January 23, 2009
Shallow World ?
I am an optimist. Trust me. I am a person who always says, “Shit happens everyday — literally — that doesn’t mean we stop all other activities for the rest of the day, we move on. We carry on cheerfully and try to add meaning to our everyday lives, no matter how uneventful or insignificant our life is”.
So, what does that tell you about me as a person, I am wired for optimism, try to believe in the “bonafide” nature of the world around me. But sometimes, people, events and the general air around me makes me feel sick. During such times I vent on this blog.
Just a couple of days ago I blogged about balance sheet misadventures, and how mostly all corporations have resorted to cheap financial engineering tricks of cooking books. Evidence for that I found in yesterday’s economist article. To quote a paragraph from the article “The world’s sums do not add up. Statisticians are unable to offset the recent burgeoning surpluses with deficits elsewhere: according to the IMF, in 2007 the surpluses exceeded the deficits by $265 billion”
Yes, annually $265 billion goes missing, in effect all the surpluses are just cooked. Individuals like Raju, Madoff, Thain who at the helm with their mix of greed, incompetence and out right gluttony have performed acts which have ultimately led to “Global Imbalances”.
May be we live in a really shallow world and I am naive to expect ethical behavior like I have blogged here and here. Or may be I should stop reading about business, economics and the ugly “malafide” sides of human behavior. I am sure there are lots of people who participate in communities and do selfless work. They should be the ones I read and think about.
January 23rd, 2009 at 11:47 pm
If corporations and its leaders of this age are actively thinking of siphoning money and subsequently indulging in “cooking books”, it shows that mankind is easily susceptible to some “basic instincts” when there is ample opportunity to take advantage.
Information Technology and Financial worlds have worked hand in glove or individually time and again to disappoint masses around the world. Greed has overtaken opportunity and the world is slowly picking itself up dazed from one of the biggest financial rots one has seen and I think Madoff and Raju are just the tip of the iceberg.
If you ever want to feel inspired, I suggest you read about thousands of scientific research groups around the world, who are forever struggling for funds and yet, work selflessly to advance the cause of science. I have personally known fellow scientists who have done menial jobs during the night to support themselves while working tirelessly in the day, and thankfully enough come out with great research results which might be on track to save mankind. All this, while governments and corporations have been miserly in doling out grants for projects year after year but bask in the limelight once prospective and profitable results are achieved.
For one, I feel most satisfied that I am working for an organsiation which believes in actually “saving lives”…selflessly. I feel privileged and humbled by the fact that we play a role in ensuring a safe blood supply for the whole of Australia and some South East Asian countries by developing technologies to ensure that. There is no time or place for greed…there is simply a burning need to see this technology be available all over the world…for the well being of mankind.
Financial institutions, IT giants, corporate management schools have all had their day under the sun…it is time for scientists to lead the world. Amongst the ruins orchestrated by these” biggies” a scientific revolution is hopefully back on the rise!
The world is not shallow after all…except if you think and live in the world “developed” by IT powered dodgy economists!!!
Please do remain an optimist.