“Can?t you be on time for anything important”, Mayank complained lovingly to Ashish as he
entered late for the meeting.
“Monku, clear off, don?t say anything to me. Let me have a drink first.
After all I am a human
being; I can?t handle my idiot boss, this chaotic traffic, Utkarsh?s wife and you all at one time!”
“Why do you curse my sweet little wife, what she has to do with your already troubled life”,
Utkarsh asked smiling, understanding quite well why Ashish was referring to his wife for his
troubles.
As Mayank helped Ashish in arranging the food he had brought with him and got the glass and
ice cubes for his whisky, Utkarsh asked Ashish whether he was successful in doing the work
which his wife assigned to him?
“All women in this stupid world are alike”, Ashish declared with irritation writ large on his face
as he settled for making second glass of whisky, gulping the first one in one go.
“Brilliant discovery…”, Mayank teased him.
“Monku, don?t pull my legs, I am already in deep trouble because of you.
“Oh God, what I have done wrong?”
“Don?t act innocent. If I love a girl, I tell you the next morning, don?t I? And this stupid
Guddi…why should she be losing her sleep if Monku does not want to show her girl to the
world! She has made my life hell…how can I find this girl, nobody else on earth knows about
her but she does not take this for an answer. Oh my god...how stupid I am...is Monku?s girl
around?”
“Relax Ashu, she is not around and don?t be troubled, I will tell you everything and will also take
her to Guddi very soon.”
“Thank God. I thought for a moment this meeting was for introducing her to us. So, you are
marrying?”
“Yes, I am. But we are not discussing my marriage and my girl tonight. The agenda is different.”
A confused Ashish looked at Mayank and then turned to Utkarsh for help.
“Don?t look at me Ashu, Monku hasn?t even told me about it. We were waiting for you. Monku
has said he has something in his mind and before he makes up his mind, he would like you and
me to share with him our opinion on that. I think you make a large glass of your drink and we
should move to the talk.”
The three settled on the carpet of the living room. Mayank made large glasses of lime soda for
Utkarsh and himself. He asked for a cigarette from Ashu and Utkarsh asked him to share it with
him. Ashish anxiously waited for Mayank to start the talk even as Utkarsh remained relaxed,
stretching out on the floor.
Mayank briefed them with the latest developments in a matter of fact manner. He talked about
the options he had in career front and also acknowledged that he had been in love for the last
many months and now he was marrying. He then took a pause to gauge the reaction of Ashish
and Utkarsh, especially the former.
“Now what you wish to do and what you want us to do”, asked Ashish.
“I am not sure what I want to do and that is why I want you two to give me your opinion about
what I should ideally do.”
“If you ask me, I would say you should grab the offer of the rival newspaper. Take the
opportunity to enjoy the editorship and do what you could not do so far. I cannot think why you
ask me what you should do. Always look ahead and above in life and especially in career.
Editorship is a definite promotion and no doubt they will pay you better.
Utkarsh would get his
transfer in the new place you will go and I will quit my job to get a new one in your new place.
Anyway, I am fed with this boss and the company. May be, I will find a suitable girl in the new
place too. I now need to marry to keep pace with you. ”
“What you suggest Utkarsh?”
“I am not suggesting anything. I believe, Monku has always had different priorities in life and
even in his career he values things more than the money and position. If Monku feels he can find
better purpose and peace in his existing job, he might well think of remaining where he is.
Anyway, the owner has assured him proper audience, so he might be in better position to find his
purpose here than going to a new place where he will have completely new set of people to deal
with.”
“What purpose…! Jobs have only one purpose; the money that comes with it and the position of
greater power. Editorship is bringing him both so the purpose is clear as anything. Utkarsh, we
were taught in eighth class that one should always chase what is certain.
Don?t you remember a
bird in hand is always better than two in the bush?”
“Ashu, media is not a job as yours and mine. Monku is in media not for a living but for a
purpose.”
“So you say working for a living is not a purpose? And what is the other purpose? Changing the
society? Improving the ways of the incorrigible idiots of this ever-so-in-crisis nation? Making
this world a better place to live? What more?”
