First, a Persian couplet:

Gar na beenad barooz-e-shapparah chashm
Chashma'e aaftaab ra cheh gunaah

If a bat cannot see the brightness of the day
The blame for this cannot be put upon the sun

THE "RICE" CRISIS

In her remarks at a Peace Corps Conference earlier this week, Condolezza Rice listed the following 4 causes for the looming food crisis in the United States:

1. Rising oil prices
2. Increasing use of bio-fuels
3. Inefficient food distribution systems
4. Improving diets of human beings in India and China

It is this 4th cause that has raised eyebrows in both China and India. Rice went on to say in her speech: "It is not so much declining production as apparently improvement in the diets of people, for instance, in China and India, and thus the pressures to keep food inside their country. So that's another element that we have to look at."

Particularly, the words "we have to look at it..." made it as nasty as it could be. Reacting to Rice's comments, the Indian Minister of State for External Affairs clarified to the reporters diplomatically: "Ms. Rice has a different perception about India. Our people will eat what they need." 

Arrogance, ladies and gentlemen, is an unfortunate side-effect of those to whom much has been given. The arrogant assumes that his personal views and opinions are the Gospel of Truth.

The arrogant sees first himself. Rather than offering respect to all, he demands respect from all.

Dismissive by nature, he ends up vitiating every relationship: with himself and with others. He is the most friendless, the most disliked, the most unfortunate man on earth.

Self-worshipping to the core, the arrogant sees others as less human -- as cardboard cut-outs with no feelings or emotions.

Just like a fanatic believer proselytizes, shoving his own path onto others as the one and only way, browbeating and telling others that they are inferior beings on earth who can be saved only by following his chosen path.

In reality, though, the path of arrogance is the surest path to ruin.

Just like humility, arrogance does not come in a day. It takes years and years of misguided self-indulgence.

Constant introspection and critical self-analysis is the only faithful vigil against arrogance. And it is particularly important for those who are used to immense power and are likely to suffer from delusions of grandeur.

Those in positions of immense power must be on constant guard against this evil of arrogance. Saddam Hussein is an easy case in point to remember.

Those who suffer from delusionary self-belief and arrogance, will usually have the following common conditions prevailing in their immediate environment:

1. Excessive stress and fatigue.
2. No time for family or friends, excessive isolation and pressure.
3. Fear, anxiety and paranoia about the historic immensity of your job.
4. Privy to awesome amounts of sensitive information.
5. Escalating responsibilities and commitments.
6. Overwhelming inner need for protecting image and reputation.

In these severe emotional conditions, there is no scope left for logic. Those who practise the art of cultism, actually cultivate these conditions in your mind, and then indoctrinate you. This is how a terrorist is created.

When Rice says: "We will have to look at it...", she is actually terrorising, without knowing it. When Bush said after 9/11: "Either you are with us, or you are against us", he was doing the same. And then he launched into a war against Afghanistan and Iraq.

These things happen when you are undergoing the above-mentioned conditions -- and you are not strong enough handle such pressure-cooker situations with ease and self-control.

An emotional man will fail utterly in these conditions. He will decimate everything, including himself. Only a logical man will be able to resolve his mind, and stay calm through the crisis. In this case, the "Rice" Crisis.