I was little bit in confusion in giving the title to my Article. Firstly, I thought to name it as “Lip Exercise”, but I put it aside as it might mean as lip therapy under which some people have to go to bring a good look of mouth, face or lips. Facial therapists suggest various exercises and a new word ‘facercise’ is popular also! Secondly, I thought my Article as titled with “Lip Service”; but, I was afraid of being taken its meaning in otherwise sense as seen in adult movies and TV serials! My essay has no concern with neither of the two above. While starting with my Article I am very clear that I am going to write on such “Lip Service” which is purely related to character building and human behaviors. Thus, I have thought out the above title which, I think, will not confuse my Readers.
Various definitions are here such as “Lip Service is the act of claiming tobe something that you are not.” and, “Lip Service is an insincere expression of respect, loyalty and support etcetera.” In single word, we may define “Lip Service” as ‘Hypocrisy’. Here, the words are full of favor, support and assistance to the opposite person in sophisticated style but not backed by deeds. Find below an imaginary and funny episode exposing the original character of a hypocritical guy applying only lip services at all the times to understand the concept of my Article.
At the corner of a street, a man was crying. A passer-by fellow, the character of our episode, went to him and asked, “Why are you crying, my friend? What is wrong with you?”
“I am hungry for the last three days”, he replied.
The latter sat down near him and he also began to cry. The former asked him surprisingly, “But, why are you crying and what for, gentleman?”
“I am also hungry of a day and can understand your grief, and that is why I am also crying.”
“But, you have breads in your hand and still you are crying! Shouldn’t we both eat the breads to satisfy our appetite and stop crying?”
“We ..e..e?? No, no way! I can sit with you and cry for hours to share with your hunger and grief, but I can’t give you any breads as they are for my family and me!”
Above episode may be exaggerated one beyond our beliefs, but it is enough to serve my purpose to make you understand what “Paying lip service” is and how such hypocrite people behave with others. Now, let us go further to peep into the subject some deep with the realities of the topic in discussion which we experience around us now and then.
Some of the Politicians and political parties in democratic countries worldwide pay lip services to keep their vote banks intact.Their promises to the public are nothing but like lip service which are never uttered seriously. Once they are elected, they forget everything. Besides politics, we may see excessive use of lip service in ad world also. Products of various companies are advertised in such attractive and deceptive words where quality of products and words of publicity have no match with each other. Shop-keepers, Counter Sales Managers and even hawkers in the streets sell their goods with their illusive words of negative salesmanship. An expert salesman capable of paying good lip service can sell refrigerator to the customer living even in Himalayas and deal with a bald man by giving him a bottle of hair oil or shampoo in his hand.
Sometimes, lip service is essential also in such cases where it is necessary. Take an example of a clinician who is committed under oath to satisfy the patients and make them relaxed from worries. In such circumstances applying lip service is not against any ethics. At the same time, if lip service is tried simply as a professional motive, it is not desirable. It will be breach of loyalty towards patients. The lip service without any concrete action might prove to be illusory and exposing the original character of such trickster at long run.
Lip service has a core value while bringing up kids, respecting others and counseling needy people for their respective problems. It’s easy to pay lip service to failures of any field, but turning them truly from negativism to positivism is something different and difficult also. While addressing any audience, lip service becomes an important part of the speech to keep the listeners attentive and relaxed from any boring. Such are the positive traits of paying lip service.
Paying lip service is an art acquired by oneself with efforts or training and sometimes God-gifted also. What it may be, but it should be used for good purpose. Magicians, street jugglers, artists and so many like them perform their arts supported with their oratorical power of lip service to earn their breads in exchange of providing innocent entertainment to the audience. Beggars should not be excluded from such class of people. They people are also capable to awaken the feelings of the givers to have their alms for food or money with their art of begging and that also is a part of lip service.
Before summing up, I am very happy to quote Neal Boortz in his words, “One of the most crucial but the hardest things to do as part of turning your life around is to get rid of all the negative people around you and replace them with people who encourage you instead.” These words are self-explanatory and not dependent on any interpretation that one should try to be a good human being and for that very goal, one should have good company of good people.”
Lastly to say, I am always of such a tendency that I never impose my ideas over others and that is why I occasionally clarify in words of disclaimer such as what I represent here on my blog is not necessarily to be understood as any affirmation, but merely as a question.
-Valibhai Musa
