Category Archives: people
India says:I want a better quality of life.
“I want a better quality of life”. This phrase and battle cry, I believe, is what is transforming India today. It will also continue to make this country tick in spite of all odds.
The human motivation for a better quality of life is not measurable, but it is certainly palpable. Here in India, it is an underlying human energy that is gathering steam and taking on a life of its own.
I look at India and I see major dichotomy (doesn’t everyone?). Let me group my thoughts into two high-level categories that I will call the bad news and the good news.
The Bad News (let’s get it over with first!):
- Corruption at all Levels of Government
- Looting of the Treasury by Bureaucrats
- The Parallel Cash Economy and the Scourge of Black Money
- Ineffective Government Services for All Citizens
- More Poverty than there should be!
- Lack of adequate Far-thinking, Honest, Visionary Public Sector Leadership
The following cannot be changed or stopped: each person’s innate need and wish to continually improve his or her quality of life – especially once they have had a taste of what is possible.
The resulting motivation is so significant that it has the power to exponentially multiply and transform worlds. Witness the ongoing transformation in India!
A person who has had his eyes opened to possibilities will reach for that better quality of life, even if it’s one step at a time.
Added all together, this will reach gigantic proportions at various economic strata, and therein – in these vast numbers – lies the magic.
That is why economic progress here can only increase and propagate. With its momentum and gathering force, no one will be able to stop it – not even an ineffective government. Think of it as a runaway train. But one that is headed to a good place.
Final Thought: What is the true potential of this country if it did not have to deal with so much of the bad news?
Photo: By Lakshmi Prabhala [CC-BY-2.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
The Amazing Service Industry of Mumbai
It is mind-boggling how many people can end up in service of one individual here in Mumbai (and I am sure in other cities). Sure, when I was growing up, we had a lot of help. But, in those days, especially in smaller towns, household help, for example, was normally generational and live-in. In other words, the person who cooked for us was probably a family member of whoever cooked for my grandparents.
Today, it is amazing how one individual living in Mumbai can outsource virtually everything in his or her life! People here quickly become accustomed to outsourcing all their chores and activities. These include many that we would in all likelihood be performing ourselves in the West or those which are not readily accessible, convenient or affordable over there.
Here is a sampling of the outsourcing realities in Mumbai, including representative costs (plus or minus 25%, depending on which area in Mumbai you live in):
- House Cleaning 7 days a week; dusting, sweeping and mopping all floors, cleaning bathrooms, dishwashing, laundry – $45 per month
- Cooking 7 days a week (freshly made lunch & dinner) – $60 per month
- Groceries (including vegies and all food or household needs) shopped and delivered for you, as needed – no extra cost
- Food from virtually any restaurant – delivered to your home at no extra cost
- All car driving needs (full-time driver, available 7 days a week) – $225 per month
- Personal Training at neighborhood gym – One hour, 6 days a week for $45 per month
- Yoga Training at home with qualified instructor – One hour, 3 days a week for $70 per month
- Massage in spa or at home – One hour, $10 – $100 depending on spa/massage therapist
- Manicure and Pedicure at home – $10
- Laundry picked up and delivered at home – e.g. ironing bed linen for one bed is $1; washing & ironing is $3.
As you can imagine, it has not taken me very long at all to “adjust” and outsource parts of my life. Given the short time that I have been here, I wonder how many other interesting outsourcing opportunities lie waiting to be discovered…
The Yin and Yang of Life Anywhere 