THE INDIAN HABIT OF SPITTING: IT IS TIME TO STOP

Along with many exemplar culture, Indians also engage in icky habits and spitting takes the crown. 

I don't know at what point did this habit became a part of Indian ethos but maybe it started with the Indian habit of the chewing of betel leaves and tobacco. Since the ingredients of both betel leaf package and tobacco are inedible, the combination are spit out once the high ends like how chewing gum is spit out after it loses its flavor.

But spitting chewing gums out and the spitting of my context are two very different things - Indians showcase disapproval, hate and abomination by spitting - some go full force, they produce saliva and phlegm out which is nothing short of yucky while others just do a spitting gesticulation. The ultimate insinuation an Indian can get is a spit on his or her face.

Let's say an Indian couple broke up. If the girl or guy spit on the face of either of them, it is equivalent to a tight slap. The only good thing here is, there will be no pain but the humiliation is equal or even more so, especially when done in public.

This spitting = diatribe habit runs past the last generation, where they do it face to face. Today, I have seen Indians spitting on Facebook and other Indians liking the spit. Talk about progressing along tech. Tech has advanced by leaps and bounds and our great-grandparents have expired but this habit of spitting is still retained. I simply cannot understand why - we can keep up with the current fads, gadgets and trends but still have not renounced this nasty habit of spitting. Sharing saliva eh?

When Mother Theresa went around to collect donations, a shopkeeper spat right on her face. She calmly wiped the spit off her face and said, "You have given me my share, now would you give something to make the lives of some children better?" The dumbfounded and humbled shopkeeper later joined Mother Theresa on her humanitarian mission.

We don't have the forebearance of Mother Theresa and spitting doesn't make one look cool - it is disgusting, and 'disgusting' is an euphemism here. There is a contention that only Indians from estates spit - those in urban areas don't. I beg to differ; I have seen seeming urbanite Indians spit and I would call it a disease. The place of origination doesn't contribute to this shameful scenario; it is cultivation.

This disease has a cure and it is known as simple decency. If you want to reprimand or censure another fellow Indian, don't spit and then swear - use soft words and hard arguments. You can chastise while being decent. Spitting does not make you right and the person you spat on, wrong. And, don't use spit as an enhancer for your criticism. It is highly distasteful and non-dignified.

The only place that you should rightfully spit is in a toilet bowl, the trash can or a wash basin, not on people's faces, not on the ground, not in public, not on the road and definitely not on Facebook. Let's earn some self respect please.

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