Of policies, suits and briefcases

I think as Indians, we embrace chaos very easily. Our colonies may not be peaceful with children playing on the road, cars honking for no joy, folks talking mindlessly over mobile phones on topics that can very much wait etc., Very few dress up to draw attention, while others show off wealth by adorning themselves with grand jewelry. The truth is that our ideas are very much different from the west and it's something we should all factor in before taking major decisions. For instance, the multi million dollar, fast food behemoth KFC had to rethink their menu, while McDonanld's introduced a vegetarian only stall in parts of our country shows the how seriously they consider our market.

Someone asked me recently as to how the west has influenced us at all and how they are not a threat to our country. Well, let me explain. When our country had to be conquered, the top minds had to first divide us on various levels including language, food, clothing etc., Today we are more comfortable in jeans and a tee. We enjoy a chilled Coke instead of buttermilk and run aimlessly on a treadmill rather than walk or do some yoga. In case you have not spotted a pattern yet, well let me be more explicit. They have invaded every single walk of our life. All these changes have taken place at a sub-conscious level, which will take ages to be reverted. By my guess, it's never going to happen! This is a more powerful weapon than any of the nuclear, biological or chemical devices that might decimate continents in minutes.

The problem with this invasion of the mind is that it is reserved more to the affluent. Others aspire for it so much that it results in nothing but violence. More on that, some other time. So what has this got to do with the title you ask. Well, let me explain.

Take the cult places that I like to frequent in Bangalore; MTR etc., These were for a long time small businesses where people worked with a lot of passion to ensure the best quality food with few compromises. To them, the smile on the foodie's face was more important than the money accumulated at the end of the day. They may not have been rich, in fact they might have even struggled to make ends meet, but that seldom stopped them from loving their job to deliver the highest possible quality. Today, the place has been taken over with everything becoming a commodity. The hand cut fruit is now more precise, consistent and looks immaculate. What is missing is the soul. The problem I have is that when big boys in suits walk into a manager's room, it often results in a take over where money is prioritized over character. To them, it's just about putting a few practices into place to ensure consistency and implement policies to maximize profits.

My sympathies to the businesses that choose to remain small in this world full of white goods. There are very few areas you can call unique anymore. Any hobby or place is on someone else's list to do, leaving you with few options on which you can build a life story. In the beginning of the post, I told how the west has overpowered us in many areas, made us accept their practices without questioning, without thinking if it suits our topography. Well, in short, they just made us another commodity, they took away our soul. When you want to take a break from your mundane routine and take a trip down to the roots of our country, you understand how much shallow our cities are becoming by the day. In this world of Armani cut suits and Gucci designed handbags, there is little to add that sparkle to them which makes them unique. Something to think about.