It had been a dark year, darker of sorts. A year when money shown its true color. A year when violence reached new level of maturity.
It has been a tumultuous year for me, from the very beginning itself. I January when grandpa got seriously ill. In June and July when my previous google account was hacked, and adding on to it I was unable to get a training. In september when I got myself a training with a telecommunications mnc. And in december when I came to getting fired. It has been a tumultuous year.
Yes, I can be accused of not being regular at blogging, but can't help it, I am lazy like this only. Since my last post there were many thing that could be shared, but as ususal, I was me, lazy like anything. But yes, if I am able and in mood, I would share then, with the words retrospectively.
Till then wishing you all a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Tale of two persons: The Financial Meltdown of 2008
It is Sunday fifth of October 2008. It is shashti (Sixth day according to Hindu Calenders) and the first of festivities of Durga Puja. But I am here to write about something totally different thing. It is about the global financial meltdown, or a small part of it.
No, No, Absolutely not, I am not writing about the reasons, the culprits, the causes, the tools of such destruction. We have enough literature on that, or even more than enough. But what I will write is about the human implications that had, the causes of such implications, and why people are not seriously feeling sad about it.
I was moving my eyes over the headlines of the morning newspaper, when I caught up with this article, I read only what was there in the first page itself, I need not go further, whatever I had to get I got it there itself.
What is loss? Are two losses are same? Lets go through this example.
Once there were two friends Ravi and Anand. Both passed out of the same school, both went to the same college. However, Ravi chose to do his MBA from a prestigious College and Anand, due to strained financial circumstances, begin working in a brokerage at a meagre salary.
Years passed on, both them were still friend, both were in touch with each other, but they have seldom met for years. Both were married with kids. Ravi, after doing his MBA, joined a bank as trainee, salary is five figured and in denominated in dollars, now he a investment banker, his salary is left to your imagination. Anand, since he had started working earlier, didn't went for regular post graduation, he did it from correspondence. He left his first job and changed many since then, his current job pays him a salary of six figure, denominated in rupees. Ravi, stayed in an upmarket enclave in Manhattan. Anand was in his old government flat.
As the banks began to collapse in 2008, Ravi, in a single day, lost his job, but he always has expenses to meet, the rent of his upmarket home, insurance, grocery etc., leave alone savings that he has to make. Anand on the other hand, too have tougher time, his raise was freeze, adding on to that, the crippling inflation in the country was eating into his daily grocery budget and future planning. One day, both of day met at IM, and began to share there feelings, Ravi was distraught, for him, it was a great loss, now he has to meet his rent and other expenses, the upmarket apartment, which provided him the serenity, now was pinching, they had to move out. Anand kept wondering, who was at great loss, himself who was at place, when he started his career, or Ravi whose monthly expenses amounts to his two years annual salary.
This is the question that struck my mind immediately. Those who had lost in this meltdown, had lost a great deal. But what about those who did had anything to lose at all, but still at a loss. To fall from a position in tip always hurts, but when it is shared with persons whose income is all but your expenses. What if the other guy falls, and if he did he falls down he falls to the dumps. Which fall is bad, which one is more pathetic.
Going back to the example again, both Ravi and Anand worked for 10 hours a day at least, whereas Ravi has access to best food and gym, Anand had to content with television only, and few visits to mall in the weekends if the pocket permits. Ravi dined in the best restaurants in the world, whereas Anand loved the local canteen or dhaba, or a good local restaurant once in a blue moon. Both of them love their families, but their work permitted them to meet them only on weekends, Sundays in case of Anand.
One thing I do believe in is this, that every level more or less all people work equally hard. Only difference is there qualifications, and nothing else. But should it make the disparity that big that one man's expense is other man's yearly income. Well, it can be attributed to the survival of fittest. The move of the smarter one. However, their falls should not make paeans, odes or ballads, because still they are practically not in dumps.
No, No, Absolutely not, I am not writing about the reasons, the culprits, the causes, the tools of such destruction. We have enough literature on that, or even more than enough. But what I will write is about the human implications that had, the causes of such implications, and why people are not seriously feeling sad about it.
I was moving my eyes over the headlines of the morning newspaper, when I caught up with this article, I read only what was there in the first page itself, I need not go further, whatever I had to get I got it there itself.
What is loss? Are two losses are same? Lets go through this example.
Once there were two friends Ravi and Anand. Both passed out of the same school, both went to the same college. However, Ravi chose to do his MBA from a prestigious College and Anand, due to strained financial circumstances, begin working in a brokerage at a meagre salary.
Years passed on, both them were still friend, both were in touch with each other, but they have seldom met for years. Both were married with kids. Ravi, after doing his MBA, joined a bank as trainee, salary is five figured and in denominated in dollars, now he a investment banker, his salary is left to your imagination. Anand, since he had started working earlier, didn't went for regular post graduation, he did it from correspondence. He left his first job and changed many since then, his current job pays him a salary of six figure, denominated in rupees. Ravi, stayed in an upmarket enclave in Manhattan. Anand was in his old government flat.
As the banks began to collapse in 2008, Ravi, in a single day, lost his job, but he always has expenses to meet, the rent of his upmarket home, insurance, grocery etc., leave alone savings that he has to make. Anand on the other hand, too have tougher time, his raise was freeze, adding on to that, the crippling inflation in the country was eating into his daily grocery budget and future planning. One day, both of day met at IM, and began to share there feelings, Ravi was distraught, for him, it was a great loss, now he has to meet his rent and other expenses, the upmarket apartment, which provided him the serenity, now was pinching, they had to move out. Anand kept wondering, who was at great loss, himself who was at place, when he started his career, or Ravi whose monthly expenses amounts to his two years annual salary.
