ho jaata hai.

A Good Man in a Not-So-Good World

Let’s talk about the average Indian man who genuinely tries to be good. He wakes up, avoids bribing the traffic cop, pays for his ticket on the train, resists peeking into the neighbor’s Wi-Fi, and refrains from spitting paan on public walls. In short, he's trying. But soon, reality hits him like an electricity bill in summer.

In our country, where corruption is as common as aloo in sabzi, a good man is considered either bevakoof or dikhawa kar raha hai. Try doing the right thing and watch people stare at you like you’re a relic from the Harappan Civilization.

Want to return the extra change the shopkeeper gave you by mistake? “Bhaiya, kya chahiye? Nobel Prize?” Want to raise your voice against workplace harassment? “Yeh sab toh chalta hai yaar, itna mat socha kar.” Try refusing to give a bribe for your own work, and you’ll be told, “System hi aisa hai.” Congratulations, you’re now officially the problem.

When Humanity Took a Backseat—Indian Edition

Sadly, our history is filled with spine-chilling cases where being good wasn’t just difficult—it was dangerous. We pride ourselves on being sanskaar-rich, but let’s not forget how quickly that mask slips.

Let’s talk about the 2023 Manipur violence, where two women were paraded naked in broad daylight. Not a single “good man” from the crowd dared to intervene. A society that worships goddesses but can’t protect its women—wah bhai wah, kya hypocrisy hai!

Or consider the Unnao rape case, where a sitting MLA was accused of rape, and the survivor’s family had to fight the system tooth and nail. When they sought justice, what did they get in return? Accidents, intimidation, and silence. Being good here isn’t just tough—it’s life-threatening.

And how can we forget the Pehlu Khan case in Rajasthan? A man transporting cows with legal documents in hand was lynched by a mob of “cow protectors.” No one saved him. Why? Because being good, being rational, and standing against the mob is apmaan ki baat ho gayi hai.

The Phalgam Case – When Even the Valley Wept

And then there’s the Phalgam case from Kashmir. A place already scarred by decades of conflict witnessed something that pierced through whatever humanity was left. A young tourist was brutally lynched by locals over a rumor—a misunderstanding fueled by misinformation and rage.

The saddest part? Some people could have stopped it. People who stood by. People who choose their safety over humanity. In a country that boasts Atithi Devo Bhava, the guest was brutally silenced. This wasn’t just the death of a man. It was the slow, public assassination of compassion.

And the cherry on top? Most people forgot about it within a week. Twitter moved on. News channels found new headlines. Because in India, tragedy has a shelf life, and insaaniyat ki value toh Reliance ke stock se bhi zyada fluctuate karti hai.

“Achhe Aadmi” Syndrome – A Social Disease

Being good also means dealing with the ever-present, ever-judgy Indian society. “Achha aadmi hai, lekin thoda slow hai na...” You’ll often hear this line in casual conversations. Translation: “He’s honest, which means he won’t get ahead.”

In India, if you don’t cheat in exams, you’re a fool. If you don’t pay a bribe, you’ll wait forever. If you don’t pull some strings for a government job, you’re idealistic, aka bewakoof. In our social fabric, being corrupt is acceptable as long as you’re successful. But being good and struggling? Bhagwaan hi malik hai.

Why Is It So Tough to Be Good?

Let’s break it down:

• No Immediate Reward – Unlike lying or cheating, goodness doesn’t come with a cashback offer.
• Social Pressure – Most people won’t support you. Instead, they’ll question your sanity.
• Fear of Isolation – Standing up against wrong often means standing alone.
• Systemic Rot – The system is not built to support good people; it crushes them slowly.
• Hero Today, Forgotten Tomorrow – You may trend for a day, but you’ll be replaced by the next “sensation.”

Even films know this. Our heroes today are more “gray” than “great.” From Kabir Singh to Pushpa, our icons are flawed, selfish, and angry. Because that’s what resonates. The good guy is boring. The good guy doesn’t get the girl. The good guy doesn't get the applause. Kya karein, emotion hai bhai.

Let’s not forget some classic Hindi sayings that perfectly sum up the misery of being good:

“Neki kar, dariya mein daal” – Do good, and expect nothing in return. Especially not, thanks.

“Bhains ke aage been bajana” – Trying to explain morality to an immoral crowd.

“Oont ke muh mein jeera” – The impact of one good person in a corrupt world.

“Saanp bhi mar jaye aur lathi bhi na toote” – The impossible ideal good people are expected to achieve.

Hope? Maybe. Change? Only If You Dare

Despite everything, we do have sparks in the dark. Individuals who still stop to help accident victims, whistleblowers who expose scams, citizens who volunteer to teach underprivileged children, and journalists who still speak the truth (at their own peril).

They exist. And they remind us that goodness may be rare, but it's not extinct. They are the ziddi kind who believe that if they don't stand up, no one will. They are not saints—they're warriors in plain clothes. Their reward is not fame, but the quiet satisfaction of doing the right thing when no one else would.

So, how tough is it to be good? Very. Painfully. Exhaustingly. Brutally.

But in a world drowning in self-interest, the good person is not just an outlier—they are the lighthouse.

Let the world mock them, label them, or ignore them. Because the truth is, sachchai kadwi hoti hai, lekin asli hoti hai. And being good may never be easy, but it will always be necessary.

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