You hear this almost on daily
basis, the talisman of Employment Generation that is expected to bring all the
goodies, the ideal world that justifies all incursions –ethical/environmental, by
the moneybags in the name of development. All kind of sociopaths morph themselves
as avuncular evangelists of better ideas for a tremendously inviting world. So you
have the economists coming out with compelling statistics while moneybags appear
with magic wands of investment that we are told will generate more employment,
the market media and its manipulators see these as enactment of high truths
that we common people are meant to bow for our own good and everlasting
happiness that comes with this acquiescence. The politicians and elected representatives
are hence meant to implement these without questioning, indeed their say on
these matters are much reduced with international pressures in the increasingly
pernicious world of brand globalisation that definitely doesn’t encourage knowledge
sharing on the contrary these critical matters that is part of humanitarian
progress have become much inegalitarian and exploitative as money gets accrued
into smaller and smaller cliques.
I have worked in different places
across the country (that include long list from Chennai, Delhi, Pune, Trivandrum,
Ernakulum, Gurgaon, Bangalore, Mysore, Bellary, Mangalore etc. to the jungles of
Kanha, Munnar, Ooty, Coorg etc. as also
travelled and stayed in different places as iterant vagabond from Rishikesh to
Gangtok and as a tourist intimately connected to the places like Udupi/ Pondicherry/Talashery, and as cycling environmentalist to wide areas of the country and
so on, while studying tribes/birds/nature of religion/water exploiting corporates so on took me to remote regions in the country that includes days of enchanting walk through Narmada valley) in different profiles as trainer,
naturalist, copywriter, journalist, salesman so on, thus my understanding does
carry some credibility of an acute entrenched observer. The significant one being
that there is no dearth of jobs in India. Again and again you come across people
ruing the fact that they cannot get the right kind of people with requisite competence.
Even the people who are in the job almost always (ofcourse with rare
exceptions) are not up to the mark or are generally lackadaisical in their dealing
and approach, significantly and damningly these amazing irresponsible nature doesn’t
even scratch their conscience. It is as if job has become extension of
entitlement, and being careless comes easily as part of the legacy from crude
nature of society, it really gets worst in government jobs. There are ample
numbers of jobs but not many competent people around is a sad fact of mediocre
nature of Indian reality. We also have millions and millions of people stuck in
jobs that they have no liking, inclination or talent what sustains them is
probably the available option are much worst or a match of nepotism, habit or opportunity/good
fortune or parasitic family/pride. Indeed those in the job are exploited too and are mostly not adequately
compensated or taken care. This particularly true where the physical nature of
jobs is on priority whether salesman, labourer, or in the lower levels of service
industry -even in luxurious hotels or resorts. I have seen sights where guests
are served gourmet platter while across the wall the lower level staff don’t even
have proper space to sit to eat. It is that horrible and it is undoubtedly lack of
intent than anything else, a mindset that is a strange mix of crude feudal ways
and entitled world of squatter that gives wonderful vision of grandeur in slimmest
of competence. It is part of nature to be exploitative and domineering with slenderest
authority. The reason why majority in this society crave for authority than
anything else, ditto why dumb jobs like army, police so on that even diminishes
human being, as they are reduced to uniformed entity taking/executing orders are elevated and celebrated. The
hierarchy, in particular, nourishes the parched souls used as they are to the
crudest nature of society hinged on deviant ways, the world of superior and inferior, the pure and polluting fancies. The reason why oppression and sycophancy
becomes the defining nature of job, as patronages are distributed on compliance
and nepotism replaces professionalism.
In recent times, as moneybags
look out for easier ways to double their godforsaken money, newer and cruder
market friendly strategies are being sought, hence an exploitative and
extremely systematised aka professional ways are explored. So we have people
who are qualified and competent but end up as conduit in the exploitation. Where
they could have contributed in a meaningful ways they are now reduced to multiply
money as efficiently for richer people to get much richer. In the process they
get adequately paid but have no qualm being a participant of exploitation of people/environment/culture.
It’s an ethical vacuum created by greed filled framework that spreads rapidly into
other spheres of life. Hence fertile ground for Trump like figures, it is but
natural evolutionary process if one is successful in corporate. It is the
reason why we are at the crossroad of cataclysmic environmental events. It is
also the reason why despite enough evidences why market cannot be bothered. It is
a framework of deception that has capacity to negate fact in clever manipulations.
Meanwhile as market spread its tentacles, the
degradations are set into motion. Jobs are created that suits these and appalling
type of people thrives while reason and common sense loose. With market choices regret gain prominence and occupy space of aspirational mobility. It gets belligerent
and raucous, so the crudest type spread across and set alight to redefine all
that we value. They pose as social leaders/artists/media while genuine people
and valued thoughts and expressions are side-lined. The lowest denominator and
posers haggle for spaces that critically define freedom and its expressions. The
possibilities of latest technological marvels are reduced to crass and crude, as commodification sets in. Ideally
with absolute understanding of freedom these have space, and that is precisely has
been the case in West/USA, but simultaneously there are also some amazing and spectacular people working at the
cutting edge that stretches our understanding of life and human progress. Unfortunately
in a mediocrity thriving and entitlement driven society like India with effete elite and traditional ethical/moral
vacuum is stuck forever at the lowest and crudest base. The values of rigor and
deeper involvements that forms basis of competence and excellence are shunted to
lackadaisical and irresponsible ways as the society suffers while neo liberals and
corrupt have free run.
