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Don’t Smirk at the Chinese, Evny ‘em, Ape ‘em

Yes the gold medal haul example again – but that’s just one. The opening ceremony at Guangzhou, the lovely religio-festive and decorative artefacts [ganeshas, diwali crackers, candles] at awesomely value prices that have swept Indian [Read global] markets, the global IT manufacturing monopoly almost, credible story in IT/ITES, the strengthening Yuan, the consistent economic growth. That’s the real story.

We can rile the Chinese at the roadside here, we can ridicule their communist background. Yes, the Chinese top brass – seem intolerant on the Dalai Lama issue; they come across as land grabbers in the Arunachal Pradesh story [so do we to some people in the world in the POK issue – but I know we are not ;)]. Many times we here stories of journos gagged and populist voice stifled [Tainammen Square]. Despite a partisan western media, these stories may be as correct as the above macro indicators.

But the macro indicators still remain. A 150 crore or so people cannot be gagged and flogged to efficiency. Its like making the Africa a progressive continent in 30 years time. Just one generation. It will be self fulfilling [ i.e self defeating] to let the dark part of Chinese image make us wear a mask to the progressive part. The messages we can learn and imbibe; and superimpose to our tolerant, democratic, free will set-up.

The other day, I met a friend from China. An Indian, who heads an MNCs Asia Pac set-up based out of Shanghai. In 10 minutes, I was enthralled by the courtesy, the dignity and the humility. In short he was calm personified.

Someone with the portfolio that he looks after – this is not something one sees often around. I couldn’t help but share the observation with my friend. He was quick to state, after having stayed/worked in China/Japan for a few years now. His value systems and philosophies are getting influenced by that of those communities.

He was categorical that Chinese community has favoured focus on substance vs show; and two the sense of women emancipation was far greater than in India. Those two according to him were the cornerstone of Chinese success. Also Chinese were to a large extent an egalitarian [hierarchy-less, class/caste less society – a natural fall out of communism].

India for some queer reason, fell far for the show of the show and the consumerism of the mindset [especially in the last 20 years] instead the leveraging the opportunities for efficiency of a market economy. Also women in India are far far behind in terms of contributing to the national productivity. They invariably do a wonderful job in keeping the family together in the growing days of the children – but then it may not very incorrect to say the woman power is yet to be unleashed in full force. Both within and outside the family. A large extent could be due to the historically patriarchal societies that we have had.

One is tempted to summarise, that China has flourished despite communism and we are yet to find our feet [despite significant gains over the past 60 years]. I don’t wish the make the problem or solution seem simplistic by writing in off in 2 lines. Neither am I a social expert. All that I wish to observe that there are stark macro gaps and there are further differences social value systems which support the gaps. The hypothesis is – it need not only be because of history or natural endowment. It could be a somewhere in our psychic wiring.

We may choose to be open to scythe through our wiring and re-wire or we may reinforce ours self fulfilling/defeating ones. But the imminent outlook is that if we don’t, learn from the Chinese and re-build our social wiring, we are in for trouble. What I can predict it – one day, China will become free-willed, tolerant [in the not too distant future – say 5-15 years from now, if I have to stick my neck out] and import our good points and raise the bar further beyond our reach.


Mumbai
December 26, 2010

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