67.5 Firmness in Action

 67.5 Firmness in Action

Question:

Is it acceptable to judge a person by his size?

Answer:

Do not despise anyone by his size, for there are

people like the linchpin of a rolling car.                        (Couplet – 667)

உருவுகண்டு எள்ளாமை வேண்டும் உருள்பெருந்தேர்க்கு

அச்சாணி அன்னார் உடைத்து.                                    (குறள் – 667)

Explanation:

It is definitely not acceptable to judge a person by his size. Although a short physique has always been perceived as a negative trait in humans, a person’s height has nothing to do with his abilities. History provides us with examples of individuals who were small in their stature but achieved phenomenal success in their chosen fields.

 

Voltaire was a French writer, historian, and philosopher famous for his wit, his criticism of Christianity—especially the Roman Catholic Church—and slavery, as well as his advocacy of freedom of speech, religion, and separation of church and state. His writings were very influential during the American and French revolutions. His height was 5 ft 3 inches only.

The Spanish painter and sculptor Pablo Picasso was only 5ft. 4 inches tall. He used his paintbrush to work wonders. Picasso created many incredible pieces of art. He has to his credit some of the best works of the 20th century. He is also known for the creation of some of the finest sculptures of this period. He also co-founded the Cubism artistic movement in France in 1907. With a short stature and exceptional aesthetic skills, Picasso successfully found a place for himself among famous people across the globe.

Mahatma Gandhi was only 5ft. 5 inches in height. He was the architect of India’s independence movement. He dedicated his life to the Indian freedom struggle and won the admiration of Indians, earning him the title ‘Father of the Nation.’ He used nonviolence as his weapon to fight against British rule. His nonviolence approach was later adopted by Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela in their struggles for civil rights.

Ludwig Van Beethoven, the German composer and pianist, was only 5ft. 3 inches tall. Napoleon Bonaparte was only 5ft. 5 inches tall. One of the former Prime Ministers of India, Mr. Lal Bahadur Shastri, was only 5 ft. 1 inch in height. The legendary leader of Tamil Nadu, Mr. V.N. Annadurai, was only 5 ft. tall. History has many more examples of others who were extraordinarily talented and accomplished remarkable things despite their short stature. Therefore, one should not be judged by one’s size. As Valluvar says in Couplet 677, although the linchpin is small in size compared to the car, it serves a critical function in keeping the wheel of a big vehicle in place.