Some Odd Thoughts from an Odd Indian Mind !

Suppose that you need a good driver to drive your brand new super deluxe car which you recently got spending a good fortune. The question is selecting a person and appointing him for a responsible work. Since you have spent a good amount in capital you perhaps do not mind spending a recurring monthly amount to pay off his salaries for a few years.

“Indians are penny-wise and pound-foolish.” This is what some of those in the west say about us Indians. I do not know how much truth is there in it. Penny or Pound, we are the wisest in the world!

So confronted with the question of appointing a driver, we are going to use our wisdom to the fullest. After all, lots of stakes are involved. We know it very well.

Now the question is how to do a wise screening to select a good person. Since you are a moneyed person, you perhaps have knowledgeable and wiser persons in contact with you whose advices you might get even without your seeking.

There are thousands of unemployed persons in this country having many certificates from certificate producing factories and it might not be wise at all if you ignore those certificates. That could be one advice!

You spotted a good fellow and perhaps wanted to appoint him, but his demand was a little on the higher side for which you had no problem, but your advisors did not agree. They were arguing against the ‘bad’ trends that would be created in the economy, including ‘price-rises’.

Some of your friends might approach with recommendations.

But since the selection is going to have a direct consequence on your personal life, you perhaps won’t come in any of these advices and finally would select the person of your choice, most suiting to your needs. You would rather go by your gut feeling.

Now think about this. Would you have selected a person with a good percentage of marks shown in his certificates having also a driving license and requisite experience but with some such qualities you disliked? The chances are less. In this case those undocumented qualities that you liked in the person are also very important.

So, you are going to be very careful to select your driver.

Similarly, a private entrepreneur will be very cautious and choosy to select his team of employees when he starts building his business.

Because he knows very well that business is three M’s: Money, Machine and Men and the last makes all the difference in deciding his fate!

But when it comes to our public life, we just don’t care about all these.

Just any one and every one will suffice our purpose. Just any one is capable of doing any job. We truly believe in ‘socialism’.

Just any one can be our MPs, MLAs. No need for screening! No need for checking the credentials! No need for our gut feelings! Though we know that these fellows are also drivers- drivers for not just one, but for the whole nation!

Yet in some other cases, we have extremely good ones selected with extremely bad ones to pair up as teams to do a particular task. And then we complain about their not accomplishing the tasks the way we wanted. Is it fair?

I know these are odd thoughts. But such odd thoughts do come in. I am helpless!

[Reproduced from the Author's Blog at SiliconIndia]