Since Technocrats hail from Middle Class; they suffer certain pangs and family pressure which define character, mind set behaviour pattern of urban middle class. Of course, these are equally applicable to other professionals in other walks as well.
- They have terrible tendency to compare with others and they get paranoid with any perception of “slightest lagging” with respect to peers.
- They are driven too much by how they are seen by others and at times indulge in unwarranted showmanship.
- They are risk averse; like to join into “coveted elitist herd”, whereby it becomes easier to move up faster automatically.
- They do not like to face tough characters and tough situations …and would rather quit and migrate elsewhere.
- They compromise and adapt too much.
- They expect others to follow all system and queue discipline etc., but for themselves they seek shortcuts and opportunity to jump the queue.
- Young people do not know what they want … they only realize what they did not want after having it.
- If they know what they want … they also realize that it is impossible to get it …and so they force themselves to start liking whatever they got.
- They needlessly hail the past, excessively attempt to plan the future, and in the process miss out on the present.
Plus points are … they are kind, friendly, compassionate and like to conserve … inherently, they do not destroy and waste.
The Glass Ceiling:
While “professionally managed” organizations tend to generate a euphoria about there being no limits for career progression … BUT … practically there is always a glass ceiling for general middle class entrants. Relatively laid back entrants may rise slowly and steadily to just about reach near the glass ceiling by the time they retire … and they retire gracefully.
More aggressive ones may rise much faster … and hard hit the glass ceiling in their middle age. Then they could just get thrown out of the roof in forties to land nowhere.
Political apathy for middle class:
Being a forced taxpayer urban middle class forms the backbone of economy and work system of the country but they are not known so much for influencing the voting pattern and election outcome.
Most Governments rally their efforts and emphasis for “pro – poor”, “pro-farmer” initiatives BUT the working middle class is simply left on their own for seeking career, education, employment and earning.
Governments have been turning blind eye whenever pink slips rained in Corporate.
When bulk of office jobs evaporated away two decades back fortunately there was an IT boom which enabled flow of money into our economy and so the service sector, real estate and consumer boom sustained and grew with the middle class affluence.
Now if IT bubble also goes bust someday…( after all, software development is a one time work ) … where will the money come to sustain middle class?
There is a tongue-in-cheek political ready reply “So what , middle class will slip BPL we have many schemes to take care of them then”
It is high time that Leaders take a serious view of sustaining and supporting the vast urban working middle class beyond just token gestures that come prior to elections and get washed away soon after
AVINASH KHARE