In India, we had lots of geckos at our home. Surprisingly, we became quite comfortable with their presence over time. They would crawl all over the walls, the ceiling and would disappear occasionally under the books.
We were comfortable until they came closer than our comfort levels allowed them to. Every once in a while, as one of them chased an insect, it would land up on my study table, or go past our feet on the floor and we would make a jarring sound and drive it off.
Why did we do that? Perhaps because we had grown up despising and fearing these creatures and we had become accustomed to feeling safe in the knowledge that they would run away if we made a noise. So, when they were far enough, we did not bother; when they came closer, we felt the urge to make sure that the trick still worked. It was a manifestation of our insecurity.
Insecurity leads to aggression; whether it is geckos we are dealing with, or humans. The recent spate of attacks on Indian students in Australia is probably a result of insecurity and helplessness. Indian students have always formed a major cohort of the international student community in certain nations. Barring a few exceptions, almost all of them belong to the middle or upper-middle class segment of India and have been raised in an environment that inculcates them with certain attributes; and the answer to this issue lies in these attributes.
First, most Indian students studying abroad have a certain yearning for academic excellence and professional success. It is the typical middle class mindset, which tells us to "study hard, find a good job and live 'happily ever after.'" Thus, it's not the least bit surprising that most Indian students studying abroad perform fairly well academically, find a decent job and manage to live a fairly decent and peaceful life.
Furthermore, the system in place in the countries to which these students immigrate promotes talent; in effect, the system encourages merit over mediocrity.
The fact is that a large proportion of Indian students end up taking jobs that would have otherwise gone to comparatively less-qualified citizens. Over the years, this has led to discontent among the ranks of people who were accustomed to the myriad opportunities that this well-established system can offer. Their concern: it's their country and it's their job; they need to be given priority. Point taken, but capitalism doesn't say that.
Secondly, there is something in our upbringing that makes us highly adaptable to the environment we inhabit.
This attribute reminds me of a quip from a Bollywood movie that says that we are taught to adjust and compromise because that's how we can survive. Thus, either by choice or by compulsion, an average Indian who is used to eating home-cooked food, sipping tea at the local tea shop and is unaccustomed to doing the dishes or, for that matter, using vending machines, adapts and comes to appreciate the Subway-Starbucks-DIY habits.
Sooner or later, you find us mixing freely with locals at the pubs and nightclubs and sporting a mixed foreign accent - which, I will admit, sounds funny at times, no disrespect intended.
This effort on the part of Indians to mingle, adapt and finally transform, causes discomfort to those residents who might be of a more cautious mindset - after all, it's their domain in which we are trespassing.
While it might not be of immediate concern, these feelings do linger on and escalate with the passage time.
Racial violence is certainly not a new phenomenon, and isolated incidences do arise once in a while, whether it's from the United Kingdom, the U.S. or Australia. However, the scale of recent violent acts in Australia is unprecedented there and a matter of great concern. So what is it that has sparked this reaction?
The alarmingly high unemployment due to the global recession and the resulting desperation of the newly unemployed are possibly factors that have muddled up the minds of a few locals to such an extent that they have resorted to violence.
Ironically, the existence of Australia (or for that matter, the U.S.) can be attributed to immigrants. Most likely, one reason for the immense progress of these nations is the resilience of the immigrants who have had to adapt and work hard for independence, sustenance and progress.
While some people have expressed concern that Australia will lose out on tourism because of these incidents, they should be more concerned that they will lose a pool of highly qualified, hard working individuals, who in their effort to lead a good life are contributing to the vitality of Australia's economy.
It's the symbiotic relationship between residents and immigrants that has been and will continue to be the driver of economic development in many of these nations.
Parijat Sinha is a graduate student in industrial engineering.
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