Every Saint has a "Corrput" past and every sinner an "honest " Future

Every  Saint has a “corrupt” past  and  Every Sinner an  “honest”  future…

It is easy  to miss a forest  for trees, when you are in the forest. Distance brings in clarity.  I was
resisting  the temptation to  write in my  blog about the  recent specatcle  of “ War against corruption”. So when a colleague   of mine asked for my view, I thought  I will pen my thoughts   rather than offer another commentary  as a butterfly  on the wall  of Jantar Mantar, TV Studios  or even  @ the source of  that  mysterious CD. These are  some random thoughts  connected tenously  to the subject matter.  Some of them may be paradoxical.  But our wold is  a paradox.

J.  Krisnamurthy, one of  the  original philososphers   did  have  a way with words.  To quote Mr. Krishnamurthy "You are the world, the neighbour, the friend, the so-called enemy. If you would understand, you must first understand yourself, for in you is the root of all understanding. In you is the beginning and the end."   We make our world. We contribute to the good, bad and evil. Add to the river of consciousness, either directly or indirectly. So it is important to introspect, before separating  “Lilly white” self   from the  “corrupt” and “dark”  world out there  and take a holier than thou self righteous stand.

It is also important to realize that  our world  is not an Ideal place.  Especially since it is made by less than ideal human beings.  Most probably  Rama Rajya is an inner longing of a guilty mind, than a melancholic recollection of  good old days.  There is nothing there in our world, absolutely  in Black and White..  It is a big band of  continous spectrum  (2G / 3G ) of Grey lines  two thin lines of  Black and White.  A vast majority of human beings, dynamically  oscillate between those thin lines  as context  (Or  Circle) changes . It is  mankind’s innate understanding of  this truth forced him to create  Ideal GODs who behave perfectly in a absultely honest ways.   So Ideal World is a Myth .  (like  Ideal God and Godmen ?).

 Especially a Corruption free world  is an Utopia. Why ?

As  U G Krishnamurthy remarked, as long as we need a  fence to save us from our neighbour, we would  rely on  Armies to protect us from other countries.   As long as each one of  us retain  a certain amount of  greed and selfishness (what is in it for me ?), there is going to be one form or another form of corruption. Even though each one of us scorn at a Raja or a Kalmadi, not many would prefer an absolutely honest  Civic authority (  A lot  many of residences  and commercial
complexes  in Bangalore do violate  laws) and  an honest traffic constable would be the most
hated figure (Infact  as we waited  @ the busy Sarakki Junction traffic signal, 3 cars whizzed  across the   Red Signal on  a Good Friday  morning.)..

Now I could hear the familiar clamor. It is the system and  we are all poor  victims of the system.

But  we started with the view, We make the World. System is made by  the “Self”. 

Considering this as another Chicken or Egg dilemma,    Should we strive for a solution  ?
 Of course we should,  if  we getover the the need for an Ideal world and ideal solution.

Then  what  could be a good  solution ?  Where it should start ? Self or System ?

IMV, it need to be started with the System.  While  Self is the best unit for change, it would take a  very long time  for each one of  us to be Saintly.  Keeping in mind the fact  that we have considerably evolved  ever since  we started  walking on two legs,  there could be a phsychological or biological
mutation for being better human beings, in very distant future.  So while waiting for that internal
transformation to happen in each one of us,  there should be systemic changes  as  an external motivation  to comply with generally accepted  principles of society.  Or unfettered  or  unregulated  greed  would  ensure a faster fall to the abyss.  So systemic changes is a must. 

 Even though Yudhishitira  said to have answered  Yaksha  “absence  of desire makes one rich”,  all of
us  are trying to be wiser than him  by trying to  GAIN riches  without  having to  LOSE our desire.  So if the Self does not change,  any system we put in place, will be ineffective.  Also a lot of effort  by way of religions, prophets etc have not made much of  a dent on Self.  Some of the most greedy people are  Hindu Godmen,  Many Muslim clergymen does not get proper sleep everynight  unless they  delcare a fatwa on some one’s head during the day and Vatican is struggling for a solution  for those priests charged with pedophilia in USA.  Human mind  will always find ways and means to beat the system.  Man  is an innovative animal  and  he has created  enough Mental Tools  to  do that.

