A theory in cricket says that playing at home gives you the edge, the advantage over your opponents because you know the conditions better, the crowd is with you and maybe conditions have been tailor made to suit you. But it does not necessarily mean that you are better than your opponents. Its only when you are tested out of your comfort zone and you succeed that you can be considered a great team. So if you want to have the edge and prove you are actually better than your opponents win away from home!
This is pretty much true for every single person. Being at home can make you complacent, very often laid back and lazy to the extent that you take things for granted. Away from home a person learns things big and small, trivial and important not because someone is telling him/her to but because it is a necessity.
Move outside the confines of home if you want to see world from a different perspective, meet different people, compete with a bigger crowd, have life changing experiences and to grow as a person.
I happened to hear what Mr. Raj Thackeray had to say in his interview to Arnab Goswami. One of the issues he highlighted was the influx of “outside” people into Maharashtra and particularly Mumbai. He says that they are taking away the jobs of the locals and hence the need of an agitation. This is the theory that is being propounded by many leaders at the state level to justify their actions. Yes there is the possibility of local jobs going to "outsiders" but the point here is, if the locals are competent enough, why would “outsiders” be needed? The theory “being at home breeds complacency” holds very much true. Otherwise how will you explain the fact that, in God’s own country, in the name of being idealistic, locals have ridiculous attitudes breeding total inefficiency, but the same people move outside and become very efficient and enterprising? Basically idealists in their own backyards come face to face with practicalities and become wiser. Maybe the local mulgas and mulgis need to get a dose of reality. Leaders with selfish agendas often mislead the youth to take up cudgels against a devil they call "the outsider" but seldom bring forth the reality that the devil might lie within.
If any political leader really wants the youth in his state to progress, he would not mind the competition, because only with competition will the youth strive to be better and constructively contribute to the state and nation. In fact he should tell the youth to take a cue from the “outsiders” and search for greener pastures away from home. Whenever they want to come back home, the state will welcome them with both hands.
The leader needs to find out whether he wants to create tigers at home and losers outside.
He definitely should have a broader view of life. Maybe a stint outside his own state can do wonders for him. Now maybe I am taking this theory too far!
Do write in your comments
Very well said... In fact, I always used to think that people like Raj Thackeray should be publicly asked this question - While he is dishing away his absurd philosophy, if his meeting were to be bombed, would he wait to check if all the people coming to save his life are only Maharashtrians? Wouldnt he run for his life? Wouldnt he go into hiding into his mouse-hole?
ReplyDeleteAnd to talk about God's own country... Politicians rule states like UP and Maharashtra, Politics rules Kerala. People seem to have forgotten the reason for their mutiny for every small issue, only thing they seem to remember now is to create one for any issue. Sad state of affairs, perhaps the saddest being that I am just sitting and commenting... :(
Isn't that the reason why Parsis excelled here in India...or why Indians go and are successful in the states.
ReplyDeleteBut I really don't see it critically. Its purely a manifestation of human brain, which raises walls and fences around their community and belongings. As the world goes flatter, it is bound to get awashed with the undercurrents of globalisation.
Its like me and you belonging to the world and identifying with the everyday events that happen anywhere - my drawing room or at the Pentagon. Its a process which promises to erase this mental block which essentially arose from the way mankind evolved - littered with bloody battles for survival, food, riches et al.
Blurring boundaries, which nevertheless might be a process held at ransom by some politicians, has only one way to go.
At the cost of going into the meta physical abyss, isn't that the law of entropy? It all moves towards stabilisation, Brownian motion held in due esteem.
So, flatter the world goes - so does it take away these parochial attitudes.
But hey, getting back and putting things in the perspective of the article..does this mean the world would eventually be a dumber place? I feel at that point would real competitiveness be played out, irrespective of the purchase power parity and currency dynamics. Maybe you could go on and spurn your next piece on this. :-)
@ Ravi: I love God's own country..it needs better attitudes to become God's own prosperous country
ReplyDeleteHope that you get a chance to bring about a change :)
@ Aman: After giving your comment atleast 3 readings,I have gathered enough courage to reply
I am really amazed at your chain of thoughts..as you said the blurring of boundaries is a slow but sure process
But I admit, I could'nt get the last piece about the world getting dumber! Do u mean because of the stabilization process?
dai.. karthik.. great to see u blogging..
ReplyDelete@Karthik: When I say that Parsis excelled in India, that's essentially because they had a feeling of insecurity which led them to work hard towards establishing a place of authority in the community.
ReplyDeleteSo as the boundaries blur would that sense driving one to perform and leap beyond the ordinary just get lost somewhere. That is the question I wanted you to address.
So when do I get the meat next??:-)
@ Shashi: Hey thanks macha
ReplyDeleteHope to see your comments often :)