Saturday, August 21, 2010

The Gantt chart of life

For those who aren’t aware of Gantt chart, check out this Wikipedia link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gantt_Chart A Gantt chart is a type of a bar chart that illustrates a project schedule. I learnt it in engineering, used it at work, but am amused at its application in life.

Here’s what prompted the thought in the first place. Yesterday, two of closest friends shared one of their happiest moments (each); something that would indeed qualify for a phase-of-life-complete-element in their respective lives.

One of them celebrated his house warming and anyone who has ever purchased a home would know the pain one goes through in scouting for one, running around for loans first and then on doing up the place later. Not to mention the constant pressure of managing finances so you can at least afford a weekend movie, if you indeed find time for it eventually. But in the end, I am sure it’s worth it. At least that’s what my friend feels, and I would echo that.

But more importantly, it marks the end of a wandering phase that’s become the hallmark of most Indian working class immigrant population. More the time you live in rented accommodation, more your urge to own one. So you start your hunt for the perfect abode, visit loan fairs, postpone vacations to accumulate some down payment money, wait endlessly for the builder to give you possession and even more for the interior decorator to spruce your home up……At the end of it all, when you finally move in, phew, you are exhausted and glad that this “phase” of your life is complete more than the fact that this was what the dream you harbored for the past 2-3 years. Now that the “home” phase is over, here’s looking forward to the next one.

That reminds me of my second friend who announced yesterday that he is starting a family. Family? Dude, it was just a few years back when we used to crib of babies crying in theatres and cursing their parents who brought them there in the first place. I poked him about his rationale for the decision, and I must admit it was a very well thought-out one.

His joy apart, I can’t ignore that he already owns a home, so he is over with the “home” phase, and now in for a new (albeit noisy, weepy, expensive) one. The due date is still a few months away, and I am not sure whether on D-day, he will be relieved that all the months of care are over, concerned about more to come or simply revel in the celebrations. Whatever it is, it will mark the beginning of a new phase for him. Time to tick one more phase complete and plan towards a new one.

What is it that keeps us seeking one phase after another: graduation-post_graduation-career-bike-car-marriage-home-family-family’s_education-the_cycle_repeats_for_them-finally_retirement_when_most are_unsure_of_what_to_do_next? It’s almost like project management on a Gantt chart. The phases run parallel for some people, sequential for others, come with gaps for most. Some of them run pretty long, often frustrating to the extent that at the end of it, you are relieved it’s finally over. But for the lucky few, it’s like nirvana! And they fret once it’s over, because they enjoyed the phase more than its outcome,

But are these phases simply something to look forward to, something that keeps us going, something eventful in an otherwise mundane life or simply nature’s rules meant to be followed? Whatever they are, I know enough people who plan these quite well and a lot of others who take them as they come. I guess, to each his own.

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Your freedom ends where my nose begins

I just came back from the Independence Day’s celebrations in my society and was pleasantly surprised with the enthusiasm of folks waiting patiently with their kids for the flag hoisting ceremony. Most dressed in traditional Indian clothes, flag in hand, kid on shoulder – one couldn’t have, but appreciated their fervor. And typical with most things Indian, the enthusiasm was contagious – the herd mentality drove a lot of onlookers (including me) to check out the function, and pay homage to those who sacrificed their lives, so we could wave our flags on Facebook, air our opinions freely on blogs, and tweet without restraint. The function reminded me of the Independence Day celebrations in school and college, where attendance was compulsory. Ironically, we were celebrating freedom but were dictated to do so by the management.

Patriotic songs, drills and dances apart, one thing that I still recall from previous Independence Day celebrations is a story that our school Rector, Father Ronnie narrated during one such Independence Day.

Here’s how it goes:

On August 15, 1947, the day India gained independence, a young man was strolling down a street, whistling, beaming with joy, waving a stick in his hand. Naturally, the carelessly waved stick hurt a lot of people passing him. But he wasn’t really bothered. For him, his new-found freedom meant he could do anything he wished. On one such occasion, his stick hit an old man’s nose. The old man asked him to control it. But the young guy was not the one to take such advice kindly, especially on Independence Day and retorted, “Old man, perhaps you are not aware, but we are a free country now. I am free to do anything I want”. To which the senior replied, “You are correct son, you are free. But your freedom ends, where my nose begins”.

This story that I heard more than 10 years back is perhaps all the more relevant today. We live in a much open world, where our every action is under scrutiny. And there are enough moral police that preach Indian culture without understanding its essence. While democracy does give everyone the freedom to speak and do what they wish, it does not advocate blatant encroachment of personal privacy.

There is a big difference between discipline and dictats from a handful few. If some political groups believe Valentine’s Day celebration is an act of indiscipline, is trashing women in public any better? Why should shopkeepers be asked to pull down their shutters in peak business seasons, just because someone was not disciplined enough to relieve himself outside a place of worship? Simply because 15 guys with loud voices stand together with a flag in hand, while others are dispersed behind pillars and lamp posts? Indeed there is strength in numbers (that’s what gave us our freedom in the first place), but that does not give the numbered few the right to tell others what they should (or should not) do unless it’s hurting them. Why can’t we just mind our own business?