Another question comes to mind, is whom we should entrust to change the system ?  Considering the area of  corruption should they be one  with no skeletons in their closet ?

When the stock market bubble  burst in USA and caused  the great depression, Franklin D.  Roosvelt , US President  had decided to bring in  stock market regulation and  US SEC was born.  He chose Joseph P. Kennedy  to become the first leader of the brand-new SEC.  Kennedy had thrived on Wall Streetbefore coming to Washington, making millions as an investment banker. He also  reveled in being a back-room player who cultivated ties to anyone -- reputable or not -- with power and wealth. Indeed, Roosevelt is said to have responded to criticism of his appointment of Kennedy by saying, "It takes a thief to catch one." Yet Kennedy succeeded beyond anyone's imagination in his efforts to create a watchdog for the securities business -- to the surprise of both his Wall Street associates and
those who distrusted him. (http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/may2003/nf20030529_7026.htm).”

The same principles  applies  to  security of IT systems as well. The best security systems are created by the best hackers.  If Tamil Nadu police  had  caught Veerappan alive, probably   we would have  had a best selling guide on how to stop poaching of  wild elephants.   That does not necessarily mean that  every cop need to have a criminal history.  But it does help. Even the  God  can’t be more religious than the recently  converted  athiest.

Then many  good men are endowed with  great ability to imagine the ways of  human psyche.  They can add immense value in creating a  good system. But  one quality they need to have  is  not being onion skinned. The moment we  offer ourselves as  models of perfect  virtue in public service,  we end up  like fish in a  glass bowl.  One of the most succesful attorneys in  USA, Jerry  Spence in his wonderful book “How to Argue and Win every time”, offers  a wonderful solution for all Presidential
candidates.  Write  down all our misdemeanors in our life and send to  the press and all opponents  before even announcing our candidature.  Infact  Mr. Obama started his own campaign  by writing his memoirs  “Dreams from my father” very candidly.  And went to become the President of USA.

So I did not really understand  Shanti Bhushan’s  logic and defense of  “ I have never known or met  Mr. Amar Singh”.  What can be a better qualitfication that  representing Amar Singh and his party in courts.    Or Hedge coming out  and writing to Digvijay Singh a note on  his learning  from his effort of  Cleansing the most corrupt state in the country .

So the 10 wise men  have come together to create the system.  They need to start, by learning about the Law of Entropy which states that  the moment we create a perfect system of order, it will start moving towards disorder.  And  as long as  the  Self  does not change, the movement to disorder will
be faster and  this Jantar  Mantar  act will keep repeating.. 

Then   JP.. now Hazare..  Tomorrow ?

Man , Machine and Search for Meaning..

Man ,  Machine and Search for Meaning..

Even though  my face  time with MD Pai  was just for an hour or so  some  6 years back ( I did meet him for a few seconds during a function @ IIMB much later), he  is  one of those  who  left an indelible  mark in my psyche and  life.  Don’t get me wrong. I am  not one of those star gazing , name dropping type who was looking for  5 minute of fame  under the Sun. Also many who had worked/Still work in that organization  would vouch for the fact  that  one of the mails  that they  least look forward to  is ( “is”  till June 2011 J )  a meeting invite from the  reigning (now
dethroned!)  Tsar.

In spite  of many   colorful and captivating  legendary stories  about his deeds and notorious temper,  I did not have much of trepidation (maybe due to the Communist chromosome in my DNA), as  I walked  to meet him and his team thru the squeaky clean floors  and corridors. (Btw it is
one company which ensures   the success of   a Reckit Benkiser or P & G in India.  A naïve visitor may  even wonder, whether they have OCD like Lady Macbeth!).

His physical presence is quite intmidating, even with that half- friendly smile.  Almost built like a wrestler, his unkempt beard, scars around his eyes and baritone voice adds to the effect.

