Rider Without A Face

I drive fast, zig-zaging my way through the impossible Bangalore traffic. I see that sucker stuck behind and give myself a cocky grin as I pass him by from the left side. And what's that? A red light in the distance on the impeding traffic junction. Now red lights are something I hate with all my fiery tropical blood. Like death, they are great equalizers. The screwed up communists of the road. No matter how fast you go, you will have to stop by it and wait for the ones you left behind. Seeing the looser I left behind catch up and smirk is the last thing I want. And yet the choices I have are limited to either stop or risk my way through the traffic out of my turn. I will decide when I reach there. If the traffic is light, I will take my chances. Cops? Can be a problem on a bad day but they are generally cool spectators as long as I don't bump somebody. The signal is here and I see no big traffic, so here we go!

Phew, made it and going strong. I know the law abiding guys that I have left behind and the car-waalas who have sweared and blown their horns as I have cut them out with my bike will be fuming somewhere back there, cursing the roads, the system, the traffic sense and of course me. Gives me an almost sadistic pleasure thinking of the poor guys. Ha! Look at me, I don't believe in cribbing. You outrun them, make the way or get left behind. You don't crib. I am where I am because I take risks, even at cost of others, to get ahead. You don't crib, that is for sissies. And this is just one of the roads.

I have defied misfortune and death. And I will continue to do so. At least that is what I hope. Traffic gets worse every day. People die and crib. But I am the untouched rider without a face that bugs many on the road. It is a hard world. Nobody cares. I don't care either. We will meet someday, I hope. Till then I have another red light to jump...

Analyzing Reservations

Reservations as an affirmative action have found place in several countries of the world. India is one of them. I was thinking about where does this idea of reservation come from and what is the real psychology behind it. Here is my take on it.

To poach is a human tendency. The classic story of the camel pushing the Arab out of the tent is an ugly truth of human behavior. The power flux has the ones at the bottom trying to get up and the ones up trying to maintain their status quo. It is a very animalistic thing and their is nothing very "human" or "fair" about it. You either win or loose. That's about it.

But may be that's not all about it. The Hindu scriptures say that when a man is in hell he does penance to come out of it. Out of the penance comes dominion. By reigning over the dominion a man falls down to hell again and the cycle continues.

A step ahead of poaching is parasitism- to somehow get things done without having to work hard for it. While poaching is relentless greed, parasitism is that topped with sheer laziness.

In society at different times different people have monopolized resources to repress a big part. What comes after that is, generally, a bloody revolution or genocide. Either way a new order comes up which monopolizes the resources for itself. Some make a pretense that all is being done to "equalize" and change. Nothing changes. Only the controlling hands do.

I see reservations as an instrument of reversing the power flow. Hence the repressed and the untouchables of yesterday will become the repressors of future. The villages in India today have still not let go the caste but the order is reversing itself. It is not about merit, development, uplifting poor or economy. It is about who is powerful at this moment and who controls. Nothing more and nothing less.

And there is no use lamenting about it. People who find it unfair will leave the country, die frustrated or work hard and make a mark in the private sector (provided private sector is not brought under reservations). It is not possible that ALL 50% of the reserved category guys will be incompetent duds. Some will be good too and that should keep the economy afloat. Government will get its votes. Only losers will be people who are not labeled as the "disadvantaged".

People talk about meritocracy. A true meritocracy is a very hard thing to achieve. In the end people get what they deserve. With 50% of people in India living a life of poverty things are hard. Development is an enemy of the state. Developed, well-informed people are difficult to mislead. Fortunately the Governments around the world do a good job of that. It is left to the individual to find his/her safe haven.

On the ending note, he was born poor but worked hard and played mean. When he finally got power, he became corrupt. And then he fell again to somebody who had worked harder and been meaner.. And that my friend is the psychology behind reservations.