Over the course of past 2-3 months, we’ve all heard the term “Nepotism”, being used to describe and justify a plethora of things. Sadly, this term entered the limelight after the tragic demise of the much-adored actor Sushant Singh Rajput and was used to criticize all those in power in the Indian film fraternity.
All this brings me to question a few things. Is nepotism really that bad? Is it a way of favouring those already in a position of power and privilege? Or, is it just making your own decisions?
To begin with, nepotism is defined as the practise of those among power or influence pf favouring relatives or friends, especially by giving them jobs.
This begs the question: what is favouritism?
Well, favouritism is described as the act of giving preferential treatment to a person or a group at the expense of the other.
After having read these, the mind jumps to the most logical thing: Nepotism must be an extension of the favouritism. But why do we consider this morally unethical and wrong?
Well, everyone wants to do good for themselves, and in such a world where there are only a limited seats in colleges, a fixed amount of campus placements, only a specific amount of promotions in a year, it’s really difficult to create a mark for yourself, since there will always be someone better than you in this world.
So, if you are in a position of power and influence yourself, would you want to see your children go through the same process, do all those nasty jobs which you were forced to do at some point in your life in order to become “respectable” someday, or would you actually try to make sure that your kid doesn’t make the same mistakes as you did, and not be exploited just because they were in a position of inferiority as compared to someone else?
Most of you would think, “I’d let my kid go through the process so they can emerge as a mature and sharp person who is capable of handling shit thrown across their way.”
But let me tell you one thing: Only a handful of parents who respect the “grind” will let their kids go through with the process, but the other majority won’t. Look at your own parents. Don’t they try to make the most of their connections by “networking” so that you can inch ahead of others in this brutal competition? Or do they sit back and watch you struggle and slog through this entire process, and see where you land up in the end?
But some of you might say, what does have to do with me? Well, it has everything to do with you. In this vast world of derivatives, fashion, cuisine, and real estate, it’s extremely easy to become lost, or to rather lose your self-identity while trying to climb up the ladder of success. And since everything changes around you in a matter of microseconds, are you able to cope up with the woes of this unfair system that has been in place since the dawn of the new age, or are you so extraordinarily brilliant that you need to depend on the system to pave your way towards wealth?
Let’s take up the classic Indian case, “Doctor ka beta doctor hi banega.” Well, is it really that bad? If you are a successful individual in a certain profession, you would want your kid to enter the profession too, since you can provide him with extra tips, or even help him learn up stuff better than the others, for him to eventually succeed?
It’s not that the Doctor would say that his kid is to only become a doctor. The kid can do anything that he wants, but if he does choose to be a doctor, it’ll be an entirely lower level of hardship for him, considering the fact that you are there to guide them at every crossroads they can face in that same profession.
This bring us to face the harsh reality. Yes, someone who may not be deserving might overtake someone who really deserved to be there, which is honestly a sad situation. However, it is how the world works. Talent, grit, hardwork can bring you to a certain level in your lives where you will be able to afford a car, a house, your kid’s education, and maybe the diamonds your wife wants for her anniversary gift.
But to get to the top of the building, where you have an office with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the city’ skyline? That’s almost impossible, unless you have the right connections.
Take a look at all the successful people in any field, and they’ll tell you the same thing. Talent and hardwork only take you so far in life, but after a certain extent, your connections and your networking are the factors that help you prevail in the world where everyone wants to be the new Harvey Spectre.
It is just a game of “sales” after a certain point in your life. You need to position yourself amongst the lions in order to someday lead the pack. And the way might be through favouritism, or nepotism for you if your parents have that sweet top floor office.
Facing the harsh reality is the practical move, and the harsh reality is that things like nepotism and favouritism do certainly exist, but always in a subtle and moot manner. And that, is really the way of the world.