Recently a best-selling author who also writes inspirational quotes for the youth had advised them on social media not to wait getting selected in jobs advertised on media, where landing a job is like winning a lottery; they should rather concentrate on building contacts, as maximum job selections in our country go through the route of personal referrals. He is absolutely right but I don't think he deserves accolades for actually pointing out the 'Jugaad' culture in executive language, the one we and our ancestors have been growing up with since Independence. But wait. Sometimes we Indians become emotional, particularly while watching Bollywood flicks and begin to question the system like the hero. It is then that these dazzling stars descend from the sky with tissue papers to console us and preach the legitimacy of the system. We let our brains to graze out in the grass and return back to our prejudices and beliefs once again viz. everything happens for a reason, we have to raise the power within ourselves to seek the impossible, hard work fetches rich dividends and blah. blah.
Amongst the many avenues of online businesses that have opened up post - digitalization of India a remarkable one has been the ones launched by motivational speakers and inspirational gurus who make their incomes by posting videos on YouTube, like other lifestyle coaches. Though varying in the ways of approach and analysis of the problems the fundamental solution offered by all is the same. 'Acceptance of the system in entirety and finding ways to adapt to it'. 'Don't ever think of changing anyone, anything. You only need to change yourself', goes their mantra. These stars are not new, but over the ages they have only adapted and upgraded to reach to a wider audience; as the common people hypnotised by their stardom have forgotten to reason. They've been duped into disregarding the hardships, contributions and sacrifices of those who led to social and economic reforms, the fruits of which everyone continue to savour.
If Raja Rammohan Roy would've accepted the prevailing hindu customs like others, sati, polygamy and child marriages couldn't have been eradicated. If Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar wouldn't have championed for women education and widow remarriage, the history of women liberation would've trailed many years behind . Many revolutionary scientific inventions/ discoveries had progressed through societal objections, protests and threats before they could see the light of the day. If software developers didn't think out of the box, streaming videos on internet wouldn't have been possible; the very basis of these life-changing (?) businesses. It's a pity though that the men who sacrificed their Iives for the welfare of masses are hardly remembered let alone becoming stars.
Seeking temporary relief from the stresses intrinsic to life in a third-world country and the urge to run away from reality, live in a make-believe world is perhaps the reason why star worshipping has become a characteristic trait of every Indian. When rich people successful in different spheres of life from movie industry to sports, politics and business pose as persons living next doors in front of the camera and supports an idea, campaigns for a cause or endorses a product, how could the common people not be influenced ?
This sort of mass hypnotism is utilized by the business houses in promoting their products/ services and political parties in procuring votes. The huge number of people who'd recently got a taste of digitalization and tempted to spend hours on social media fighting virtual wars are easy targets as their capability in accessing the usefulness of a product or efficiency of a political candidate rested in the number of likes, shares or views of posts pertaining to these products/ people. A survey by a news agency on facebook just before the recently concluded 17th Lok Sabha Elections revealed that few educated youths in the country are aware about the election process or basic knowledge of Civics.
Sometimes the challenge while exercising the voting right lay in making a choice of the least worse of the candidates or pressing the NOTA button. But what the 'Chalta Hai' (fitting oneself into the system) attitude fails to realize is that amendments are always necessary in any system to make it work faultless over a period of time; like the games and apps which needs to be updated continuously to make them work effectively. And 72 years after independence is sufficient time elapsed to consider reform in the electoral processes, alike amendments in Constitution, articles/ sections of laws in our country.
Since a child gets admitted to school, his/ her parents know very well that beginning with school admission they will now have to manage ( read 'Jugaad' ) their child's education for 15 or more years. It mattered little whether their wards were meritorious or duffers, but without knowing the right people or having enough bank balances so as to manage 'on the table' and 'under the table' negotiations well, their sons and daughters could never advance further in studies or make a niche for themselves in their careers, later on. Nevertheless a large section of the youth traveling to other countries in search of jobs speaks volumes about the nation's economic condition; let alone having to bear the brunt of the local unemployeds there.
The matter becomes of utmost concern when the young generation gets misled into spreading hatred based on caste, creed or religious differences and their career ambitions take the backseat. The children of affluent parents then find it justifiable to squander their parents' money, daydream or engage in self-destructive activities; while the ones from lower socio-economic groups gets lured by the terrorist outfits over easy money. India's efforts in curbing trans-national terrorism to attract foreign investment, negotiate lower international trade rates and boost tourism industry in such circumstances would get further challenged due to the spurt in domestic terror breeding within the country itself.
Read this article on Times of India Blogs here .
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