Dignity of Labour – A must have !!

Sometime in 2002 - 03.  He is my friend Sharath, was my classmate in school, introduced my friend to his family members. They wished and asked what I was pursuing. I said BBM. Got back question - is BBM done after BE completion or before BE?!!

I was not surprised with that question as most of my batch mates , classmates, friends had entered the booming software engineering courses and I along with very few went for Management and Commerce graduation. The awareness of other courses was also limited and the mind set was - after school / PU, what next? Become a Software Engineer!!

I know many who didn’t want to become one, but they just joined because of parental, peer and society pressure.  What is that we tried doing with the entire generation of educated people was to stereo type the minds set and tell them, if you don’t become like X , than you have failed in life.

Even today I have many friends in IT sector who don’t know what happens outside their Industry and think only they are the blessed souls around... Well, that’s not true...!!   (Also, off late have seen few cribbing for taking the IT line!!).

Being blessed with opportunity to work in different industries, have seen people across diverse sectors of business- From Fashion Designers to Plumbing Engineers, from Sales Associates to Branding Managers, who are working in creative studios, with colorful materials, to harsh conditions, non-ac setup, having  breaks on weekdays instead of Sat / Sunday. However  they are leading joyful life, happy and job satisfied and at same time, have witnessed, so called blessed people in sophisticated environment, paid highest wages but leading a disturbed, unbalanced and isolated life. 

World is vast with opportunities. What we require is the openness to accept all the skills. We need that attitude of respecting all the jobs which an individual may do. The dignity of labour is need of the hour.

A farmer and a soldier, according to me, have to be given highest respect because of the harsh condition they work and uncertainty they lead. BMTC driver has to be recognized for the patience they have to drive in Bengaluru traffic, so as Traffic Cop for managing the madness on road. A pizza delivery guy might have more job satisfaction than a person who is eating it at office or home, nevertheless current society only checks the wealth of the person who has ordered it and person who makes & delivers it, will be looked other way. 

The mind-set is also to be changed among parents who force children to take up particular line, killing the creativeness in the child, make them study which they are not interested. We never knew if that kid would have become an entrepreneur, a diary engineer, an agricultural scientist etc. Even government has to be sensitive in encouraging other areas where we are not finding good resources and boost it with soaps and benefits. A society can be strong only when all are respected equally, irrespective of the job they do and not based on the money they earn.

Before closing, found this beautiful message from Mahatma Gandhiji –

I call myself a labourer, because I take pride in calling myself a spinner, weaver, farmer and scavenger...!!