“To Err is human !!”

    "To err is human !" is a very simple and old concept.But its real meaning and its utility in practical point of view far outweighs its simplicity.

   "To err is human" means that we human beings are prone to commit errors in our day to day life.

     A school going boy committs errors at schools.A teacher in his or her attempt to correct his or her erring student, himself or herself committs errors.A husband committs errors in the process of correcting the errors of  his wife and children.A master committs errors in the process of correcting the errors of his servants.A management commits errors in the process of correcting the errors of its employees.

    Now the real question that lies before us is are we to ignore the errors committed by others and just correct ourselves.It is not so. While self analysis will always be helpful for a person to correct his or her mistakes or errors, it is also the duty of powers that be, that they should see that his or her subordinates do not commit any error and errors and if any errors are committed it is their duty to see that the concerned person who commits the error should realise his mistake and help him to correct it.

     Of course, there are always rules and regulations to punish a person who commits errors or mistakes.But it is always advisable that one should not go by rules unless the error is very grave and needs the intervention of a third party or machinary to punish the erring person.Otherwise we should always be guided by the principle ‘to err is human’ 

   To cite a classic example, to err is human. When Abraham Lincoln was the President of the US,during the civil war, he issued some directions to his subordinates in the form of a note  and one of his subordinates on seeing the note immediately quipped that it was a foolish idea.When the comment was brought to the notice of Lincoln, he immediately called for the subordinate who criticised his note as a foolish idea and asked him to explain why his idea was a foolish one.His subordinate explained it with reason.Abraham Lincoln was convinced.He immediately withdrew the idea and apologised to his subordinate as well.Here lies the idea of tackling an error.

    A person while at the helm of affairs, should always be receptive of the ideas as well as the crticisms that he may receive from any quarter.Then only we may be able to correct ourselves as well as of our subordinates.

    In short, the concept, ‘to err is human’ actually suggests, humanitarian approach taking error as a universal concept.