“My God Ashu, why do you always take things in their extremes?”
“I am sorry Utkarsh...you know I am not good with words. But believe me; I sincerely cannot
understand where the dilemma is?”
“You don?t need to be sorry Ashu. Utkarsh and I value your views and your inputs have always
helped me see the larger rationality, especially the popular one. I would always want that you
should stick to your views.”
“Yes Ashu, Monku values your views very much but I wonder he didn?t call for them when he
settled for his life partner”, Utkarsh teased him.
“He consults me only when he is in a dilemma”, Ashish said with innocence.
“Now he will need
my expertise as your dilemma starts only after you fall in love.”
“Dilemma is not the core issue Ashu. I and Utkarsh believe you are a mainstream person. Your
world view accommodates most of the popular perceptions and we also believe that they are very
contemporary. When I am seeing things and create a perception about things affecting me, I am
led by my own set of ideas which are not mainstream ones. That is why, your opinion counts for
me. It sort of balances me. I must declare it that though at times you sound offensively obsessed
by your views but Ashu, you are always true to what you feel. Honesty and transparency has
always been the hub of the wheel of our friendship. I expect the same from you today.”
“Go ahead Monku, tell me what you have in your heart. Anyway, after I am down three glasses
of whisky, I always speak from my heart.”
Mayank paused for a while to pick up the right words for the start. He also repeated his resolve
that he would not commit himself to a decision before listening out to Ashu and Utkarsh. He also
realized that his words must also reflect his objectivity.
“I think, before I tell you what I have in my mind, I must seek your concurrence on a notion
which basically defines what I wish to do. There is a popular theory in political philosophy
which says that people enter into an agreement with society under which every person agrees to
surrender some of his individual rights so that he or she could enjoy a set of rights in collectivity.
There is however also a view that says, rights exist only in collectivity as individuals cannot have
rights in isolation. This is one side of the coin. The history however, tells us that collectivity
always has instinctive corrupting tendencies as power rests with collectivity and power corrupts.
Given that most powers have in-built tendency to move towards absoluteness and there is a
saying that absolute power corrupts absolutely, the collectivity at some stage becomes absolutely
corrupt. We all live in the collectivity of society, be it the social collectivity, the economic or
political collectivity. Historically, individuals or motley group of individuals have challenged the
corrupting absoluteness of collectivity and most revolutions start as individual struggle against
collective corruption. When the individuals gain larger volume and power than the existing
collectivity, revolutions are successful and the status quo of a corrupting collectivity is
overthrown by a change. ”
“Oh my God…! Monku, your editorial has evaporated the effect of the three glasses of whisky.
Can?t you simplify things for me? I am a simple guy. Even my genius has specific limitations...I
am trained for multi-tasking but not multi- intellectualism.”
“Ashu, it is simple and not beyond your hereditary constraints. What Monku wants to say is that
in the long history of mankind, there has been an incessant struggle between individual and
collectivity and it is to the credit of individuals that corrupting influences of an established
collectivity are corrected; at least challenged, am I right Monku?”
“So, what I am supposed to understand? The lessons from history, the stupid struggles of my
troubled humanity or what?”
“Yes Ashu, Monku wants you to understand that history tells us that individual position,
however conflicting it may sound, has been fruitful and correcting influence on established and
mainstream collective norms.”
“I would add to it Ashu that what history tells us is that the majority has an in-built tendency to
corruption as it intrinsically aims at absoluteness. That is why, a healthy society is one where
individualism is respected and given an equitable, if not equal, field for fair play. Similarly, a
rational being is one who adheres to the collective knowledge but also respects individual
wisdom.”
“Okese... accepted. But why should you tell all this to me and why now?”
“Ashu, Monku is telling you this because he wants you to respect what he views and desires as
an individual which might stand in clash with the collective and mainstream practices.”
“Not only that Utkarsh. I also want Ashu to be open to the idea that the mainstream can be also
be subjected to the individual scrutiny and not always the vice-versa. An individual?s nonconformism
to collective compliance should not always be brushed aside as dangerous absurdity
and mundane stupidity.”
