Sunday, March 21, 2010

IT STINKS BUT IT STICKS !!!!!

First things first: This piece is not going to be music to most of the ears and it reflects the disillusionment of a generation that other wise takes pride in its achievements (however hollow and mundane that might be).But intention is not to draw a conclusion but just to show a comparison (knowing fully well that most of the people will jump from their seats to say that such comparisons are useless but then have we stopped comparing Sachin with Sir Don!!!)



Circa 1990: An easy paced life, one had lots of time to think, to contemplate and decide what one wants to do. Time for family, friends and more importantly for himself. No cell phones, no computers. Limited opportunities, over seas tours meant just for the elite ones. In order to unwind one used to look at the beauty of nature, the contrast between the blue/dark sky and green/golden crop field (depending on the season) used to satiate one’s quench. The aroma of a rain drenched soil and the sound of rain drops falling on roof tops had their own beauty. The summer and winter vacations spent with entire family celebrating so many festivals had their own charm. Of course the Doordarshan and the Vivid bharti had their staunch followers. Sunrise and sunset used to inspire so many creative souls.


Circa 2010: Life on fast lane, at least India is shining (Lets forget Bharat at the moment), the youth has money, everything available on fingertip(the finger firmly on a cell phone or laptop key board or remote control), the so called standard of living has gone many fold thanks to the easy availability of money. Rapid industrialization has brought in more opportunities and the pace of life has gone up manifold. One needs to travel quite a distance to find the greenery, it still rains but the aroma and the dance of rain drop is missing. Summer and winter vacations and entire family celebrating together are things of past( Common its an era of global warning so how can one feel the presence of so called four seasons).One does not have the time to watch the glory of rising sun and the beauty of the fading sunlight. Even diseases like cholera, small pox, and leprosy have given way to their more illustrious partners like heart attacks, high BPs and stress related syndromes.


Some how somewhere life has lost its inherent meaning and that brings me to the question how many of us are actually happy being SLAVE (yes that is what we are irrespective of we agree or disagree) to his /her highness (read “BOSS”). And if we are not then why are we a part of this set up.


1. The Education System: It has left us with no other alternative than to be a follower. Illustrious schools like IITs and IIMs also churn out thousands of bright students whose only aim in life is to earn a seven figure salary and work in some fancy sounding organization. The percentage of people who either opt for research or entrepreneurship is dismal. The lack of leaders in corporate world (and I’m not talking about the designated leaders rather I’m talking about people who walk the talk) is there for all to see. Unless we overhaul the current system two decades down the line the much glamorized corporate world will have a severe problem due to this lack of leaders.


2. The Herd Mentality: Today one is as good as his pay package. Designation and salary decides our social status. And very honestly these two parameters don’t always reflect the true value of any individual. But we are a part of the race. For us life is not meant to be lived, it is a formula one race course where no one remembers the runners up. So we have to win it irrespective of we want or not. From where I see today things are bursting at its seams.


3. The Corporate Houses: These are the real rulers. They know how to make one dance to their tunes. They are as lethal and as harmful as any drug. They show you their ultra glamorized picture when they visit a campus and offer you a salary that you cannot say no to. Then they make you addict to a certain amount of money and life style. Once the victim becomes addict you are made to work like hell. Physically you work 10*6*365 (i.e. if you are lucky enough) and mentally you keep slogging 24*7*365. The corporate mafias have four arsenals up their sleeve i.e. increment, promotion, retrenchment and learning. And trust me you these are the most potent weapons that can force any one to perform.


4. The Lure of Money: from my limited understanding I feel there is a certain amount of money one requires to lead a certain kind of lifestyle. Beyond that all our earnings goes into savings that we do for future. But just a gentle question?? Is it really so essential that in order to save for an uncertain future we will sacrifice the little happiness’s of today. The ball is in our court to decide what we want from life. Money is a deadly addiction and the more you earn the more you crave for it (in my limited corporate experience I have seen many examples of it).


I know to each his own. But the pace at which we are moving will lead to lots of stress and anxiety related problems and by the time we realize it would be too late. Just as food for thought I’m asking all of you few very pertinent questions.


i) Is it really essential to win in one’s professional life every time at the cost of our personal life?


ii) Can not we slow down just a little bit before life fads out??


iii) Can all of us not strive to become leaders in true sense and better corporate citizens (both as Boss & Subordinate)?


iv) Money or Business card can never provide containment. It has to come from within.


No need to answer, just introspect for a while. This pursuit for materialistic pleasure will lead us to disillusionment and affect the social balance.


I’m leaving with few lines form T.S. Eliot’s magnum opus- “The Hollowman”


“Life is very long

Between the desire

And the spasm

Between the potency

And the existence

Between the essence

And the descent

Falls the Shadow

For Thine is the Kingdom

For Thine is

Life is

For Thine is the

This is the way the world ends

This is the way the world ends

This is the way the world ends

Not with a bang but a whimper.”