You
may wonder what has humble thing like toothbrush got to do anything remotely
with development. The other day morning I was staring at my toothpaste, the
second one in as many months wondering why these are getting substandard. It is
a branded product, not the Chinese one I fell for some time back that was of
such poor quality. Recall few decades back when toothbrush used to last for
months, and now they don’t even work for few weeks. Toothbrush is a fast moving consumer good (marketing
dudes call it FMCG, for many their life is hinged on it…they also do their MBAs
from fancy colleges and paid in lakhs for selling these…amazing conceptions).
So the more you sell more profit. It
does make sense therefore that you produce product of mediocre quality, not
really poor quality –and that is where the catch is. Poor quality is easily distinguishable;
mediocre is carefully placed in the realm of perception. It is opium of market compliance
masked in rhetoric of democracy and freedom. Introducing subjectivity in discourse
is also how toothbrush very easily busts the concept of competition leading to
excellence. It points to a construct that offer minimal incentive to
excellence/quality. That is the nature of what is catered for mass consumption.
It is the law of averages, literally. I also realized these when I am dealing
with organizations (you may also refer it Corporate). There is overwhelming
mediocrity. Clearly in a society with so much disparity, feudalism finds its deal
through monopolies that thrive/profit on mediocrity. I realized that managers
are euphemism for henchmen who are to ‘deal’ with the situation. Opportunity
for ‘networking’ is the most prominent reason many young people have for
studying management. Youth power ye!! Indeed the recent protests by youth in
Delhi were very much ensconced in the narration of violence. Networking comes
with a price tag. It needs investment. It’s a wink and nudge work or is it the
other way round?!
Precisely
how the system aggregates while they stridently defend merit (I must add, quite
vocal…that too is not surprising in a society that really haven’t had much
value for subtleties). Merit therefore becomes a tool in reinforcement of
feudal narration. It is reassertion of contexts that deny equality of
opportunity. Not surprisingly despite rhetoric on undying allegiance to
egalitarianism (et al through quickfix freedom of expressions…) democratic
references ironically are creating barriers as is co opted by sections that has
firmly put premium on degrading western lifestyle as modernity. Charmingly this
too hinged on restricted accessibility and exclusivity (therefore meritorious),
again reinforced by market that sees opportunity to weave pointers for social
mobility (ditto like golf). Primary education therefore is about craving for
English while success through higher education on the English nuanced skills
(some even dare to call it personality) as the society pushes itself into the
trench, these then are coded as parameters for Industry. From this pit
GDP becomes debating point for stellar performance.
That
the demand for toothbrush will fuel profit is taken but what it hides is misery
for people. It is cheating, though one may argue that product did work. How
long is subjective! In these arguments and debates we justify mediocrity, much
serious is unethical conduct. The limited resources and immediate concerns of
impact on environment get relegated. I have never been fan of likes of
Berlasconis but they make sense about the nature of business. Not denying that
Berlasconi himself is part of flawed system. Italy also is quite a corrupt
country. Corruption by rich is insidious; it causes lots of misery for common
people. God damn. Here I am looking at the toothbrush wondering whether it is
for brushing or chewing!! But then why to worry the ‘fundamentals are in
place’!!