“Wait...wait please! Let me have another drink to clear my mind. I have an intuition that you and
Utkarsh have joined hands to put me in some sort of trap. Why should you two tell me about the
corruption of collectivity? Am I some sort of spokesperson for this what you call collectivity.
Am not I an individual too?”
“Yes you are and I am very sure that you respect the value of individual?s right to take on the
corrupting influences of collective status quoism, especially when it starts to show perceptible
signs of degeneration.”
“Okay, I do what you say; then, what next?”
“There are two parts of the reality that makes me drift towards a decision.
First, my perception
that media, where I work, has become such a place that I think I should not be a part of anymore.
Second, there is a realization that I have something so beautiful and meaningful in my life that I
feel I should devote all my time and energy to enjoy that.”
“So, what you want to do now, go to the Himalayas and become a saint…a majnu to be
precise…?”
“Ashu, what is this? You just said, you would respect individuality and now you speak to Monku
like that...how can you!”
“I am respecting his individuality Utkarsh. If he says he wants to go to Himalayas for a
honeymoon with his girl then it is okay with me but I cannot accept that this world, or for that
matter the media has become an awful or unsuitable place to be in. When was this world a good
place, let alone the ideal one to live? You think of media as a bad place, come to my world and
then see what a hell I work in and still able to smile. When will you people accept the realism of
life? If this world is stinking, buy any good deodorant from the market and if you do not have the
money to buy one, be habituated to the stink…stop complaining.”
“What is the realism Ashu? How can you say Monku is acting escapist?”
“I am not a philosopher but I know it quite simple. This world has always been like that, good or
bad. This is reality and the wisdom is that you create a way around the chaos and stink and move
ahead.”
“You mean to say, the realism is in finding a solution in the chaos, whichever way it comes?”
“I think so, what?s wrong with this view?”
“Your realistic world says that if the need be, you should call a donkey your dad, just to find a
timely solution to a problem. This is taught as realism but another realism is that a donkey cannot
be our father, some fathers may however sound like a donkey. And yet another reality is that
humanity should never bow to a donkey?s whim even if that creature blocks your road to the
solution. The reality is that we all should strive to create a world where all such donkeys are
relegated to their rightful places.”
“Now Ashu, this is wrong! You cannot take an exception to prove a rule. The proverb is all about
being practical in this world. What I say is that realism is in accepting things as they are and then
find a solution facing it. I am against this escapism…after all we are men and men should always
battle it out in the middle and not flee away.”
“Now take it Monku…this male world view is in front of you. The battlefield syndrome of male
world view will not leave you in peace. All yours...I quit!”
“Now what is this? Why did you drag the gender question?
You won?t understand Ashu, it is a long story you missed as you came late.”
“No Utkarsh, Ashu can understand everything. We must come around this realism idea and know
the dynamics of this world view about battling and escaping.”
“Yes Monku, do tell me. Do you think I am wrong? Correct me if I am.”
“Ashu, my brother, there is a word in our dictionary called relativity.
There are things which you
see and others which you cannot see but feel; there are matter and ideas.
In natural state of
affairs, they are essentially value neutral. Good or bad, important or redundant; it depends on the
relative position from where you approach them. A knife is a knife but it changes meaning when
in a robber?s hand and when in a doctor?s. Both realism and idealism are subject to the test of
this relativity. The relativity demands that we approach any idea or a matter in perfect
objectivity. Subjective preference for any single entity may be lopsided and may end up in seeing
the world from a biased perspective. This world is better off neither in absolute realism nor in
absolute idealism. Neither unbridled individualism nor the absolute collectivity is prescription
for goodness. Both interchangeably balance each other. Then there is a question of prioritizing
them. There cannot be a universal rule to what we should put ahead, idealism or realism. We
need to assess the situation with objectivity to decide on the priorities.
But still, idealism has an
upper hand because often, it balances the unbridled realism.”
