Aud1. Vide. Tace.

This Freemasons saying in Latin means 'hear, see, but be silent. Somewhat and somehow, this maxim has become an intrinsic part and parcel of our daily lives

- RAJEEV NARAYAN

"Man is born with eyes, yet only after long years of sorrow does he learn to see clearly and in total harmony with the Plan."

Manly P Hall

I have checked on Sir Hall's antecedents and vouch for them. He is Manly alright, as are his teachings. What got my attention is that this quote adheres to the preaching of Freemasons, a genealogical body supporting development, values and charity. Ironically, the quote also unwittingly embodies the distorted versions of many maxims that have found their wicked way into India - wicked because they were intentionally warped after they got here.

For one, the Freemasons' "Audi. Vide. Tace." phrase translates to 'hear, see, but be silent.

Indirectly, it asks us to be observant, attentive and let confidential matters stay that way. Good advice. There is a warped version of the quote too, which is to keep seeing what is happening around us, but to shut up about the intransigence and implacability.

Being attentive, observant and discreet is a value in many contexts and philosophies beyond Freemasonry, emphasizing the importance of listening while exhibiting restraint. In essence, Audi. Vide. Tace.' is a reminder for us to exercise wisdom in our interactions, contributing positively to personal growth, relationships and professional engagements.

In India, we have gone for the jugular with the inverse. Truth be told, we have forgotten about our three beloved monkeys and their teachings to us, symbols that generations of Indians grew up with in the 1960s, 1970s and even 1980s. Thus, we today see evil and hear evil (hell, we brazenly do evil too), but we don't speak about it - our definition of paying homage to the cherished simians. What of fellow humans? Well, we couldn't care less about them. Here is how shameless we have become, steeped in chutzpah, impudence and gall.

We used to speak up