Contrary to expectations , he gave the impression of  an absolutley honest and straight talking human being.  One who preaches very little, but does practice what he preaches. (Unlike many
others who remain perfect paper idealists.).  I did feel that  the chosen/entrusted  mandate  of “Taking care  of his organization”  did  take precedence  over his own  world views and values.  And it was not that easy   to verbally spar with someone  with that  kind of razor sharp intelligence and  crystal clear articulation. Even though there was an amount of ruthlessness  like  Gary Kasparov ( especially  when playing mindgames  against some one as gentle as  Viswanathan Anand),  in a sense he did show signs of an compassionate and fair side, especially  when he shared  his own  career experience  in his previous  organization and how it had shaped  his own career.

Many  Infoscions, did share  with me that  he was quite instrumental  along with Phaneesh Murthy  in the success of   that iconic organization, and  he  was always looked upon as  a Future CEO of Infosys.  Especially his own success stories on the business side of having led Infosys BPO, financial
wizardry (hails from South Canara) as CFO and the director  with widest span of responsibility) added to that myth.  So it was bit surprising  for many to learn about  Pai’s  resignation.

But what really stuck to my heart  was  his own statements   in those endless  interviews  he gave to those teeming   journalists after the  announcement.  He said and I quote “I feel liberated”, “I feel free” and “Life is all about tomorrow. You know I am a Bangalore guy, but I have not had lunch at a restaurant in the city in the past 17 years. I want to spend a lot of time with my wife, kids and friends. I want to catch up on my reading. My wife has bought me a houseful of books. Also, I want to
destress and tame my temper.”

It left one wondering   whether he was truly enjoying his stint.  Or whether it was just an
adrenalin pumping and teeth gritting kind of forced motivation born out of ambition to prove a point. It also raises an important question, even conceding the point that earning a living, contributing to the society and organization, leaving a legacy etc are worthy pursuits, does it have to be @ the cost of everything else.

Does life have to be single spoked wheel?  Is it a wrong notion in our circles that Life has to be single dimensional.

Did not Gandhi take time out to listen to a M. S. Subbalakshmi keerthan, even when he was racing against time to get India independence?  How many know that Einstien was a gifted violinist and Richard Feynman learned to paint and play drums?  Ratan Tata enjoys flying planes and sketching? And a Jack Welch truly worried about his Golf scores and diligently worked on it?  Did they had a
lesser contribution to the society and their chosen fields  compared to others?

It would be interesting  to read a story about one of the successful Generals  Indian Army  ever had,  “So innovative was his operational planning and so meticulous its execution that Lt-Gen J.S. Aurora did not forsake his daily round of golf even once during the 12-day battle to "liberate" East Pakistan, which emerged as Bangladesh in 1971. As India's Eastern Army commander tasked with evicting the tyrannical Pakistani military from East Pakistan, the Sikh soldier even played a relaxed 18-hole round inside his Fort William headquarters at Calcutta, before leaving for Dacca to accept the surrender of Lt-Gen A.A.K. Niazi and 93,000 soldiers.”

These are all pointes to the fact, there are many good examples  of great souls   who did excel  in their chosen field, without  depriving  themselves  the  good moments  life offered them moment
to moment.  One common denominator  in all of them  is  a multi dimensional approah to life. A single minded focus on any goal, even if the goal is enligtenment, being a  Prime Minister or  even a CEO, oblivious to other finer aspects of this wonderful life, may not  necessarily be a better choice.  Considering a finished painting as a metaphor for one’s life,  if one stops insisting on  being the sole creator  of the painting and let   life paint a few brushstrokes, then  we may have a master piece.  That happens only when one accepts the Truth  that Life is what happens to  you
here and now.   “Life is not necessarily what happens tomorrow” as he seems to believe.

Because tomorrow never comes.

End note:  The non-aspiring  Taoist non-writer earns his living  working for IT industry.

“The Way I See that”  is absolutely  his personal perception (or lack of IT) and relatively nothing official.
about IT. J