This firm where I work has its own conservative climate. The nail that stands out is quickly hammered down. It takes a lot of effort to remain standing. Also in my earlier firm I had spent 7 years. 7 years is enough to establish yourself and to stand out not being worried about being beaten. A swagger that is hard to put down. This thing is sometimes quite stifling. It is almost that it doesn’t want to move. It takes a lot of effort to push it but when it does move, much like a juggernaut, I guess it will be forceful and in some ways unstoppable.
Every family, office or any group of people have a set of unwritten rules that govern them. It’s called culture. Culture is not good nor bad. But resistance to change is probably bad. Culture by definition must move on. So many times I have seen people use culture as a reason to stop change. Culture is so funny. It is something that is constantly changing, it is something that is constantly resisting change. We don’t realize how much it has changed. Sometimes when we ask for people to be hanged and I ask the question – do we as a race have the right to take other people’s lives? Is it merely a cultural phenomenon. Possibly a few generations later out children will look upon us as barbaric. People look at me aghast. You mean to say that Kasab must not be hanged? I am not saying that. All I am saying is that ‘todays’ truth is that he must be hanged, but tomorrow’s truth could be that he must not be.
Quartering is today considered a barbaric act. In London convicts were fastened to a hurdle, or wooden panel, and drawn by horse to the place of execution, where they were hanged (almost to the point of death), emasculated, disembowelled, beheaded and quartered (chopped into four pieces). Their remains were often displayed in prominent places across the country, such as London Bridge. This is what Wikipedia says about it. Another book mentions, possibly apocryphal but not too hard to believe, that people used to take it as a picnic event, coming it with their kids and bread baskets to witness what would churn most stomachs today. I think even Newton in his avatar as the head of the British mint ordered the quartering of a person suspected of counterfeiting.
I find it futile to comment on culture is that sense. But one thing I must say, I think that while it may be right to preserve culture (people love monotony), it is stupid and I think down right suicidal to resist change. People who change bring in fresh ideas, new ideas, newer efficiencies and a chance to grow further. A climate of change is critical to the formation of strong societies. Another place I read that cities also need a balance in people who stay on rent versus people who own homes. The researcher, if I remember well, says that ratio must not exceed 55% of owned homes. Because as soon as you buy your house you are in many ways not ready to take on risk. Similarly attracting a bohemian culture that is responsive and possibly aggressively embracing change as a part of your ecosystem will probably help in taking your society forward.
Mumbai has this very big risk as I see it. Our rentals are rising rapidly. The housing prices are going up. Everywhere it is becoming almost impossible to own or even rent a home. This is wrong for a city. A city needs to attract young people with lower salaries but a high desire to make it big. It must allow them to intermingle and work alongside well. The best ideas will come in from the immigrants. I look around me in office, how many of us are third generation Mumbai residents. Most of us can’t trace our roots in Mumbai beyond our parents or grandparents. My worry is that high property prices and subsequent high rentals will soon drive people out of Mumbai. Today we are unable to see this but this will happen. All it requires is one big guy to move out and start another hub. Mumbai lost the software hub to Bangalore and other cities. Today talks are that all mobile apps are being made out of Chennai. Similarly, cultural hubs will also move out.
Interesting things can only happen to cities which allow for interesting people to come and settle. Right winged groups scaring immigrants can’t help. Insular societies building high boundaries and stopping free entry and exit of players, through restrictions or scaring them away or even economic restrictions will only doom themselves.
The challenge is to remain what you believe in while being open to have dissenters in place. Whether we allow them to shout out loud, or we allow them to come in cheap, or we allow them to fail. We must tolerate, no we must encourage change. A change that is challenges the basis of what we stand for. I hope my daughter grows up and shows me this blog when I stand in her way. It is so difficult when we don’t see it. We are so used to it, but we must. I must. Not all must change. It could be too disruptive , emotionally; but a lot can, slowly, surely. As long as we accept that it must, that’s a good step forward.
My job here – I see it as a change agent. It’s tough and irritating. But I must get down, and change something. Slowly. One starfish at a time. That’s what keeps me going. Some days are bad and some days are good. But I must try and change and I must be open to forces changing me. Now its beginning to sound like a prayer…. Amen.