Lord Mahaveer said, “Live and let live”, and as long as our actions do not bother anyone, that’s fine. To me, that’s freedom – the power to decide for myself. To select the stream of engineering I want to, to decide my career, to marry the person I want to, to celebrate festivals and days that I want to. In the same vein, it cannot come at the cost of causing pain to others. What’s the point in celebrating Ganesh festival, when patients in a hospital en-route the procession are in pain from the loud noise? Would Lord Ganpati really bless you for bothering his devotees? How many drivers would congratulate you on your wedding after you block traffic with your baraat?

Guys, your freedom indeed ends where my nose begins. And for the Hollywood-awed, here’s a slightly tweaked quote from your favorite superhero, “With great freedom, comes great responsibility".

Jai Hind!

Sunday, August 8, 2010

We shall overcome…someday!

The controversy surrounding the Commonwealth Games has put us in a dharmasankat of sorts…We want to hang the corrupt officials – and we already are doing that through the media…which by the way is viewed by the world…that further puts us to shame. At the same time, the games are so near that we need the very same officials to pull the event through. I doubt if Lord Krishna could read a solution from the Bhagwad Geeta to such a quandary; the way he offered one to Arjuna at Kurukshetra.

Nonetheless, as we flip through the plethora of news channels and their over-eager reporters debating the ‘common’ and the ‘wealth’ issues, one thing is clear – come hell or high water, we have to pull the games through. Two recent events really caught my eye on this subject. One was an appeal from Subrata Roy Sahara to fellow media to exercise caution while reporting the misappropriations in the light of global visibility (and ensuing national shame) and the other was a pretty casual remark by a games official on national television.

I must note Subrata’s appeal was extremely mature. It takes guts to defy trends and appeal to the media to postpone their ire post the games; though I doubt how much it resonated with an audience that’s well aware that the issue would die a natural death later and hardly garner any TRPs once the games are over. Nonetheless, a brave request from someone who runs a media house himself. Let’s see if his channels practice what he has preached.

The second was a debate on one of the leading channels about the entire issue. A games official, who could not think of better responses to all the allegations, only had one thing to offer – “…eventually we will overcome all obstacles and the games will be successful”. Yes. We shall overcome…or as they would hum in New Delhi, Hum honge kamyaad… When? ‘Ek din’! Hopefully on October 3rd, when the games kick off.

For whatever reason, the ‘we shall overcome’ philosophy seems ingrained in our DNA. Why do we always scramble towards the deadline? Why can’t we plan in advance? Why don’t we allocate resources suitably so as not to put pressure on the available ones? While we eventually overcome obstacles, it does boil a lot of blood in the process.

And that applies not just to events of national pride, but to every small thing that all of us experience. We complete our engineering projects just in time for submission. We never hire specialists for critical jobs; did you hire a wedding planner? I didn’t, but I am sure if I had, it would have saved my parents, uncles and cousins a bit of last minute running around. We make do (the great Indian jugaad) with whatever and whoever’s available. We run about organizing college fests and company events with a madness (and of course passion) that grows exponentially as we approach deadlines. Have we ever seen a linear activity-versus-time graph? Even in cricket, we get off to a great start, slumber in the middle overs and eventually win in the last over. We have a penchant for making even the most lopsided matches interesting…maybe it’s got something to do with the bookies. But more often than not to our ‘chalta hai’ attitude.

Yes, we do overcome; but how? Our quality suffers at the expense of ‘simply delivering’. And we blatantly pat our backs for overcoming ‘despite hurdles’; but why do we need to plant those hurdles in the first place? We can easily cruise through if we build a smooth track. Some efficient project management is all we need. But I guess the last minute rush drives our adrenaline up; we love to be pushed against the wall, so we can emerge victorious and flaunt our despite- hurdles-win. Maybe if everything goes on smoothly, the recognition would be milder. But this does affect our credibility in the long run. Predictability and consistency are as important as the one-off wins if we are to be given an opportunity to repeat those.

On the positive side, the ‘we shall overcome’ attitude has helped us as well. The IPL South Africa edition is a classic illustration. When the tournament was in jeopardy over security organizations that were (rightfully) assigned on elections duty; we relocated it to South Africa within 20 days. Man, imagine doing that to an NFL or the European League and you will see every organizer put their hands up in impossibility. But the BCCI did pull it off; and in style!


For now, let’s hope we really overcome the Common Wealth Games. For deep in my heart, I do believe, we shall overcome some day! Suggestions to overcome are pouring in from all quarters and one that particularly amused me is that to hand over the event organization to the Indian army. Ironically, that’s a testimony to the emergency situation we have placed ourselves in. And in army parlance, that does call for work on a war footing (as most news headlines describe). Hmmnnnn…..the metaphors fit in so perfectly! Enjoy this illustration as you recommend a few as well; click on the image to see it clearly: