Privilege / Pontification
The answer is not self-flagellation
For some reason or the other the topic of “privilege” comes up on my social media feed or during discussions I have with people. I have come across this topic so often that I have now decided to document my thoughts on it.
Of late the topic has been popping up time and again because of my Elon Musk fandom. I think I don’t have to justify why I admire him. He is an inspirational figure for me. No further debate.
If the critics had same privileges as Elon Musk would they sit idle and give away their wealth to the poor? Or would they solve mammoth problems? Or do something far better than what he has managed to do? I don’t think so.
Let me pause here and think about “privilege” in the Indian context.
Reservations — The Indian Story
It all starts with “reservations” in college. People who are from disadvantaged backgrounds get into top universities because the government wants to work on social justice. It is not entirely a bad thing to be honest.
It ensures that all communities have a stake in the success of the nation and get a chance to move up in the economic ladder.
The campus provides an opportunity for people from different backgrounds and regions to interact.
Now the scheme gets heat because some of the people who get reservations are either benefiting from it for multiple generations in the same family. Or they are forging documents to cut the line. The system can be improved, no doubt.
The government has also addressed the issue by increasing number of seats in top institutions, thereby ensuring that the general category did not lose out in real terms.
Of course, you get to meet many people who complain against this system. But more often than not, I have seen people getting along in campuses anyway.
However, close-knit groups that get formed in college tend to mirror the very social differences the government wants to end. So, it’s not enough to get people in. And it’s not easy to argue against basic human nature.
Economic forces in the real world don’t ask any questions about background. It’s a competitive field where incumbents have advantages and the newcomers have to fight against odds. And no legislation can change the reality completely.
In such a scenario, every individual, irrespective of the support they get, has to chart out their own path.
Pontification or Progress?
Those with privilege will use it. Whether it benefits the world or not is a secondary question. The outcome of many of our actions can’t be predicted with 100 per cent accuracy.
Some privileged people can do stuff that lead to progress. Some don’t. Even people without privilege can do things that lead to progress. So, there’s no hard barrier preventing people from contributing to progress.
The preachers of morality are often commentators. Or maybe they are people who didn’t get much success from their deeds. If they have done good deeds, it doesn’t diminish the good deeds done by others, privileged or otherwise.
The scale of the commentators’ success doesn’t make their comments less valid if it is based on some sort of logic. But it’s all about perspective and context.
A person who’s a public intellectual might have the time to read some stuff and pontificate on a Youtube channel or TV screen. An idiot like Kunal Kamra can criticise Ola Electric vehicles and Narendra Modi on his X feed.
But if the same guy was given capital or political power that Bhavesh or Modi have in their respective domains, he might fail terribly. We dunno. It’s easy to sit and pontificate. It’s really hard to get stuff done in any position of power.
In such a scenario I would not blame people in positions of power for failing or faltering. They do recognise their position of privilege and use it freely. They don’t have to please the pontificators at every juncture of their journey. They might fail or flounder. It’s human to fail. That’s something we often ignore.
Give Elon Musk a Break
Again, I am not saying only a Musk can usher in progress and innovation. Even you can. But you are not doing much. So take a break.
There’s no great virtue in self-flagellation or being a woke person. A person with privilege has the full rights to live the life they want, as long as they are not hurting random people in the process.
Others in wealth brackets similar to that of Elon Musk can do many great things. But they are not. Sam Altman can also do a lot of stuff. But he isn’t. So, let’s give credit to the doers.
At least I would take inspiration from Musk every single day. If the “woke” world hates him or calls him a “Nazi” or whatever unsubstantiated nonsense it is, I really don’t care.