A bud, young and old Flower!

The desert rose bush in our garden brought a message that engaged me for the day!

While one bud is yet to open, the two other buds which opened two days apart from each other had different hues of colour. The younger flower had a mild yellow tinge and the older carried a pink tinge ! The three together brought the message of its biographical becoming!

There is a difference in appearance between a young and old flower! It is biological and inherent to every flower! 

We live in a climate when the age pyramid of people are shifting with older people living longer. The birth rate having declined or become stationary the young population in a country like India, of people below 25 years is probably about 40 percent of the population. The vital statistics of nations like India suggests that the people above 60 years would also become about 30 percent of population fairly soon. Which means that about 30 percent, which forms the active work force.  will be the feeder population to sustain the younger and the older population. 

This demographic reality raises some questions, the important one being the sustainably of the social support system for the younger and the elderly!

During a conclave of young start up professionals working on technological innovations, a question was raised whether their initiatives are well blended with the wisdom of the elder statesmen and technologists! The ascending spiral of inventing the new wheel was gestationally longer, when the young professionals were exploring alone. When the start up had an integrating influence of the elders, the progress was faster and steadfast! 

The cross conversations between the younger and the older take place, but not sufficiently in frontiers of innovations and inventions. 

 

The advanced version of the lap top I use now would cost me four times more than the price I paid for the current one. This happened in just five years. 

The impact of technological development when computed, the cost is directly transferred to the end user! The social benefits a start up company receives in the form of subsidised factory premises, electricity, import of equipment, tax exemptions for first several years, and promotional subsidy the banks offer, by way of loans repayable over a long time, etc do not get transferred into costing the product. The investment into developing a technology came from different sources. But does the benefit of these get shared by making product affordable! 

Is this not a faulty system which creates millionaires, for which the society has also paid for! But the benefits do not get shared with the enablers who made the start up successful. I was alarmed to hear that that many startup up companies create millionaires in the first ten years. 

This is the gap in the social ethical orientation of the younger and older people in our society. The younger grow up acquisitive and the older grew up altruistic! The mandatory corporate social responsibility expected from the corporate world is a hope that the millionaires would share their plenty with those who still live in the edge of a prosperous generation!

The young are enterprising and adventurous. The older are wise and socially oriented! 

Two flowers and one bud in a desert bush! The bud waiting to  open would open into this world of uneven distribution of resources. The young in every society creates vibrancy and progress. Are they sufficiently motivated to be socially conscious and liberal to be mindful of many denied of aspirational journey in life! Are the elders in a society able to bring a leavening presence to create consciousness  about opportunity for all! 

I have these thoughts which often get sidelined by virtue of it being assigned to be a philosophical issue! 

I regret that the 'takers' are multiplying in a society who become millionaires! The 'givers' are also many, but their giving does not bring social equity as much we long for!

One of the entertainments which the social media provides is to show forth the garages of some of the millionaires with several imported cars of brands that cost beyond our imagination! Why is that the social media does not give equal or more attention to tell the tales of givers and philanthropists! 

Have we got preoccupied with the fortunes of the millionaires and lost sight of the people who live longing for a respite from the daily grind of  living !

What is the mission in Living!

Obsession with Self-sufficiency or occupied with self-giving !

M.C.Mathew( text and photo)