This is the question that struck my mind immediately. Those who had lost in this meltdown, had lost a great deal. But what about those who did had anything to lose at all, but still at a loss. To fall from a position in tip always hurts, but when it is shared with persons whose income is all but your expenses. What if the other guy falls, and if he did he falls down he falls to the dumps. Which fall is bad, which one is more pathetic.
Going back to the example again, both Ravi and Anand worked for 10 hours a day at least, whereas Ravi has access to best food and gym, Anand had to content with television only, and few visits to mall in the weekends if the pocket permits. Ravi dined in the best restaurants in the world, whereas Anand loved the local canteen or dhaba, or a good local restaurant once in a blue moon. Both of them love their families, but their work permitted them to meet them only on weekends, Sundays in case of Anand.
One thing I do believe in is this, that every level more or less all people work equally hard. Only difference is there qualifications, and nothing else. But should it make the disparity that big that one man's expense is other man's yearly income. Well, it can be attributed to the survival of fittest. The move of the smarter one. However, their falls should not make paeans, odes or ballads, because still they are practically not in dumps.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
The longest Night
At the time of the post, it is early night in Delhi. But for the ensuing festive season, it has been a long dark night. A night with no proper end in sight.
In a matter of two weeks four blasts have rocked the city. Though causalities has being lesser than that of the blasts of October 2005, but it was still able to show at what nadir our internal security has gone.
And even when all these things were going on, the head of our country's internal security, the Home Minister, has gotten the enough time to change his attire thrice. Not only that, he still has the courage to say, that with more blasts we are getting more experienced. Thanks for rubbing salt in our wounds.
But coming back to the blasts, whosoever had done them, one thing is clear, what he wanted is to instill fear. Here is where he had failed. He had instilled tears, pain, grief but not fear.
There is inscription in the Nigambodh Ghat ( a funeral place in Delhi) "Jeevan thathya hai, Mrityu Satya hai", mean life is a logic, but truth is death. Most of the Indians are bought up to that fact, and even though we are a country of emotional fools, we do understand this and to some extent, devonomize the snake of terrorism.
But this shall not be a reason of being complancent, such complacency has costed us of being overran by different countries in past. We can not call ourself great if we even can't protect our subjects, our citizens. And all those sloganeering goes down the drain.
It is said that the night is darkest before the dawn. Hope that the dawn breaks soon.
In a matter of two weeks four blasts have rocked the city. Though causalities has being lesser than that of the blasts of October 2005, but it was still able to show at what nadir our internal security has gone.
And even when all these things were going on, the head of our country's internal security, the Home Minister, has gotten the enough time to change his attire thrice. Not only that, he still has the courage to say, that with more blasts we are getting more experienced. Thanks for rubbing salt in our wounds.
But coming back to the blasts, whosoever had done them, one thing is clear, what he wanted is to instill fear. Here is where he had failed. He had instilled tears, pain, grief but not fear.
There is inscription in the Nigambodh Ghat ( a funeral place in Delhi) "Jeevan thathya hai, Mrityu Satya hai", mean life is a logic, but truth is death. Most of the Indians are bought up to that fact, and even though we are a country of emotional fools, we do understand this and to some extent, devonomize the snake of terrorism.
But this shall not be a reason of being complancent, such complacency has costed us of being overran by different countries in past. We can not call ourself great if we even can't protect our subjects, our citizens. And all those sloganeering goes down the drain.
It is said that the night is darkest before the dawn. Hope that the dawn breaks soon.
Introductory Post
I am back. Yet again, yes, even if my earlier profile was hacked. But still I rise.
For me it is not easy to write. Especially when one returns to home after a tiring day, travelling in a same position for two hours in trot, through the broken road. But I shall try to post as much as I can.
You might ask, Why do you want to post? Why do you want us to read them? What is in our interest to read about bullshits of another person's life? Why should we waste our time on it? Well I must say, you have the right questions. But since you are here, you are here to read or I shall say share something. I welcome comments, let it be rude, but make it to the point. A good communication is always a two way path.
Now the question, Who am I? I can understand the fact that the introduction is not clear about me, but i can't help it, once bitten twice shy. But the only thing that I can say is that I am Delhite, and I will be writing to express my feelings. To express "My point of view" to the things I see in daily life, you might agree and you might not, but don't be shy of expressing it here. It will be the best thing that you will be doing to me.
So there it is, my first introductory post. Let the posts begin.
For me it is not easy to write. Especially when one returns to home after a tiring day, travelling in a same position for two hours in trot, through the broken road. But I shall try to post as much as I can.
You might ask, Why do you want to post? Why do you want us to read them? What is in our interest to read about bullshits of another person's life? Why should we waste our time on it? Well I must say, you have the right questions. But since you are here, you are here to read or I shall say share something. I welcome comments, let it be rude, but make it to the point. A good communication is always a two way path.
Now the question, Who am I? I can understand the fact that the introduction is not clear about me, but i can't help it, once bitten twice shy. But the only thing that I can say is that I am Delhite, and I will be writing to express my feelings. To express "My point of view" to the things I see in daily life, you might agree and you might not, but don't be shy of expressing it here. It will be the best thing that you will be doing to me.
So there it is, my first introductory post. Let the posts begin.
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