Unpopular Rich and Educated Man in the Town

By R.B. Thohe Pou *

Who knows you may be one of the richest and educated men in the town. But you may no know - you are the most unpopular educated or rich man in the town until you over-heard from some one talking in the tea stall.

I was shocked to learn that Mr. Shamee John is a very rich and educated person but every one in this town dislikes him. He is such a rich and educated person and I can't understand why people dislike him in many aspects.

Every time he comes to our home town, people talk only his negative aspects; it seems he is the only person in the town who has done nothing good for the town.

Why every one in the town does not recognize his riches and high degree that he had earned? We must respect such an educated and rich person in this town.

Oh I really can't understand why people are against him. He hardly comes to our home town; only few people keep in touch with him but why everyone knows and dislikes him?

Many people may talk against him and dislike him but I respect him as he is rich and well educated person. For some years I keep questioning myself, "Why this people dislike him instead of having pride to have such a rich and well educated person in their town?"

One day when I met Mr. Kompee James during one of the seminars, he told me the whole story, "See you came to this town only 2-3 years back but you must be aware of all those development coming to our town. Well, who has brought all these development in our town? Do you think that all the rich and educated people contribute something for the development in our town?"

"When we need money urgently for our Town Community Hall building, we went to many people for help. We have contacted all the rich men in our town. But there were only a few rich men who came forward to help us in building this Town Community Hall. Infact, we were expecting some contribution from all the rich men for our Hall building."

Then I asked him again, "But why you people dislike this particular rich and educated person?" He narrated me further, "You see there are some more rich people like him in our town and most of them invested their money in our home town. But you know this rich chap has not a single penny that has invested in our home town. As we compare to other rich people here, he is richer than any one here in this town.

When we need money, he refused to lend us money; when we seek intellectual help; he had flatly rejected on pretends of his heavy schedule in his own office and other personal work. Last year there was also a seminar on 'Intellectuality and Economic Development'. He was one of the main speakers in our Seminar. But he did not come to the seminar even after his confirmation and program were printed out. What kind of intellectuality and richness he has got that will benefit for us society?"

The people in the town want and expect that such kind of rich people to invest some money in our town. They should also contribute their knowledge for their society so that the young generation also may learn from them. But he is good only for himself and for his family.

Mr. Kompee James narrated me further, "I have also learnt from some reliable source i.e. from one of his friends in the city that he is also unhelpful to his friends and people around him. If he is not even helpful to his friends and people surrounding him, how can we expect now to contribute his intellects and richness to our society? He has every right to do with his intellects and richness then why are we so disturb and dislike him?

It is rightly said, 'Man is a social animal' and we love to live a community life. But today due to advance in science and technology and many other advances; people are becoming more individualistic. But it never means that one can live alone happily without having good environment, friends or the society."

He continues to narrate and gave comparison on those people who are not very rich and educated like him and he said that there are some people in the town who are highly esteem for their valuable contribution for the society in the town even though they are no rich and well educated like him.

After interacting with Mr. Kompee James, I have many questions that arise in me. Here I came to learn that the people in the town expect every rich and educated people to contribute something good for the society. Many of us may ignore what Mr. Kompee James has narrated to me, but I think we may need to ponder what we are contributing for our society in our town or for our society.

Are we educated and rich? If we are not rich like other people in the town, are we educated and knowledgeable person who can contribute something good for the society? If we are not rich and highly educated like others, what we can contribute for our society?

In which field we can contribute for our society? Do the people give respect and trust only those people who contribute something beneficial for the society?

The question came spontaneously to my mind and I continue to ask many more questions to myself -
why the rich and educated people who have not contributed for the society are snubbed in the society?
What make the rich and educated people ignore their own society or town?
Do we need to contribute something for the society to be recognized by our society?
Are we now living in an individualistic society?
Why do we need to consider the other persons in the same society or town?

I have got many more questions to be asked. When I try to answer some of those questions, I have got some answers but there are many questions that I can't be answered instantly. So as you read this article, you may continue to raise more questions and ponder yourself and bring the best result for yourself to decide.