However
selfless and people-oriented our society is designed to make us, we cannot let
go the natural instinct of protecting our self-interests. After all, if we
cannot protect ourselves, how can we help others? But there is a distinction
between defense and offence, even if offence is the best form of defense. In
our eagerness to protect our interests, we cannot put someone else at a loss.
An ancient two-liner by a famous Indian saint translates to “Oh God, give me
just enough to take care of my family and the occasional guest. I do not ask
for more.” I would take if I get more, but I’ll not myself seek more than that.
It
is ironical that the same society that tries to orients us towards the welfare
of others, pits us one against the other. In this competitive world where the
fittest survive, it is not an easy job to stay contented and still live
happily. There’s a never ending demand for more, a rush to excel, and a craving
for what others have and more. The net effect is an overworked individual, an
economic bubble, a sudden downturn, and gloom everywhere. The story is like
that of the tortoise and the hare. It is a simple logic that if the society is
overworked to the extent that they don’t have time to enjoy or appreciate the fruits
of their own work, there’s no one to work for and the work will have to simply
stop.
It
is always better to stand and drink a cup of water than run and drink a cup of
milk. Rush, to me is always unholy. Excess, of any kind is not at all worth. A
solution to the economic downturns is probably to regulate the intensity of
competition and the rate of growth. Many of our friends and co-workers were let
go. I’m pretty sure that in many cases, the budget-cuts on manpower were far
less than the budget-cuts on the machinery. In one case, my friend told me that
his team purchased a $50,000 machinery to improve operations by an hour or so
in a week, after he was laid off. The same money could have kept his family
going for close to a year, he regretted.
While
it is important to survive in a tough market, it is also important for the
decision makers to have a heart for the people. After all, everything we do is
for the people. If a truly deserving employee can be supported for a few more
months at the cost of a machine, which saved 10% of the time, it may be wise in
the long run to opt for the former. A disgruntled family spreads lot more
unhappiness in the society than the happiness that a machine saving 10% of
manufacturing time to the society can get. This is where human values come into
picture. Human values like loyalty, gratitude, love and respect automatically
ensure that people are not disadvantaged. Loyalty and gratitude will not let go
an employee who contributed to the success of the company in the past, when the
times turn around. The same loyalty and gratitude will also not let an employee
leave the company for greener pastures when time changes. Human values protect
everyone and the society.
Unfortunately,
the “unholy” rush that the society is demanding is acting as the biggest
detriment to practicing human values. World will be a much nicer place if
everyone does their best in preserving these values. One of the strong reasons
I like with the company I work with is its outreach to the people and its
interest in giving back to the
community. The company really takes these matters to heart, as can be seen from
the past track record. I volunteered for quite a few of such activities
