Regulations, we are better off without you!
It comes in waves.
Like the corona.
The thing called rules.
First.
Domestic workers need to be recognized. We need to bring them into formal economy. Thus, was born demonetization. All the savings went into the banks. They had to be accounted. Calculated. Not, stashed away in corners. As black money.
Next came, GST.
One Nation; One Tax. All commodities were to be packaged and taxed. No more secret societies. No more secret transactions. Everything is to be commodified. In a world of currency flow, bartering is only for the savages. Isn’t it? Even the tribal artisans are being taught. The etiquettes of marketing. They had to either approach TRIFED or outsource it to Amazon. If they needed to be valued.
Then came, lockdown.
A third, more disastrous wave. Now, school kids were brought under this fold. Education is a commodity that can be easily bought and sold. If you had the money. The teachers could be employed and dismissed. If you had the money. Brains can be bought and sold. Or damaged. If you had the money. Finally, economics is being taught to every school kid. The hard way. All softcopies had flown away- Into oblivion. The black hole had engulfed it.
New money; New accounting.
New packages; New servicing.
New customers; New marketing.
The three waves.
Now, that kiranawalla down the corner of your street has more free will than that teacher who taught you A.B.C.D… Because he has something tangible which your teacher doesn’t possess.
That kiranawalla’s shop is filled with goodies while your teacher’s shop has none.
That kiranawalla offers you customer-friendly packages while your teacher cannot produce parent-friendly packages.
That kiranawalla could attract new customers by giving freebies while your teacher could not make you such an offer.
Simply because, ‘teaching’ is a service. And, not a ‘tangible product’.
Given the prevalence of social media where advertisement and show-off is a norm than a privilege, where would the ones who do not believe in showing-off go to? Are their contributions to be regarded as invisible work- like the contributions made by our housemaids every day? The work done from behind the screen is drifting away beneath the scenes.
Are we moving ahead-
From a world where success survived.
To a world where survival is success in itself.
Probably, it’s time for “tangible goods” over “intangible services”.
Time for tangible masculine work over intangible feminine work.
Shall we now accord gender to various occupations?
Toys for teachers.
And, books for book-keepers.
The new alphabets of our new economy.
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Author
Maadhava Anusuyaa C
Maadhava Anusuyaa C is a graduate in English. She writes on social issues. Currently, she is pursuing public policy at the University of Mumbai.
