Thursday, August 7, 2008

In an Ideology Crisis??

I recently called my brother an ignorant, impetuous, anti-American communist, when he vociferously opposed my MS ambitions abroad. Forget the first three, but what do I have against the communists? Actually, I have nothing against them. It is just that I believe having an ideology and then basing one’s decisions on that is no longer the best way to go about in this new world. (Please understand. Communist ideology is just one example of many ideologies floating in this world now. I have nothing against the communist ideology. I am only writing against the concept of ideology.)

An ideology is now an archaic concept in this world of globalisation 3.0. The world is now more dynamic. Thus one has to look at the problem at hand and then solve the issue based on the circumstance, more or so like 20-20 cricket, as opposed to test match cricket.

In a test match one has the freedom to plan for different scenarios and then execute them based on the predefined and orthodox method, but in 20-20, the situation will mostly demand improvisation, one has to be able to think on one’s feet, more or so like in the fast pace of today’s globalised world. Sorry, test cricket and T-20 was the only metaphor I could come up with for the old world and the new one.

An ideology creates a modus operandi for our thinking and working. But it is not applicable in a dynamic society today because once people start following an ideology their mindset develops an inertia resisting change. The ability to adapt is stifled. This does not augur well for the world.

Thus what society needs now is not an educational system, where ideologies are fed into the fresh brains, but one which inculcates an attitude to adapt to any scenario to promptly take advantage of the world that is highly non linear and dynamic.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

kiran i loved your article on ideology very much...I very much agree with you that we need a system that helps us cope up and adapt with the dynamic and vibrant world.
Your article on aussies ... there are some who loathe them for their professionalism and argue their victory is due to the barbaric(no discipline) play...your article is a blow on their pointless arguing...