Money or “Maya” as stated in Hindu mythology is believed to be the cause of all evils in this world.
I recall my uncle saying telling me, “Son money is not God but in today’s world its not less than God”
This was a lesson to me when I had completed my post graduation and exploring job opportunities. Somewhere in me then, now I realize, was an inertia to move on from a student life. The preaching by uncle was, it seems now was to address this inertia in me.
Opting for an academic career, (as the opportunity came by) my thinking was more focused on “quality of life” rather than being carried away with the “need for earning more and more”. Then my wife and I were alone and no pressure to support parents.
Moving on I got my first corporate job. Since then with each year passing and me approaching thirties, I realized an inherent need to ‘earn enough’ and also realized the ‘need to earn more’. This thinking I feel yet has not made be tactical and clever as people usually read me to be. I really do not care what they think!
Last year around October, Monica’s cousin expired in a road accident in New Delhi. He was just 21 and only son of a father approaching retirement. Being in Delhi, we came to know about the accident very late. I visited hospital where he was last treated with my father-in-law. At 2:00 am we were at the reception trying to seek whereabouts of Chacha ji (Cousin’s father), worrying in what state of mind he must be in after losing his only son within a year of losing Chachi ji.
We happen to meet an individual who happened to know the whole incident and he told how he was first to see the kid being brought to hospital. He told that he helped Chacha ji close the legal formalities with regard to accident and will also be there in morning to help with post mortem of the dead body. I asked, “Any problem in family, you being here?” He said, “My wife is in 3rd month of pregnancy, nothing very serious, had complained about some uneasiness and doctor advised her to be admitted in hospital for a day or two.” We left hospital with lots of respect for this individual and thanking him several times by heart thinking humanity is still not dead in this world.
Next day when my father-in-law returned from cremation said that individual was some kind of an agent who earns money by helping people complete legal formalities, post mortem etc. I was shocked and also ashamed by my innocence of thanking him in heart without failing to read the likely motive behind he being so helpful.
So what crux of the problem- Individual’s way of earning or my thinking. What is problem with my thinking? The answer is- everything was good about the individual till he asked for money to help. So its “Money”.
In the capitalist world that we live in “Money” is supreme and only source of driving efficiencies. Examples are numerous:
a) Variable component in our salaries- ensures min. deliverables. Serves as a “Stick”
b) Performance bonus in our salaries- Serves a “Carrot”
c) Drive to reduce global warming, resulting in trading of Carbon credits
d) Sports club being listed on stock exchanges and so on…
With growing power of “Money” it seems God’s role is reduced to that of a “Manager” ensuring continuity of life on earth. Somehow managing to achieve his KRAs
God bless God