Wednesday, July 04, 2012

why we will never be a superpower, no matter what..

let me share an experience here. i was at the passport office, with all the documents, trying to finish my work. this was my third day. i had been sent back twice for some document or another, but when i asked them for the list of documents needed for my application, they did not have that list. which means they were inventing documents on the go.
all of us there were facing the same issue. they did not have a displayed list of documents, were not accepting the list of documents given on the website. most of us were there for days on end.

on my second day there, a lady , who was being sent back yet again, asked the clerk why he wont accept annexure F on a printed letterhead. The clerk replied that they dont accept computer printouts of letter heads. The lady then asked the clerk to give her this objection in writing, and to write that her application is being sent back for this reason. The clerk refused to give anything in writing. She asked for the rulebook. She was told, to her face “we wil not write anything and we will not accept your papers. you can do whatever you want about it.” She created some noise and asked for the manager.

They refused to call the manager.
But this is the interesting part:
EVEN THOUGH EVERYONE IN THE ROOM WAS FACING THE EXACT SAME ISSUE AS THIS WOMAN, NOT ONE PERSON IN THE ROOM RAISED A VOICE TO SUPPORT HER.

ALL OF THESE PEOPLE WERE EDUCATED, REASONABLY WELL PLACED AND DEFINITELY KNEW THEIR RIGHTS ENOUGH TO SPEAK UP.

And that, imho, is why we will never be a superpower, no matter how much IT money we make. A country where the empowered refuse to take part in governance.. where they are more focused on buying their convenience than anything else.. a country like that, cannot be a superpower. or any power at all.

The reason we were able to wrest our independence from the British is that thousands of us were willing to give up property, court arrest, suffer financial hardships et al, for a principle.

Somehow, they took our spines away and left us a country of cripples.

7 comments:

Manish Raj said...

HDWK - I guess you are talking about a particular place. I saw a good change at Bangalore. The guys told exactly and how papers are required.

I also found some of Kannada guys supporting helping all way through, when I was running for everyone's passport during last Sep/ Oct. But police verification took time (as they don't visit your house and expect you to go to Police Station and pay money to get Police clearance). After waiting for 2.5 months for that, I went to Police Station to ensure I catch my flights. And then all was done in 1 day.

Indian IT business is about providing 'low cost manpower' as it was the case decades ago with 'low cost labor'. Indeed Indian guys are brilliant and hold senior positions in most of countries.. but that overall Indian workforce (as mass) is considered a low cost alternative only. And guess waht Philippines and Vietnam are India's biggest competitors :)

No Super power can emerge from outside contribution or jobs. It will emerge from honest administration, overall education and 'a lot' with controlling population. For a country of India size, it will take long as this will take time, but before that mindsets have to change, which I guess will take even longer.

But I see lots of Indian resisting and being vocal about it.. it may take another fifty or hundred years..but it will happen slowly...cripple minds one day will understand the loss..and group together to actually act on it.. I see Bangalore changing on administration part.. it is much much better place than Delhi on that aspect..

BK Chowla, said...

We are a divided society(especially Hindus).Intersted ones have managed to do what the British couldnt do.

How do we know said...

Guruji: your comment was heartening. heres to more such change!!

Chowla sir: totally true abt interested parties having done what the Brits cldnt do.

Vinay Garg said...
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Vinay Garg said...
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Vinay Garg said...

Totally agree. 'Me First' attitude kills the institution. And till the day, a common man stands for a stranger, for what is right, this change is not going to happen.

And I feel pity for people who live in self denial and support their argument with Indian shining with IT money armors. They should know, its not always about money, Had it been, I would have been a prostitute. This is hard word, but we all need a medicine.

How do we know said...

Hi Vinay : am glad u feel this way.