Nirvaana?

IT has been considered as an almost Nirvaana in Indian families. It's an honor if the son/daughter in a house is aiming/pursuing/completed an MS(Of-course, in US dude/babe) program or works away from the country. The middle class of India or at least a section of it, has found hope and avenue for its aspirations in the ever-growing IT industry. IT has helped people to contribute and grow with the companies they work for.

Let me pen down a few thoughts that just keep floating across my mind when I hear the word-IT revolution. Most of the below stuffs were thought after hours spent in observation. I am eating Bhel Puri with my closest guys and gals while I finally decide to let this out.

Why would we swim when we can row? Rowing is more efficient and definitely faster. Rowing looks like a natural and practical choice unless one does not have a boat or a row or just plain wants to be in water. There is something very uncanny about rowing though. The rower actually sweats to go reverse - with his back to his destination. Swimming may be harder but at least one can see where he is heading!

The IT fellows are working hard. Project schedule rather than biological clock dictate their sleeping hours. Entire life is rearranged around deadlines, tours and engagements. PowerPoint takes precedence over conversation. Outlook is the tool in Windows rather than a powerful faculty. Conversations are punctuated by quick glances at sms or mails on the mobile rather than pauses natural to a dialogue. Early morning walks aren't away from home to the nearest joggers lane rather towards the home - after a night-out at office.

The sun never sets in the global economy. So unless you are the customer you are destined for a schedule famously known as 24/7. But a customer has a customer too. So at the end of it - we are all in the same proverbial boat. Drained, cracking and fatigued - we keep ROWING.

Ironically, none of the people involved have anything to do with a cause that is noble enough to warrant the price. We are not talking about doctors or scientists working for the cause of humanity - life saving, life giving or life enhancing. We are not talking about soldiers defending a land or kindred souls reaching out to the helpless. The product release that made my relative (He is one of a highly respected stalwarts in an MNC) postpone his daughter's very first birthday or yet another return home dawn after dawn - was targeted for Christmas - the season of joy and giving! It is a high tech toy that may get a child excited with its new gaming features. A gizmo that may keep him interested for less than a decimal of the time it took tens of people to make it. It all seem like dark humor.

What I cited is not an isolated case - either in time or place. We are a global colony of rowers in every walk of life. Other than the hobos, rest of us are mere paddle pushers stalked by an unseen destination and egged on by a navigator. Reminds one of Ben Hur in the Roman galleons.

Technology was destined to make our life easier, if not full-filling. In reality, it is disfiguring the lives of almost all who work in it or are touched by it. Between them it a sizable part of the populace. If the engineer's technology gives the salesman more time it only means an additional hour for an additional client. In the infinite irony of life, the salesman may now be hard-selling his time-share vacation plan to the engineer - convincing him of the many ways to enjoy the time the latter doesn't have. One more client and he can meet his company's sales goal.

We are all rowing when we can swim.

I will be failing in my duty if I don't say that I will be a victim of my above observation soon. Therefore, am having my foot pressed on to the clutch, thinking which gear to put..Can I escape this joke by choosing something else?! Yes, I can. After-all, I love life.