Why cant we be good in Aping, atleast?

Whenever we need any info, it has become a habit to get into any good search engine and get instant answers like instant pain relievers. I myself had indulged in this on many occasions like looking for best blogs of the week, good books to read, good ways of resolving certain issues be it electrical or mechanical etc., Though at global levels of issues we seem to get solutions, if the queries pertain to specific areas, some of the suggested solutions are not relevant. For instance, a person in India requires tips on how to save, how to plan for retirement the answers by the search engines are not at all relevant as they conform more to U.S and other countries !

Under Indian conditions, entrepreneurs have flourished with such innovative thoughts on matrimonial sites and culinary items, I wonder what is preventing our young business minds to focus on this area?

Today in India, courier boys have started getting the acknowledgement in electronic pads. People have stopped walking down to theaters or railway station for booking their tickets as they get it done with their computers. Even the Indian railways have embarked on a green initiative by  encouraging e-receipt through messages on your mobile phone rather than a printed ticket- an open admission of the emerging electronic scenario. It has become a popular sight on the road from milkman to veggiewala, to auto driver cling on to a mobile phone unmindful of the increasing heart beat of others.

I wonder whether any other country is making such rapid strides in the use of internet and technology as India. But, unfortunately we seem to be aping and using things that are so readily available on the market- white or gray - and content with obtaining what we want irrespective of the means. Right from the operating system to mobile phones to kids toys, we have become adept in enjoying off the shelf stuffs rather than creating one. I read recently that "if we are not even capable of making cheap electrical pins and sockets, let us migrate to China, so that the overheads at least come down further".

How true, at least part of it. With so much of talent , so many innovative minds, we still look over the shoulders. Is it sheer laziness, lack of encouragement or unwillingness?  I really wish that someone at sometime, put their thoughts on for how many we look into the internet and how much time we take to sift items pertaining to our region and culture and come out with our own  indigenous answers.  On that day, will bloom the true colors of Indian minds and believe me it will bring in more revolution than what things like Windows did to the world in the 1990s. 

Everyday Gentleman

I was at an awards function recently and there was a small crowd of not more than 100. Since it was literary in nature, the expectations from the motley crowd was high as there were august speakers invited and all were waiting for some good oration.

As is usual, I was in the hall well before the appointed hour and those gathered were indulging in some small talks and even well past the scheduled time of 6 PM, there were no signs of the function getting started. The organizer, a popular personality on TV shows was busy interacting with his own friends and fans and it was well past 6.30 before he took the stage. After mike adjustments, meets and greets the function started almost 45 minutes behind schedule.

The auditorium was soon reverberating with chaste regional language and the audience sat back to enjoy the evening, as the speaker's words and the air-conditioners humming started coexisting nicely. Then started the ringing of mobile phones one after the other and more than their resonance, the attitude of the owners were more irritating. Some chose to immediately pick the call. Some had a good look at the number before answering and in the meantime the phone kept on emitting the jarring loud tone. As though these were not enough, there was a young man who started speaking loudly dismissing the objections of others , before he was virtually evicted from hall.

Then there were small kids accompanying their parents, who were making merry at the last row with steel chairs the sound of which made it hard to hear even some of the speeches, all the while when the parents were not even trying to advise the kids to behave.

I was astonished at the attitude of these, which we dubiously claim as "Indian".  I remember a Senior executive of a bank in Australia apologizing for being a minute late to the meeting, when we were waiting.

I have never heard the mobile phone ringing at any of the meetings even in offices, as it was mandated that we switch off or put them in silent mode. The same people when they are at different countries behave differently and appear impeccable in manners but when they are back , they resume their own 'culture'.

These remind me of the 'Sunday Gentlemen' , whom the famous novelist Irwing Wallace defines in his book of the same name as those who have been declared bankrupt and are in hiding from the public, but are allowed free to wander around the town only on Sunday and even the court or Police have no rights to arrest them on that day. These are also people who are otherwise clad in western dresses and warm handshakes with soft tissues to use on alighting from the car, but forget the basics in a gathering !

How I wish, these are followed by all at all times, not only when they are away from India.

Which means , a Gentleman daily- is that too tall a wish?