DailyPost 2822
EGOIST OSTRICH MINDSET
Even if you would have studied psychology and sociology to your heart’s content, in all possibility you would not have heard anything of this nature. Independently, all of us are aware of these words / terms, and what they connote. It is also a fact that we would like to keep away from people or institutions, organisations and enterprises that profess and practise such organisational culture. We can name any number of egoists we have met in our lives. Generally all sane people keep away from them. Even otherwise, they have nothing to do with others.
Such a person is preoccupied with his or her own interests; a selfish person and a conceited person. Does thIS sort of person fit into the classical democratic governance ruling class? The political executive and bureaucracy of this country. They need to be responsive, empathetic with an innate ability to deliver, however knotty the problem might be, however complex and demanding the situation might turn out to be. It applies exactly in the same manner to groups of people and even individuals. If we take a sample of the persons who interact with the governing class on demanding issues, they do not find them responsive, accommodating, or resolving.
Based on the interactions, they are also not found to be incompetent to deliver, in the situations talked about. Egoist behaviour is on full display in most of their interactions. At times you find abrasive and physically intimidating behaviour as well. Ignorance with egoist behaviour mostly turns out to be debilitating for governance. On this, more often than not, Ostrich Mindset is added to it, ending up in a deadly cocktail. This mindset emanates from the presumption that ostriches bury their heads in sand to avoid danger. People afflicted by this mindset tend to avoid feedback or the other information that could be useful for their work / progress. They follow outmoded ideas, knowledge and methodology not ready to face facts to everyone’s peril. They tend to create an iron curtain around them.
On the face of it, they project to be exactly opposite of what they are. The combination of egoist and ostrich characteristics are blatantly exhibited in our governing class as they move from one crisis or the other,not able to face every single complexity that is thrown on them. This is an ill fated scenario known as the Egoist Ostrich Mindset. A stiff personality, outmoded and outdated untouched by winds of change, literally usurping us. Democracy and information coming together, is an open challenge to its very existence. The control on data is slowly being challenged and thrown on their faces. Feudal machinations in modern camouflage to be simple, is the state of our current governance existence. The tech enabled change coupled with social fissures and rampant highhandedness are now finding expression in a variety of ways, may finally break this mental malaise, which is spoiling everything.
OPEN, TRANSPARENT AND RESPONSIVE GOVERNANCE WILL FINALLY BE FORCED UPON THE POWERS THAT BE.
Sanjay Sahay
Have a nice evening.