Milestone # 1

4 months completed today into the new life and today we managed to get the chulha going in our newest home. This means that we now have walls of the house, the roof, the flooring done and the chulha installed. We cooked a little sweet and shared it with people present. The entire construction so far has been done using none of the commonly known ecologically harmful material like cement, furnace burnt bricks, iron rods, etc. We now have walls made of stone, joining is done with mud, inner walls have been done with sun-burnt bricks and roof is done using locally available wood (luckily for us it happens to be teak) and roof tiles. Wood is also used in the door & window frames. The doors and windows are yet to be made. We’ll use the same wood for them as well. We intend to spend the day in the new house starting tomorrow and if plans fructify, we’ll also sleep there itself. 

Reflections of my Past Life

We can divide the population as Urban Elite, Urban Commoners, Rural Elites and Rural Commoners. Broadly, let’s say urban elite comprises of urban residents, who earn 10 lac & above p.a. or occupy position of power in bureaucracy, defence services, academia and the like. This is where I belong and am on my way out. Rural residents with income with Rs. 4 lac and above or similar position are Rural Elite. The remaining population is termed commoners. Broadly speaking, the urban elite is an aspirational class for the rest classes.

It is interesting to study and analyse this class and characteristics. Though there is a significant heterogeneity, I’ll try to enumerate characteristics which are prevalent in majority cases. On each parameter, I’ll present my view in contrast to the commonly held view. It may make enjoyable reading if the reader chooses not to take it personally (also it is not meant to be targeted to any specific person).

Education

Commonly Held View: Education is one of the important distinction of urban elite. Education makes them self reliant, capable of decision making for self and on behalf of other classes, capable of facing uncertainty and adversary, innovative, civic and broadly better human beings.

My View: This class gives very high importance to ‘certification of IQ’. Academic and Professional Degrees, diplomas, doctorates, passing out from an institute of repute are yardsticks of the certification. By and large, ‘certification’ is more important than enhancement in actual IQ. This certification of IQ is considered synonymous with ‘education’. Physical quotient (strength, stamina, immunity, ruggedness, etc), Emotional quotient (softer elements like courage, compassion, perseverance, mental strength, etc) and spiritual quotient are subordinated to IQ to such an extent that almost no effort is made to develop these. What is termed as education is the very reason this class is neither self reliant, nor capable of balanced decision making, nor capable of facing uncertainty, nor innovative, nor civic and can hardly be termed as ‘better’ human beings.

Society

Commonly Held View: Specialized expertise is developed, thereby ensuring that the most optimum solutions are made available to all. People with varied skill sets stay together, which results in harmonious living. Given the diversity and interdependence, there is mutual respect and fair trade.

My View: The flip side of specialized expertise is non-expertise in most other (including essential) skills. This has resulted in greed in the field of expertise and fear in other areas. Greed and fear result in distrust and lack of concern for fellow beings, which in turn result in a host of ills of the modern society. Inability to perform most of the essential functions has made majority in urban elite class utterly dependent on the commoners (farmers, maids, drivers, baby sitters, mechanics and a host of other functions). A society as defined by most urban elites will keep other classes out under some pretex or another. Thus, being benefitted at the cost of other classes is considered quite ok, though one wouldn’t like to view it that way. 

Fair Trade

Commonly Held View: The invention of money and the price determination basis demand and supply have been the biggest landmarks of the civilization. It makes possible the determination of the value of every service, thus ensuring a fair trade.

My View: The invention of money and the price determination basis demand and supply are the biggest frauds of the civilization. Since majority of the population is that of commoners, price determination basis demand and supply ensured that all services offered by commoners are priced at a fraction of those offered by elites, irrespective of the value of the goods or services. Monetising goods and services facilitated hoarding (fueling greed) of goods and services in the form of money. Once hoarded, fractions of the money can be thrown at the commoners for their services, the price of which is already set low since the supply is large. Calling this fair trade can only be termed as audacious.