Category: Essay

The following information published in a World Bank Report (World Development Report 2016: Digital Dividends) is amazing. On the average, 8 out of 10 individuals in the developing countries own a mobile phone. Further, within the bottom 20% population, 70% possess individual mobile phone connections. There is more access to mobile phones than to electricity and clean water in the developing countries!

It seems access to mobile phone is near universal and the coverage is growing very fast. What benefits may have motivated the poorest of the poor to seek a mobile phone connection even when basic amenities like water and electricity may have been near absent in their lives? Convenience of communication may have helped create more opportunities for them while affordable prices would have been the spur.

Alongside the spread of mobile phones, the world has witnessed growth of Internet connectivity, but at a much slower pace. About 31 percent of the population in developing countries has access to Internet while 80 percent of the population in the developed world enjoys such access. Most businesses (9 out of 10) have access to broadband Internet in high-income OECD countries. The coverage of businesses in low-income countries is woefully less (mere 4 out of 10). There is no doubt that benefits of digital revolution would accrue to the fullest when more and more people and businesses are connected to the Internet. However, people must be imparted minimum skills to use the Internet. The digital spread must be accompanied by appropriate public policy for everybody to benefit in a fair and competitive manner.

In this context, it is interesting to read what Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook had said while launching his ambitious internet.org services in India in February 2015: “ …to continue connecting the world, we have to connect India. More than a billion people in India don’t have access to the Internet. That means they can’t enjoy the same opportunities many of us take for granted, and the entire world is robbed of their ideas and creativity.” There is a compelling reason to get everybody connected, but the Facebook seeks to achieve this by providing free data access to people on their mobile phones so that they can take advantage of certain Internet services. This has subsequently been termed as ‘free basics’.

I have no intention of entering into a debate on the policy makers’ dilemma on ‘free basics’, nor do I intend to comment on any orchestered opinion poll by Facebook, which apparently has mired the process of public consultations in this country. Let me rather go back to the basic debate on whether Internet should be made available free of cost as if it is a public good? And.. whether Facebook’s offer of ‘free basics’ can be treated as a public good? Will the Digital Dividend as described in the above mentioned Word Development Report be accelerated in India through the offer of ‘free basics’?

Let me try to answer these three questions:

Internet is a form of public good but not in the traditional sense: A public good essentially is one, which once provided, is available to all, whether they pay for it or not. Typical examples of public good are street lights, defence or policing services, etc. provided by public authorities. Internet in that sense is not a public good in itself as access to the net is usually subject to a fee. The providers of internet services are mostly in the private sector, and the private sector is least inclined to produce a public good. However, the traditional text-book definition of public good based on ‘non-rivalrous’ and ‘non-excludable’ characters do not appeal in the modern context. A public good is rather something that creates enormous positive externalities and contributes significantly to common good making a case for its universal availability. This availability may be ensured free of cost or at an affordable price irrespective of whether it is provided by a private entity or a public authority. Access to Internet could fall in the category of public good in this modern sense.

Facebook’s ‘free basics’ is made out to be a public good in the modern sense as above, but does it appear reasonable? ‘Free basics’ is a bouque of Internet services that Facebook thinks are essential for the common good of the society and it thinks that the same should be made available free of cost. Without going into what exactly is the proposed content of this bouquet of services, there is a prima facie question: how does Facebook determine what should come to the customers free of cost? What is the guarantee that it is really going to promote the ‘positive externality’ aspect of the public good argument? As a private entity is trying to determine the contents, the positive externality character of ‘free basics’ comes under suspicion. Remember, it is the fundamental access to internet that may qualify as a public good, not the access to certain specific services by exclusion of certain others. Thus the public good character of ‘free basics’ appears dubious.

Digital Dividend from ‘free basics’ appears vague and taken for granted. Mere access to Internet is not enough to guarantee economic and social upliftment of the people it intends to address. There is a lot more that needs to be ensured. The World Development Report articulates this aspect very well. It says that the impact of digital revolution has not fully fructified, as its ‘analog complements’ have not made commensurate progress, such components being mainly the right kind of regulations on entry and competition for operators and enabling people’s skills to reap the benefits of the digital revolution. Here comes the role of public authorities in India to see if ‘free basics’ is indeed a public good with enormous positive externality. Available information in the public domain does not tell us the exact positive externality that ‘free basics’ proposes to provide.

Universal access to Internet is a public good of a different kind and it needs calibrated intervention by the public authority.

****

It was a seminar on ‘Corporate Ethics’ meant for an exclusive group of senior executives of a public sector company. The HR Department had spent a lot of time and resources in its planning and execution. The best of speakers were invited to share their thoughts on the nuances of corporate ethics. One of the speakers was the author of an internationally acclaimed book on the subject. The participants too were deeply involved in the seminar.