“Monku, the trouble with Ashu is that he always puts realism upfront and does not want to give
idealism any chance whatsoever.”
“I deny the charges. You can say Utkarsh that I am more inclined to realism and why should not
I be? I live in a world where I have seen all idealism as a façade to the hardcore realism. I believe
in realism because I believe in truth. Monku has always told me that I should never practice
hypocrisy and I find idealism the safe haven for the biggest of hypocrites.
I profess realism
because I really think; it at least allows me to be honest. If I am bad, if I am corrupt, I have the
courage to say it. I am honest. At least, I don?t pretend to be what I am not and cannot ever be.
My naked body is my creed. I am not like my boss who aims at profit maximization at any cost
and speaks volumes on corporate social responsibility in seminars.”
“Monku, this „hips don?t lie? thought system is strange. Ashu says his naked body is his creed.
But is this realism practical? Why don?t we all walk on the street naked, showing our ass to the
whole world? Truth and realism cannot be naked. There is a pardadari, a cover for every naked
truth to be accepted in the practical world.”
“Oh God Utkarsh…! Why do you always take my words at their face value? I am not saying we
should walk naked. What I am saying is that the reality is that beneath the clothe we all are naked
and it is a truth.”
“This is exactly what you have to understand Ashu. We are born naked but in a civil society, we
need some sort of a pardadari – a cover. Similarly, the realism what you call as naked truth may
be as natural as we are born but it always needs a cover of idealism to be practically operational
in our civilized society. We don?t live in jungle Ashu. The naked realism is not a prescription for
civil society. The cover of idealism is always needed and what Monku is saying is that idealism
has an upper hand as it covers up the brute and naked body of realism.”
“Okay, you cover up the realism but still the world?s operative prudence is realism, won?t you
accept that?”
“No Ashu, it is not. There is at best a latent desire among a minority of people to make brute
realism as the operative wisdom of human action but the world still runs on cherished ideals of
humanity. We have a typical case in India. We all know; the chief trouble of India is the largely
pampered and irresponsible citizenry. The democracy here has unleashed all rights but few
duties. The bureaucracy, the politicians, the elite and socially strong people have misused the
ideals of democracy. A minority of people have usurped Indian democratic fruit. The masses too
think democracy extends them all rights but never feel the obligations for the ir duties. The
trouble is, democracy as an ideal itself is in the root of larger trouble of India. If you apply your
realism as an operative prudence, the truth is, India needs a strong and decisive hand as ultimate
authority. We all see, larger part of India still has little governance.
The rule of law, the benefits
of welfare state, a civil administration, the dispensation of justice, the fruit of economic growth
are still like islands in vast sea, available only to a few in big cities but poorly visible in majority
of India. But still, we keep our faith intact on democracy as the ideal operative prudence. The
iron hand, the authoritative might of a decisive ruling dispensation is not acceptable. The
stupidity of majority is still preferable over the tyranny of a minority.
We cannot just give
realism a free hand just because idealism has not fared reasonably well in our selfish and foolish
world.”
“Ashu, I and Utkarsh always appreciate your honesty. We value your opinion because you are
always true to your belief. But what you complained about idealism is the corruption of idealism
and not idealism itself. That?s what Utta has told you about our democracy.
That is why I told
you about our subjective priorities. The idealism of a knife is that it should be in a doctor?s hand
but if a doctor uses the knife for his money-making adventures, it is the corruption of the
idealism and this corruption is done on the pretext of realism. This is the trouble. I tell you an
interesting story. I had investigated about a big heart specialty hospital last year. My reliable
sources within the hospital told me that the owner, a big time doctor, had made huge investments
on latest and costly medical equipments which had landed him in trouble.
The trouble was that
his investment necessitated that his hospital carried at least 35 open heart surgeries a month to
break even but currently the numbers were falling short, averaging only 20
a month. It was
revealed to me that to meet the numbers, many heart patients, who could be cured by drugs and
simple interventions were advised to undergo open heart surgery. The patient and his or her
family were fed adverse reports making them so panicky that they did not even consider a second
opinion. The hospital saw a 250 per cent rise in open heart surgeries within six months. When I
talked with the doctors working in the hospital, many of them justified it by giving strange logic.
