In the blog The Tragic Drama, we saw the tragic side of this skewed system. And even in the blog, Redesign your Life, we re-sensed its absurdity. And even in the last blog: Play – An essential part of life that’s forgotten, had the tinge that makes us feel that the system won’t let us be the best. In this blog, it’s time to do something about all that!
Of course, I cannot do that without reminding you again of the absurdity, which is mainly out of necessity for the context and impact of today’s topic. An engineering student, after studying for 4 years to be called an engineer, still has to go through some training, let’s say for 1 year, in the workplace he or she joins. And most of what they’ll be trained to do will be novel or at least seems totally different than what they’ve been taught throughout their 4 years course of education. So, why is it that 4 years isn’t enough for them to be “employed” (capable of doing the actual work) immediately without any further training or guidance? It may be because each company has different work needs and work interfaces. But why isn’t the capability to learn those systems taught by their course of education?
Can we fix it?
Ok, now let’s say you understood the system is messed up. But can we fix it? Ever? If I had to say a simple answer, then it would be “No”. Let me explain. Suppose, there is a new education system brought in, which includes all the training required to be employed immediately after the education course. Then would it solve the problem? No. How is that scenario any different from what it already is?
Because no matter what you do,
- No system can bring the best in all. “We are all wired differently.”
- Hierarchy becomes necessary when there is high supply and low demand. I mean, even though all engineering students are taught/trained with the same material, not everyone can be given the same job. Because obviously, the number of students graduating each year is way higher than the number of job postings available. So who gets the job then? One who is skilled with something else other than what the system has already taught. This implies that the student who makes himself valuable not relying on the system alone wins! Or if you’re at least the best cog in the machine rather than just a cog in the machine, then you’ll be valuable.
And that isn’t any different from the current scenario. After one is out of the education system, especially students who relied wholly on the system to upskill, employ and enrich them, are left with the devastating realization that they do not know the answers to two of the most important questions to further progress in their life:
- What am I good/great at? [Competence]
- What do I love doing? Or What work feels like Play to me? [Love/Passion/Play/Flow/Calling]
It’s the merge of these two, that provide one with the best job for them. But how could anyone know anything about themselves when the system is designed to make identical robots rather than unique human beings? They were given no tools for self-exploration/self-discovery, instead were only trained to harass their own memory to impose generic data and puke the same on answer papers. OMG, what’s the use of advancement in computers, their high-grade memory chips and processors? If a computer can know and/or do the same, why train humans to do the same? Of course, everyone must know basic arithmetic and science because that contributes to the lifestyle of an individual. But beyond that, what’s the use of irrelevant data ingested into the human brain?
So once we understand not only that the system is screwed but also that it’s almost impossible to set it right, we can think further into – acceptance –> accountability & responsibility –> intent and –> action.
Awareness & Acceptance
But acceptance, accountability, responsibility, etc, all of it, are nothing but sub-layers of awareness. When there is awareness, there is acceptance, there is accountability and responsibility, intent and action. If there is not, that means, there is no awareness.
It’s like the snake and the rope situation. Suppose in the dark, you touched something and you presumed it to be a rope. But when there’s light, you realize it to be a snake. Do you wait for your mind or heart or whatever to accept that it is a snake to act? You react immediately, right? Acceptance is immediate. In fact, acceptance is an unnecessary word in this process. That’s the same case for all these trends around self-care, self-acceptance, and self-love. When there is self-awareness, acceptance is irrelevant. Love is a natural state then. Acceptance is a word used when there is a subjective discussion, but awareness is completely objective – something is this or that, or in between, but it is very clear, that is awareness!
Awareness is the Key!
So, regardless of whether you choose to or are forced to be in or out of the system, awareness is the key to progress, and to live The life of fulfillment! Constantly seek awareness, like a bug. If you are suffering, that means you’re not seeing something, let that be your way of handling all life’s suffering – Ignorance is the cause of all suffering. And with that mindset, irrespective of your path, you’ll live a fulfilled life! I highly recommend reading my book – The Flower of Fulfillment, because this is for which it was written, awareness of what are the essential elements for a life of fulfillment.
Thank You
Sanath Kumar Naibhi