It was an excellent atmosphere – the seminar site was an exclusive resort on the slopes of the Western Ghats near Lonavala. As usual during that time of the year, nature was at its best in Lonavala. The executives had started a lazy morning after a good night’s rest. There was no rush to steer through Mumbai’s clumsy traffic to reach office, no keeping up with meeting schedules, no encounter with the yelling boss – in fact, some of them were enjoying in months, a mild hangover from partying the previous evening.

The lectures were lined up in a logical sequence; from conceptual foundation on morals versus ethics to modern day interpretations, from bribery to frauds covering the perennial dilemma of ethics each business faces, and so on. There was a case study as well. The day was well spent. There were some participants, who were quite vocal and too willing to share real-life examples. The HR Manager was a happy guy to see the response of the senior executives to the seminar conceived and executed under him. Some were heard saying that HR should hold more such discussions on other relevant topics as well; after all a public sector executive is seldom exposed to such well-arranged seminars. Participants were looking forward to the next day’s deliberations. The seminar was scheduled to be over the next day after a special lunch with the Managing Director. The MD was expected to arrive sometime in the morning.

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The MD came into the seminar room when a lecture was in progress. He was accompanied by a couple of senior officials, few of them, participants from the previous day, who were conspicuously missing since morning. The participants stood up with utmost respect but seemed to have forgotten the speaker, who had suddenly stopped overwhelmed by the VIP entry. The HR manager welcomed the MD with chosen few words and a lady participant handed over an oversized flower bouquet to him. The MD, however, did not look amused; an eternal frown stubbornly occupied his expressions. The guest speaker was a senior bank supervisor, who was talking about business ethics in the financial sector. As this incident unfolded before him in the middle of his lecture, he lost the threads and decided to sit on the sidelines. The senior executives indeed forgot about the ongoing lecture and got immensely busy in attracting the MD’s attention in some way or the other.

Someone suggested that the MD should speak a few words of wisdom. The HR Manager faithfully invited the MD saying that the participants were eagerly waiting since morning to hear him. He made an administrative announcement that a soft copy of the incomplete presentation would be sent to the participants in due course. The guest speaker knew that the stage no longer belonged to him and left the room unnoticed.

It was raining outside. The large glass doors and windows of the seminar room were trying to keep the participants closer to the lovely natural beauty outside.

The environment in the seminar room had changed in minutes. The debates and discussions of the previous day on corporate ethics had given way; the primary focus then was to face the MD. The MD was known to be a difficult person. A retired civil servant, he was appointed MD only a month ago based on the recommendations of a highly placed Search Panel.

The MD started speaking his mind, ‘If an organization can afford its senior executives to stay missing from the headquarters, even if it is a week-end in the name of a seminar, I am afraid, that organization is doomed…. and by the way, who has chosen this topic? Was there nothing more tangible to discuss?’

The HR Manager tried to murmur, ‘Sir, you had approved this programme. The list of participants and speakers was also shared with you! You know it beforehand!’ But the HR Manager did not utter a word. He pretended to be busy wading through a bunch of papers.

The MD continued; ‘Can any one tell me the expenditure on a lavish venue of this kind? I am indeed aghast by the culture in your organization.”

It sounded odd that the MD was referring to the institution he was heading as ‘your’ organization. He spoke in very general terms in an abusive language. He was unable to find anything positive about the seminar. In fact, he had no intention of listening to any feedback from the participants. He went on and on shouting, yelling and insulting the senior executives. Most were bewildered at the MD’s manner of dealing. They were wondering what could be the provocation. There was not a word from him on the topic of the seminar.

He was no different from many public sector CEOs, who believe in this style of functioning – arrogant, abusive, illogical with a false sense of superiority. Many of them hide their ignorance behind the aura of fear they create around them by constantly crushing others’ self-esteem.

The seminar came to a formal end after lunch. The enthusiasm in the participants had vanished; they were recovering from the shock and insult meted out to them by their own MD. Someone whispered to the HR Manager whether the MD’s lecture was designed to ignite ethical reaction to an abusive boss. Mistreating and insulting subordinates by taking advantage of one’s position is definitely unethical.

The MD was not available after the session, even for the special lunch of which he was the official host. The HR Manager was rushing to the reception desk of the resort to ensure that the MD’s family was looked after well. The MD had chosen to spend some quality time with his family for two more days in the resort. His office was actively monitoring all arrangements.

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‘May be, he should have suggested a different topic for the seminar’, thought the HR Manager while preparing to check out.

*****

I was going to meet Sovan after over three decades. His last image in my mind was that of a chubby-cheeked boy in school uniform – playful and studious. I remember his father had shifted with family to some country in the Gulf when we were in class IX.

We discovered each other on Facebook just a couple of days back and reconnected. In the meantime, he had come to Mumbai for some work and we had decided to meet up over dinner. He was waiting for me in the restaurant by the time I arrived. That was indeed good, because I could not have recognized him on my own. There was not even an iota of similarity between the Sovan who sat before me and the one I remembered from my school days. He looked pretty much old and matured with an over-weight large body and an expanding baldness. I felt dwarfed when he got up to greet me, his voice deep and heavy.

