IIM, Life, Money and the Race
Published by amrit on Tuesday, March 14, 2006 at 8:29 AMThe IIMs are creating Big News these days. Headlines like these are catching everyone's attention: IIM-B creates record in campus recruitment.
They are the news like these that add to the glamour of the IIMs. And therefore it is so obvious that most of them who desire to get into IIMs, want to do so, for Big Money. When you come to know that 34% of the entire batch in an IIM gets placed on day zero itself, and gets placed not just anywhere but in the sexiest of companies, you have to be attracted.
Money is important in life because it let's you buy things that you had always dreamt of. But then, the fact is that money is not everything.
Why do we need money? Money in itself is nothing. It is merely a means to acquire real physical things. The real physical things are those that matter to us. I am talking about the big luxurious houses, posh four-wheelers, fancy designer attires, toothsome food, and things like these. These are the things that money lets us possess. And this is the only reason money is important. But then, this is also the reason, why money is not everything.
Life is not all about possessing few or even many physical stuffs. Life is much more than that. Life is about doing those things that you like doing, talking with friends, helping those who need your help, and caring for things around you. Yes, these things sound so far-fetched and bookish, but without them the journey of life is incomplete.
I pity those who get into IIMs, just because they got inspired by news like the one that I mentioned in the beginning. Sometimes they are not the student themselves who get inspired, but their parents. They are the parents, often from the middle class Indian Family. They know the value of money just too well. And in the process they simply exagerrate things. Money rises from its stature and blurrs one's vision to see the bigger picture that life has to offer. Where there is money, prestige takes birth. So, when a child of a middle class parent is able to get into an IIM, the parents feel so proud of him. It never matters, what the real interests of the child are. No one cares. A rat race begins, all because of money. Soon everyone becomes a rat, and a hollow meaning of success is defined.
The problem with rat race is that, even if you win, you are still a rat. And this is just too sad. I wish, some of us are able to define our own definitions of success which isn't based only upon money. I wish some of us are able to live the REAL life, like lions and not like rats.
Labels: philosophy
But then again, I beg to differ.Let me state this example: One of my localite friends had come by to the insti in his car for some work, when he met our just-about-to-retire prof, lets call him P.Now Dr.P has never really been very lucid in his conversations with any of us before, but this one proved to be an exception. He started reviling the whole idea of 'Do What You Like' and 'Live Life As It Comes'.I won't go into the gruesome-ly boring details on how exactly he arrived at his conclusions, but instead will cut to chase and write the parting statement he made: "See pa, first get a good job, and make your position in society stable (Read make cartloads of money). Only _after_ you have done that, think of Doing What You Like or Following Your Dreams.Otherwise, you'll end up like me"."Like me", as in sitting on his luna (did I mention that before?), sharing your woes with a student on the eve of the day you are supposed to gracefully end your career.
Which brings to the point, does Money deserve to be railed that way it has been in your post? No, I don't think so.
Would you say the same things you have said if you _enjoyed_ the rat race? You wouldn't have called it a 'rat' race, something closer to a 'Lion's fight'.Why not think about the race to the IIMs that way?
And, the footer you've put is a very nice touch :)
but do u really think so or this is just ur false philosphy.
Yeah, if I would have enjoyed the rat race myself, I would have definitely not cribbed about it. The good thing is that: I just do not enjoy it!
By the way, this was a great comment from you.
@ME
thanks!
@Ankit
This is my philosophy. I leave it on you to decide for yourself whether it's false or true.
mohan's comment was also very good.
it definitely depends on how you enjoy or percieve something when it comes to telling someone else about the experience.
all the world's a stage, people characters ...and life, a prostitute that strips us off of everything while we are intoxicated for materials.
ya i agree to most of your views.
but the problem is that guys who join iims , just for hefty paypackets are well described by your ideas. but consider the guy who refused all offers he got , jut to launch his musuc album, or the guy who started his own reatuarant. the idea is getting a degree to get money - ( 99 %).
the rest 1% thinks differently, they want to get an mba degree to learn entrepreneurship. they want to do it their way . lets hope