AVOIDING BIAS , SYCOPHANCY

 

25         STAYING OFF BIAS

As we progress into life, slowly responsibilities get associated with our activities at home, office and in social gatherings. Necessarily, we have to function with persons known or unknown. Such occasions provide us the opportunity to view, assess and evaluate the persons around. Those moments are ripe for attitudes of bias in our interactions. Any obvious showing of bias is unwelcome, as it can destroy harmony. Cordial disposition is important as a part of our interaction with others. It is an intricate exercise to stay off bias, as it demands a very high level of tolerance even on the face of unpalatable happenings.

Bias arises from inaccurate judgment. Judgment relates to how we assess a person for his or her disposition to issues or individuals. The criterion is politeness or otherwise in a person’s approach towards the item. Those who are polite appeal to us as being ‘obedient’ and others as either less obedient or ‘disobedient’. What have obedience and disobedience to do with honesty and objectivity? Seeming to be obedient is more tolerated than an apparently open or crude expression.  In the process, we tend to ignore credibility in preference to disposition. This is one of the reasons for our getting biased. If we learn to dispel bias, our judgment can be more objective. Ultimately, it is essential that we should trust only those who are trustworthy and not the ones who display obedience only to play havoc in the long run. Some persons are plain and are misunderstood for insubordination. Honesty of purpose alone needs being recognized, as other ‘decorated’ dispositions in words or in action are often designs of scheme in concealing the intent. Bias is a weapon, capable of incalculable damage. God should guide us off bias.         

26         SYCOPHANCY

Sycophancy is a tool, kept sharp and ready to please the higher-ups who matter on an occasion. It blunts the vision of the recipient as much as it shows the sycophant in poor light. Many persons take to the path of sycophancy for its sheer convenience. Yes, for sycophancy, all one needs is the tendency to crawl when asked to bend. Other than ‘verbal praise’, sycophants do precious little by way of work or service; they are too aware of their hollow mind, and choose to wear the ‘halo’ of a ‘sharp-witted’ intellect. Often the trick works between the one praised and the sycophant, while the sane observers fail to buy the notion. Interestingly, there is a blatant display of calculated euphemism that pleases only the two involved in this ‘no holds barred’ situation. Ironically, the rest keep wondering as to how people refuse to recognize such undue praise heaped on the ‘power house’ with the intent of a reward. In India, it seems that many accept the notion of ‘end justifying the means’. For them, gains are important rather than abiding by propriety, probity and other moralistic prescriptions. How does sycophancy bother the non-sycophants?

In pursuit of our work, we have to function within a framework of hierarchy. It is this structure which comes in handy for a few while for some others it is not conducive to stand up to the scheming ways of the sycophants. Unfortunately, the higher-ups who ought to read the sycophants clear choose to enjoy the heap of praises, instead of curbing the attitude. These higher-ups are well aware of such intricacies but refrain from restricting the sycophants, as they themselves are exponents of the same strategy. Thus, the process of sycophancy has expanded into a wide circle spreading its tentacles far and wide, pushing the adherents of honesty to a corner. But, the honest have the fortitude to stand up gloriously, fully aware that none can raise any accusations of wrong-doing against them. They value upright stature far more than seeking rewards of any kind. On an hour of crisis, sycophants run helter-skelter, begging the honest work- force to redeem the situation. Yes, even at such critical moments, the honest ones do not deem it fit to embarrass the system; they quickly restore the system to order and recede to the corner without looking for rewards or awards. Indeed, such rewards find their way to the sycophants, thanks to the vicious circle. Why does it happen?                  

Honestly, the vicious circle of sycophants has a bunch of nervous people who seldom know their work; for, they have systematically been pampering one another more as a shielding of their ineptitude. They nurture fear for the upright and honest workers as they know that given a semblance of a chance, the upright would effortlessly reveal class much to the chagrin of the team of sycophants. Though a microscopic minority, the upright individuals outclass the numerically abundant, myopic, inept sycophants, when swift and adept skills alone matter. None of the sycophants ever has the courage to question the functioning of such upright persons, for fear of embarrassing suggestions from the upright. So, the sycophants feel it safe to pamper one another and run errands at the beck and call of the officials and even the members of the household of such officials. They lend themselves to be the servants, if the higher-up shows traces of a tendency to exploit. The failure of some mega projects in our country can be conveniently traced to the unending sycophancy as a syndrome incurable except by dismantling sycophants. But, doing it is a matter of courage. With all those upright held at bay, who can correct it? More so when every honest effort is thwarted, frustration overtakes and the upright keep doing their bit with just no commendation, though the slightest of errors from them would bring forth condemnation even by the inept.  Given the unilateral swing of partisan assessments, the honest stay off controversies, as they feel it demeaning to be a part of the incompetent team; they keep off until official requests come their way. But every system survives by the services the few honest among the task force, who are gloriously silent.  It is this fragment which respects conscience with utmost concern, though fully aware of being sidelined on all occasions of recognition or reward. Nature works its ways of rewarding them!