The infant mortality rate is 47 in India, that is, 47 children out of 1000 die within 42 days of their birth. 212, the number of maternal deaths per lakh live births. 237 million or one fifth of the whole of India remain hungry, 29.8% or 36 crore Indians are classified officially as poor by the planning commission. 44%, proportion of children under five who are underweight in India and only 4 countries outside of Africa have figures worse than India. Global Hunger Index ranks India 67th out of 88 developing nations. I could go on and on with numbers and statistics, they never end as each day brings more than I can ever comprehend.
Under this flood of numbers, I am losing my sense of reality. Sufferings and situations become mere numbers, numbers to be analysed, quoted and used to make a point. The fact that these numbers correspond to individuals- each and every one of them with the same set of feelings and emotions as me, all of them with parents and perhaps brothers and sisters, all of them suffering in ways I can hardly imagine- is seldom registered. It simply cannot be comprehended since it is too huge and too frequent that my brain does not have the ability to see beyond the numbers.
This is what happens to everyone beyond a certain point, a numbness at first and perhaps indifference and then they merely stay as numbers. They become an end in itself, to change those numbers we can modify their measurements, throw in some money hoping that it will change and we merely chase results. Our intension change to merely changing the numbers without understanding what lies beneath- the pain and suffering is too deep to be ever realised.
When policies are made under such circumstances, by those with no understanding of the true meaning of those numbers, then their impact too will be limited. We can talk on and on about developing administrative mindset to be more people-friendly and people-oriented, we can build complex policies to wish away these numbers, there can be reforms in the structure of administration to take it to the grassroots and more responsive to the people's needs, but if they lack the commitment to eradicate the underlying cause of suffering- which can happen only if the policy makers have some humanity and kindness in them along with the ability to realise the extent of the pain and suffering- then these become merely an exercise in futility.
Max Weber's legal rational theory of Authority is the model of administration and government we follow- a set of rules that prescribe the relationship between those who rule, those who are ruled and the system that implements these rules. Initially it was merely about implementing rules and regulations and we have now reached development administration where it is about delivery of services and ensuring socio-economic development. In theory, these are given as objective goals to be achieved, but I find the lack of emotion quite disturbing.
The need to ensure political-social-economic development is not just to make it a fair deal so that everyone has a set of basic rights, access to health, safety, education and purchasing power. I believe what should drive us is an acceptance and understanding that when there is even one person left on this planet who is suffering, the entire human race cannot be free of that pain and suffering. It might be emotional, but then that is what we are, social and emotional beings which cannot be denied. If our siblings or parents are in pain, we too are affected and we try to relieve that pain. It must be the same with all human beings, see them as our own self and as part of our lives.
It is with such emotions that we need to work, one could say it lacks the objectivity needed to work without succumbing to weaknesses, for sympathy and fraternity is exactly what we need to better our world. I say it is better to understand the need, purpose and impact of our actions than to deal in cold, detached and indifferent observations, recommendations and proposals. Policies for development should be made and implemented with such feelings and understanding of its purpose, this will surely achieve results.
A humanistic attitude towards life, towards everything we do is all I am talking about. But then, it is too silly to expect it from everyone because if everyone thought like this, we would never have had to make rules and regulations in the first place. The answer to those who do not think of humanity as one family lies in those who believe in "Vasudhaiva Kudumbakam" and lives accordingly. The answer to all the problems of the world lie in us, in each of us becoming better individuals and enabling others to be the same too. It is naive and simple and so the practical way is to deal with the good, poor and nice people in the world in simple terms (or even naively) but use our brains and all its devious learnings while dealing with the devious.
Under this flood of numbers, I am losing my sense of reality. Sufferings and situations become mere numbers, numbers to be analysed, quoted and used to make a point. The fact that these numbers correspond to individuals- each and every one of them with the same set of feelings and emotions as me, all of them with parents and perhaps brothers and sisters, all of them suffering in ways I can hardly imagine- is seldom registered. It simply cannot be comprehended since it is too huge and too frequent that my brain does not have the ability to see beyond the numbers.
This is what happens to everyone beyond a certain point, a numbness at first and perhaps indifference and then they merely stay as numbers. They become an end in itself, to change those numbers we can modify their measurements, throw in some money hoping that it will change and we merely chase results. Our intension change to merely changing the numbers without understanding what lies beneath- the pain and suffering is too deep to be ever realised.
When policies are made under such circumstances, by those with no understanding of the true meaning of those numbers, then their impact too will be limited. We can talk on and on about developing administrative mindset to be more people-friendly and people-oriented, we can build complex policies to wish away these numbers, there can be reforms in the structure of administration to take it to the grassroots and more responsive to the people's needs, but if they lack the commitment to eradicate the underlying cause of suffering- which can happen only if the policy makers have some humanity and kindness in them along with the ability to realise the extent of the pain and suffering- then these become merely an exercise in futility.
Max Weber's legal rational theory of Authority is the model of administration and government we follow- a set of rules that prescribe the relationship between those who rule, those who are ruled and the system that implements these rules. Initially it was merely about implementing rules and regulations and we have now reached development administration where it is about delivery of services and ensuring socio-economic development. In theory, these are given as objective goals to be achieved, but I find the lack of emotion quite disturbing.
The need to ensure political-social-economic development is not just to make it a fair deal so that everyone has a set of basic rights, access to health, safety, education and purchasing power. I believe what should drive us is an acceptance and understanding that when there is even one person left on this planet who is suffering, the entire human race cannot be free of that pain and suffering. It might be emotional, but then that is what we are, social and emotional beings which cannot be denied. If our siblings or parents are in pain, we too are affected and we try to relieve that pain. It must be the same with all human beings, see them as our own self and as part of our lives.
It is with such emotions that we need to work, one could say it lacks the objectivity needed to work without succumbing to weaknesses, for sympathy and fraternity is exactly what we need to better our world. I say it is better to understand the need, purpose and impact of our actions than to deal in cold, detached and indifferent observations, recommendations and proposals. Policies for development should be made and implemented with such feelings and understanding of its purpose, this will surely achieve results.
A humanistic attitude towards life, towards everything we do is all I am talking about. But then, it is too silly to expect it from everyone because if everyone thought like this, we would never have had to make rules and regulations in the first place. The answer to those who do not think of humanity as one family lies in those who believe in "Vasudhaiva Kudumbakam" and lives accordingly. The answer to all the problems of the world lie in us, in each of us becoming better individuals and enabling others to be the same too. It is naive and simple and so the practical way is to deal with the good, poor and nice people in the world in simple terms (or even naively) but use our brains and all its devious learnings while dealing with the devious.
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