„You know, generally, we do it on those patients who are rich and can afford it?, a doctor said.
Another said, „we basically do what the patient anyway would need in next two years. These rich
people would anyway need the open heart surgery as they do not follow the tough lifestyle
regime which is necessary with drug treatment.? We can say that what the doctors did was
justified, if we see from a point of view of realism but it is corruption of idealism. The doctors
are trusted like God. No amount of realism can justify the breach of trust.”
“Why did you not expose them? I don?t remember you ran the story in your newspaper, did he
Utkarsh?”
“You are right. The editor turned panicky when I discussed the story with him. The management
refused to give permission as the hospital was a big time advertiser with us. The owner of the
hospital was very friendly with media and always offered free services to media persons. The
report was dumped. The best part of it was that the editor told me that there was nothing new and
exciting about the story as it was a routine affair in most private hospitals. ”
“This is realism for you Ashu and I think, you are sure we all need to accept things as they are
and move ahead with it!”
“I am not saying it is acceptable. Do not misinterpret me Utkarsh. What my humble submission
is that things like this are what this world is full of. Why blame media?
Still, media brings out so
many bad things every morning. Media too has a right to survive and can you show me a single
person on earth who is not making compromises to survive?”
“Ashu, I am sorry if I put you wrong but please try to understand what Monku wants to show
you very clearly. This world has equal utility for both idealism and realism, even if you do not
accept that idealism is a superior position. Monku has already told you that what your priorities
are, depend on your relative positioning to a particular scenario. Man?s ingenuity creates strange
justifications and subjective truths. But above all remains an objective reality which is the core
idealism.”
“This is true Ashu. There are times when we face the question of survival and for all living
being, survival is first realism. But, seldom would you see wrongs being committed for the cause
of survival. Crimes and corruption are not the outcome of survival demands but a tool for
acquiring that extra compared to the fellow people. Even if it seems there is a question of
survival, in most cases, it is a case of inflated sense of threat to survival. The loss that the
hospital faced, making its owner resort to corruption looks like a survival question but it is not. It
is a simple reality of a business calculation going awry. Investments are made for long-term
profit but that hospital owner wanted to have profits from day one and this certainly is a hugely
inflated sense of survival threat. Even in government sector, where you see most of corruption
happening or in the corporate world where unethical and illegal practices are resorted to, the
survival is not threatened. Yes, the level of competitiveness is intense and nobody wants to be a
loser.”
“But Monku, in today?s reality where stakes are so high in corporate world, a loser is almost like
a dead man. You know it well that such is today?s market that if you are not number one or two,
you are virtually out of the markets! I can tell you, the corporate world lives on the dictum of
„me only? as the earlier „me too? syndrome will kill you and your business in a day. You know
this struggle about brand power in the contemporary world? It?s a battle out there, you win or
you are eliminated. Believe me Monku, survival is the core concern in today?s competitive
world.”
“Ashu, this is where we go wrong. This is clearly an inflated sense of survival question. The
problem is with contemporary corporate culture and functioning. If stakes are so high that it
creates survival question then there is a clear need to correct the amount of your stakes. There is
intrinsically something wrong about how you do business. You know Ashu, only a few months
back, my editor said to me, „Mayank you will never be successful in life?.
When I asked why he
thought I had such bleak prospect, he replied, „you are a vegetarian, you do not take liquor and
above all, you do not womanize…how you can succeed in career with such old fashioned
inhibitions and limitations?? It is very clear to me that if these are the qualifications for success
in career and life, the problem is not entirely with the definition of success but mostly with our
character which justifies all possible short-cuts in life for attaining a position which the social
benchmarks have labeled as success.”
“But the point is Monku, what your editor said is the truth of corporate culture and I am
repeatedly telling you that this is how the world is, you like it or not.
You accept it or condemn
it, it?s your choice but you cannot change the reality as it exists to