CODE

Every person doesn’t have a code of conduct in their life. It can be argued that one doesn’t need a code of conduct. However, some people do have an inbuilt directive that tells them to live by a code. They rarely violate that code and living by it gives them something that people of our generations usually lack: a personality.

I am, for some unknown reason, one of those persons who live by a set of rules, a code of conduct. Here I share some points from it. It’s not an advice to others, but just a desire of sharing.

1. I don’t get out of my house after 19:00 hrs unless absolutely necessary. I guess this one point has made me infamous among my friends as well as a target of ridicule. Why don’t I do it? Because my body feels insecure if I am not at home after this hour. I don’t really feel comfortable.

2. I never call anybody after 21:00 hrs unless it is absolutely necessary. This one thing irritates me when others do it to me as well. Well, phoning me is anyway irritating enough, do it at a late hour and you lost me as a friend.

3. I try not to be impolite to people. For me the choice of words can be a matter of life or death. In my opinion, people can be physically attacked if they don’t choose the right words at the right time. Hence, I try to be pretty careful with my words.

4. I normally don’t fight anyone, no matter what they are doing, but there are some limits which if crossed can get me in a fight. If I do get in a fight, I prepare myself for death and/or disability, and will never back out.

5. I never correct anyone’s language or pronunciation except for jokingly or when paid for. The habit of the people of my country of correcting others embarrasses me all the time, and hence I try not to do it.

6. I am generally punctual and unpunctual people irritate me.

7. I do everything obsessively and people who do things in a half hearted manner won’t get any respect from me.

8. I never argue. If I realize your world-view is very different from mine, I simply break all contact. We reach our conclusions after living our lives and an argument can never change anyone. And hence, there is no point in arguing.

9. I control myself a lot before making negative personal comments on people. I come across a great deal of people who outwardly and directly call others stupid, ignorant, and what not. I try my best not to do that.

10. I never make any negative comments about anyone’s choice or appearance. This I learned from someone else and the idea behind this is simple: nobody likes to hear that their choice is bad (which means they are idiots) or that they are ugly or badly dressed (which again implies that they are idiots).

11. I don’t give advice unless asked to. Giving advice to others means you are directly telling that you are better than them and that they should act the way you think. The only advices that should be given are the ones that are requested.

There are many more points, but these are some of the most important ones that can be shared. I hope we all find friends who think the way we do, so that our personal codes are respected.

-Madhuvan Rishiraj