Soon we got immersed in reminiscing the past. There were some common memories about the class teacher, about some prominent students of our time, and so on. Sovan seemed to be completely out of touch with the other classmates though he had vivid memory of our school life. He remembered every small incident that had happened so many years ago. I was indeed surprised that he treasured his school memories so well. He laughingly admitted how he tried his best but could never surpass me in the merit list and how his parents would always compare his performance with mine and would scold him for lagging behind. While it was a great pleasure catching up with him, what struck me was his imposing view on ‘spirituality’ (that is how he described it).

His central theme was that we are living in an illusion in this world and we need to understand the true meaning of life so as to achieve real happiness. He insisted that the way to discover the meaning of life is by following a guru who is supremely blessed with wisdom. He even promised to introduce me to his guru who was likely to visit Mumbai sometime later in the year.

Sovan is entitled to his opinion. If he has discovered the so-called true meaning of life, let him stay happy with that. The problem was, he was becoming increasingly imposing as the conversation advanced. We gradually got into serious, philosophic stuff for our discussion. I was mostly listening to him and wondering about the complete transformation in his personality. I was thinking what would have pushed him into such serious pursuits in life – a major personal failure in life? Or was it because he had achieved enough in the mundane world and would thereafter like to transcend to a different state?

I was just thinking, why should one seek to understand the ‘true’ meaning of life? By the way, is there a hidden meaning at all? The seekers and gurus play with semantics and create puzzles for themselves. If the intention is to lead a good life, one has to lead a life full of sincerity and respect for all; it does not matter what religious belief one subscribes to and what profession one chooses. The semantics of the gurus’ discourse may in fact present a non-problem as a complex, unsolvable issue. The more one gets into gurus’ discourse, the more entangled one becomes and feels a greater urge to cling on to the guru.

When I was not able to divert his attention from the topic that was stealing our time, I decided to contribute to it in my own way. I asked him, why he thought we are in illusion and hence in misery? I find this world to be wonderful with my family and friends around – it may not be perfect in every way I desire, but it definitely is not a miserable place. I keep myself busy with my work, my hobbies and of course, with my friends. I have not felt the need for a serious pursuit of spirituality in any known sense. In fact, I do not even know what is spirituality. Is spirituality, in whatever way it is understood, expected to make a person’s life qualitatively better by ushering in desirable qualities in human beings, say, kindness, sincerity, being helpful and respectful to others, and so on? Well, I need no guru to imbibe those qualities. Such qualities comprise the essence of one’s personality; they are often inborn and seldom acquired through conscious training by a guru. I admit there is no harm getting a lesson or two in improving one’s attitude to life.

While I was making these points in the course of the conversation, Sovan was not very amused. ‘Arguments would seldom take you towards truth; you need to completely surrender yourself before the guru to understand his teachings’, argued Sovan.

By the time we took leave of each other, Sovan appeared to have got a sense of superiority with the conviction that he knew and understood a lot more in life than I could even comprehend.

***

Who does not seek attention? Even a kid resorts to fake crying for the purpose. Remember that extrovert in your school who would do anything to be noticed? It is perhaps normal to seek attention though the degree may vary from person to person. We all get used to and take for granted, certain degree of attention from the surrounding, as we grow.

When I last visited my native town, I spent most of my time with my childhood friend, Manav. Well, he is not a celebrity, but he is known to most in the town. The roadside fast food vendor welcomes him with personal affection just as the steward does to him at the top-rated restaurant in town. I am sure it is not reciprocation for the hefty tips that he might be paying them in each of his visits. They have been seeing him being there for long; they know him for years. The temple priest calls Manav by name, the traffic police acknowledges him pass by the busy road near the High Court building. It appears as if the whole town knows him and he knows them all.

I am not sure if I correctly sensed a sign of arrogance in him, coming out of his being familiar with most people, places and processes that mattered in town.

I think he is missing the joy of being anonymous.

The anonymous is a free person; he lives his natural self. He has no social stereotype associated with his personality, and has no worries to meet others’ expectations at all times. It is wonderful to be one’s own self and enjoy true freedom.

I would not say that the anonymous does not seek attention. He creates his own small world of close friends and associates and goes in and out of it at will. The rest of the world is not unknown, but consists of individuals, who are strangers. A civic society is one where strangers respect each other and anonymity becomes a virtue.

A good civic society presupposes that the needs of the anonymous are met on merits rather than influences and connections. For example, if I have a problem in my fixed-line telephone connection, I should not be looking for a tout (middleman) or a known official in the telephone department for rectification; the matter should get resolved through a self-supporting system. Such a society empowers the anonymous and promotes the joy of living.

I am afraid Manav would disagree.