Approved: sabhlok.india

[Suresh Rajagopalan <sraja@cinenet.net>]

> > Because of Indians at the personal level are so convinced of their
> > superiority, they find it hard to work in teams. And the
> scientific-industrial
> > world we inhabit depends on teamwork and rewards it. China and
> Singapore have
> > learned the art of marshalling their people efficiently. We have
> not. In that
> > simple fact lies the secret of their economic success.
> > 
> > I think our democratic system and stress on individualism has
> probably laid
> > the foundations of more solid overall development, but in economic
> terms, we
> > have paid for it with lack of efficiency.
> 
> Hello Everybody,
> 		When all of you talk about macro economy and social
> democratism, etc I
> can do nothing but lurk. This was the reason I had posed my question
> earlier to Sanjeev. How are you going to take this discussion or
> atleast
> the end result to the genral public. Unless they are involved how will
> this wonderful work succeed? Not everybody is a social scientist.
> 		For these discussions to materialze, we should have an
> ideal society.
> At least a near ideal society. For that team work is very very
> essential, everyone working on their strengths and not trying to gloss
> up their weaknesses. This sense of team work can be acheived only by
> inducing it. Not just preaching will do. How to acheive this near
> ideal
> society? Like that of Singapore.
> 		How to induce this team sense with nationalism included?
> Surely a miltary raj wont do. Why cant we have compulsary drafting in
> the armed services at the age of 18. Of all indivduals including
> women.
> For 2 years. Only if they complete this course they will be given
> future
> benefits like ID cards, license, ration cards, education admissions to
> university. My opinion is that the armed forces are the place to learn
> the team work at its best. I dont know how far this idea is feasible.
> 		I leave it for you experts to discuss and decide.
> Best regards
> R Krishnan
> CAF - Chief Access Facilitator
> WebIndia - Welcome to Business in India
> http://www.webindia.com/
> 
I agree with your point. We indians are inherently convinced that
success comes through individual accomplishments and it is due to this
reason probably we see a lot of outstanding indian individuals in the
global arena but not too many companies. This also means that although
we are not conditioned to be teamworkers, we adapt quickly once we come
out in the international arena. I am an Architect & Planner. During my
visit to India for marketing my services in 1996, I visited many
companies and saw a lot of change. But again this is happening only over
a very limited part of the society where there is international
exposure.

What I do not agree with is the compulsory drafting of individuals into
the armed forces like you suggest. I think it is anti-democratic. You
are absolutely right when you say that it can be achieved by inducing it
and not preaching it. And the best way to do is have this engrained in
us right from day-one. Improving Education is the only answer. I think
great changes can be brought about by a generation. Conditioning
dominates Rationale. Even the most rational, informed, educated person
can be a smoker. Smoking in my opinion is a totally irrational thing to
do. Everyone knows it is "hazardous to health" yet many do it. why? It
is much easier not to start it at all than to stop smoking. It is a
proven fact. Negligible number of people take up smoking after the age
of 25. what we acquire before that age stays engrained in us. To
discontinue them is not easy. And that is why I believe that a strong
family core with a hard shell of education is the key to the success of
the next generation and of change. 

You are right. What good is all this discussion when tomorrow people are
not ready to follow it? What good is a trash can when people do not use
it, is what I ask ( after all it is actually a question in india)? That
does not mean we remove the trash can. we should work on persuading
people to use it. most would not change. We should then inculcate this
habbit into the children and that WILL work (my 4 yr old daughter
reminds me to say "you are welcome" when ever she thanks me). I think we
should work on education, both within and out of the family. I believe
that development is an evolutionary process. There is no such thing as
an ideal society. Ideal means no need for change which means death  -
that is the only thing that can be assumed to be cemplete and static. We
can never predict the shape of a tree but can definitely make sure it
has a healthy growth. The natural forces during its growth give shape to
the tree. I think, this discussion even after "completion" will always
continue to evolve.

regards, 

Srini