It is said that change is the only constant. It is also said
that with time everything changes...people, their needs, their behaviours and their
relationships. There are changes in societal norms, acceptable behaviours and
values. Almost everything undergoes change. These changes occur in our
surroundings sometimes in a gradual manner and sometimes in disruptive ways.
Changes whether gradual or disruptive influence us!! Our personas, our lifestyles, our thinking, our unique ways of rationalizing and finding a survivable balance between joy and sufferings of life...everything is influenced.
The extent of influence on us is driven by our ability to retain and let go. At any given point of time, we carry the traces of past and future...A sense of deprivation and anticipation...and in the midst of this chaos, we try to adjust ourselves to what is called "The New Normal".
Some of us are ahead on this curve of acceptance.... Some do it no time and some people take forever...
In my life, I have seen many changes like anyone of us. I keep ruminating about them from time to time in our daily conversations with friends, colleagues and families. Today I thought, I will reflect on few of them that occur to me rather more often than others...
In earlier times, it was generally believed and accepted that a person working harder than others diligently and studiously and with good intent, would be able to gather skills and knowledge and (humility) to lead (help) others grow. Then the changes swept in and there was sloganized push to 'Work Smart' instead of ‘Work Hard'. In-fact work hard at a point of time became tantamount to being unimaginative and dumb and work smart at a point of time became suggestive of not minding even being clever, self-serving and cunning to achieve a position. Now in the new normal, both work hard and work smart have lost relevance and the new normal is to work in "Network". Networking implies a quid-pro-quo understanding between two people to share and exchange favors. There are networking slots especially organised during any major event where there are a few busybodies who keep sprinting from one person of importance to other.
In the new normal, person with a big network of people is considered more accomplished even though the person may individually possess lesser virtues or qualities.
Likewise, in earlier times, a Leader in any sphere of life used to be an Inspiration in a certain field. It was understood that the elevation to the position of leader would mean that the person carried both knowledge and experience of a certain field and the breadth and depth of it would lead others to align and manifest their potential in the best possible ways. In certain fields where the subject knowledge was not central, the leader would demonstrate a superlative conduct or depth of perspective that would elevate the spirit of masses to look up to that person and emulate. With time, the changed perspective provided a new outlook to the leader - It was that of becoming a person who is able to collaborate successfully with many and is able to remain accepted by many. In this new framework Students started rating teachers, contestants started rating judges, Team members started rating their leaders and, in many cases, children started rating their parents.
In the new Normal, a leader in many many situations is seen to be becoming a person who is able to adjust excellence to team's average, thrive on majoritarian views and build a team that can support a majoritarian illusion.
As a child I learned that written word had immense value.
People were warned of giving it a good thought before providing anything in writing
to someone. Writing was characterized by Handwriting and the Signatures
endorsing it. For legal matters, the written document was further vetted
by a judicial notary. With time and technology, it became possible to duplicate
documents, so photographs and video became the source of dependable truth. For
many years, a photograph of an event, a video of a person would have sufficed
to be the key evidence. Technology continued to advance and soon every person
started carrying a printing press on palm. This printing press or the new
"Mobile Phone” could take Photo graphs, Documents and Videos and had all
the applications available to morph them. In earlier times a publishing
something in a newspaper or social publication would require tremendous responsibility
of researching the facts which meant that a published word was completely
reliable and believable. With the advent of technologies, contents became rife
over the myriad social platforms without a shred of credibility.
In the new Normal, we have developed a shell of
indifference to our secrets being visible and known to a no. of people who are
unknown to us. It does not bother us anymore. There are no fisticuffs for
protecting the personal space. No more. There is only stoicism left...stoicism
that craves for Thumbs ups, Hearts and Raise Hands 24X7.
The list of new Normal would go on as we see more far-reaching changes coming our way. Artificial Intelligence, IoT, Space colonies and what not...Moment by Moment, Day by Day, We will keep changing our habits and I wonder very deeply what will become of us in the end..
If you too have reminiscence of something that has changed unrecognisably over these many years, please do share in comments .. Lets help each other not forget of what we were..
By
Manish 'Pakhi'
