We as a nation had always set our priorities right. We always knew that hydro-power and tourism are the only things that can save us from our economic miseries. And yet, sadly, very little has been achieved in these fields.
Once I read a slogan on a friend’s t-shirt: ‘Ever since Einstein discovered the theory of relativity, everything is relative’. For some reason, that particular line stuck in my mind. Later he presented a similar t-shirt to me, nut then, the t-shirt is of very little consequence here. It’s rather the slogan on it that is important. [break]
That line made quite an impact on my life. Someone else’s worst is often my best. I realized my poverty is wealth for many, or vice versa, and sometimes the highest of educational degrees is of little consequence for a person who continues to be an idiot. The takeaway message is simple. While a certain school of thought professes that as a society we have made a giant leap forward, I believe just the opposite. For me, we are nowhere close to where we ought to be. We live in an apparently democratic society, and hence, neither of these views can be rejected.
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I am not a statistician, but have always had great liking for economics. Unlike many of my generation who ‘read’ newspapers only for the sports section, I often pause at the business page. At regular intervals, I read of an increase in people leaving the country, but the inflow of tourists increases in insignificant percentage points. And if there is one positive news, about a hydro project, there are at least half a dozen reports of the bleak state of affairs vis-à-vis the project.
There are all sorts of reasons for the disruption of work, but the one that cannot be ignored is that the locals’ demands have increased. They want more of everything. I often think these demands lean towards insanity. I am sure the locals disagree. They must be thinking that the so-called-intellectul-writer sitting in the comfort of inverter-generated power in the capital knows nothing about their woes. To each his own, we both feel we are correct.
Many of my friends and experts working in the tourism sector tell me that tourism is a mirage. At the beginning of every new season, be it due to changes in government or in other factors, there is always hope that this particular season is going to be different. That this is the one to look forward to. And yet there has never been a year that has managed to meet expectations. Invariably, they are left hoping the next one will be better.
Perhaps this is the perfect example of how hope has become part of our lifestyle, we hope something better will happen without even knowing how. Or perhaps we have outgrown our own frustrations so much so that we cannot get ‘more’ frustrated.
After having worked more than a dozen years in the ‘IT sector’ of Nepal, I feel that it’s one of the most underrated areas. In my opinion, next to hydro and tourism, it is the one sector that can bring about significant change. Today, there is no limit to what one can do with a simple machine (and obviously, with internet connection) sitting on a couch sipping coffee. Perhaps this is the only kind of work that breaks all geographical barriers.
We cannot make super computers that process trillions of data, but we can certainly assure western firms of good sleep, helping them work and cutting their operating cost drastically through business process outsourcing. If you want to reach out to customer service through a customer care number of the US, the chances are that the call will be answered by someone in South Asia.
I have been invited to meetings and seminars to share my view regarding why, in spite of churning out thousands of software professionals year after year, we have not been successful. Ninety percent of the speakers say that it is due to the government’s lackadaisical approach. I say it’s because technically, very few of us qualify to be called ‘entrepreneurs.’ Entrepreneurs work very hard, they understand that unless they are innovative and competitive and ensure quality and timely delivery, their business will fail. Often I get a cold reaction for my views instead of claps.
The reason I mention business here is that today it is easy to make money without taking risks. We feel like it is our human right that every business must be profitable. Once I was seeing off the Minister of Science and Technology after he had taken a tour of a company in Kathmandu. The company was a fully owned subsidiary of a Boston-based company. It employed more than 350 engineers, and since all employees were paid in dollars, we took pride in the fact that we were contributing to the economy by bringing in dollars. As he was stepping into his ministerial SUV, the minister remarked “I really liked the company and the facilities, but am disappointed that you are not building software for Nepal.” He left.
We make huge investments in companies, going to the extent of putting every little paisa we have as collateral for bank loan, simply because some entrepreneur promises us that that there will be huge returns, and that too without waiting too long. Now, it’s blatantly obvious that when someone is trying to raise capital, he would not suggest, even remotely, that the business is ‘risky’. Neither would he say that it will take ages to get returns.
A couple days ago, there was a protest rally organized by a group of people who had made large investments and were demanding that the government take the responsibility of ensuring safe returns on their investments. I doubt whether they even thought of government agencies before making their investment. To me, making a business investment is a gamble, and these people seemed totally convinced that their win should be guaranteed. I cannot imagine what could be going through their minds, as to me the idea is ridiculous. Perhaps they have their own logic, and once again, there is the Einsteinian relativity at play.
To sum things up, somehow we have become so polarized that we just cannot appreciate someone else’s point of view. Agreeing with another person is tantamount to losing. There are views galore, but no one is willing to hear someone else’s point of view.
Perhaps we have taken this particular version of relativity theory rather too literally, and forgotten to leave room for neutrality, failed to appreciate the importance of accommodating all kinds of views. I await the day when someone raises his/her hands to say ‘it is me who is responsible for the sorry state of our country’. It is impossible, I know. And I know there is no one else who thinks so!
hiteshkarki@gmail.com
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