The future has a way of arriving unannounced...

“It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power.”

And my recent landing is at Kinapse, a business consultancy firm in the pharma R&D sector. The transition from Evalueserve has been pretty smooth given the fact that there hasn’t been a rapid change in the industry (pharma again). There does exist a wave of change in the job profile and the type of work I will be doing, moving all the way from research into hardcore consulting, probably this is one step ahead. So here I am, scouting for more opportunities @ my new job carrying forth all my learnings from college and my past job...

I discriminate, so do you...

The social assemblage of race exists even if there is no genetic veracity. Of course, there is only one human race. But saying that is about as meaningful as saying there is only one world. Look at our very own nation...

Bengalis get abused because they are too sissy. Jaats are avoided because they argue and fight for no reason. Parsees are dirty fellows. Sindhis are considered stingy. Kashmiris can't be trusted. Gujratis are too money-minded. Punjabis are deemed to be "show-offs". Marwaris are "bloody foodies". And in the end, we proclaim that we are one nation.

Every terrorist attack in the nation is pointed towards Muslims. Every Christian in the country is eyed with the suspicion of a "converter". Hindus are thought to be timid. Sikhs are considered rebellious. And in the end, we proclaim that we are one nation.

The slum folks are too low standard. High society is too snooty. The people in the middle are from the old school of thought - they aren't modern enough. The newer generations think the older ones are not fit enough to live with them. The older generation thinks the newer lot is too fast paced. And in the end, we proclaim that we are one nation.

Cricketers are branded as over-paid under-worked stars. The film stars are notorious for their connections with underworld. The politicians are all money- gobbling eagles. The bureaucrats can be bribed all the time. The female actors all sleep their way up to stardom. The policemen are all sold. And in the end, we proclaim that we are one nation.

Writers are considered retarded. Social activists are called attention-seekers. Singers and painters are the ones who are unemployed and are desperately seeking some money. And in the end, we proclaim that we are one nation.

A look at human history shows that fanaticism and odium is as elemental to us as is to be in love with and that no matter how you label it, populace will categorize the others as different and second-rate whether it is race or religion or profession. It is an essential survival instinct. It is a way to sustain freedom and power. We do it in so many ways on a daily basis.