Transparency
It seems when it comes to transparency, everyone wants it from others. When it comes to provide transparency to others, everyone steps back and offer excuses (which are always lame) why it cannot be done. A horrible, but suitable, analogy is that everyone would like to watch others in a transparent outfit but one would not like to wear one.
I have been reading all the brouhaha about RTI (Right to Information) Act, and the recent upheavals related to its trimming down, or whatever you want to term it as. I am refering to the so-called clarification by the government, which details that the file notings are outside the purview of RTI Act, and hence can not be disclosed. If you look at the root of the problem, it is like first you create a bunker of sorts and then you drill a couple of holes in it so that anyone can peep inside it. The point is - why to create a bunker in the first place? In case, inadvertently, it has been created, then just by drilling holes, one can't expose what is hidden; the bunker has to be destroyed.
As we all know, exposure can be misconstrued as nudity also. So, the pertinent questions would be - can people handle the exposure? Are they informed enough to understand various economical, social and political hues of our society to create a proper context in which a specific decision was taken? More than that, do we have the necessary setup which can help people create/build that context so as to see things in proper perspective? Do people have patience and egalitarian attitude to digest certain harsh realities, appropriately? Well, I don't think I can answer these questions with any legitimate authority because I haven't met very many people who would pass the above test, but then, I have met only a very small fraction of this populous country. Even if we don't have many people who would pass the test, is it justified not to provide transparency on the pretext that people can't handle it?
Humn... good question !!! This is where probably everyone will have one's own opinions, and rightly so, because I believe there is no perfect answer. So, here is my point of view - as a principle, there is no alternative to transparency. Though, we need to work hard to create appropriate contexts for people to see things in right perspective. Hence, I believe, we should start with baby steps and create a framework where successively, as people become more aware, we can move towards higher levels of transparency. This will work only if we have matured individuals providing information to public at large, so as to ensure that right context is built while providing information. Media's role, as main carriers of information to public, at large, will be very crucial to help build these appropriate contexts.
While the above seems to be a lot of hard work, it is well worth the toil. If we all want to be part of a fair society, where discrimination is a passe, we have to sweat it out. Though, sometimes I wonder, if we all "really" want such a society?
I have been reading all the brouhaha about RTI (Right to Information) Act, and the recent upheavals related to its trimming down, or whatever you want to term it as. I am refering to the so-called clarification by the government, which details that the file notings are outside the purview of RTI Act, and hence can not be disclosed. If you look at the root of the problem, it is like first you create a bunker of sorts and then you drill a couple of holes in it so that anyone can peep inside it. The point is - why to create a bunker in the first place? In case, inadvertently, it has been created, then just by drilling holes, one can't expose what is hidden; the bunker has to be destroyed.
As we all know, exposure can be misconstrued as nudity also. So, the pertinent questions would be - can people handle the exposure? Are they informed enough to understand various economical, social and political hues of our society to create a proper context in which a specific decision was taken? More than that, do we have the necessary setup which can help people create/build that context so as to see things in proper perspective? Do people have patience and egalitarian attitude to digest certain harsh realities, appropriately? Well, I don't think I can answer these questions with any legitimate authority because I haven't met very many people who would pass the above test, but then, I have met only a very small fraction of this populous country. Even if we don't have many people who would pass the test, is it justified not to provide transparency on the pretext that people can't handle it?
Humn... good question !!! This is where probably everyone will have one's own opinions, and rightly so, because I believe there is no perfect answer. So, here is my point of view - as a principle, there is no alternative to transparency. Though, we need to work hard to create appropriate contexts for people to see things in right perspective. Hence, I believe, we should start with baby steps and create a framework where successively, as people become more aware, we can move towards higher levels of transparency. This will work only if we have matured individuals providing information to public at large, so as to ensure that right context is built while providing information. Media's role, as main carriers of information to public, at large, will be very crucial to help build these appropriate contexts.
While the above seems to be a lot of hard work, it is well worth the toil. If we all want to be part of a fair society, where discrimination is a passe, we have to sweat it out. Though, sometimes I wonder, if we all "really" want such a society?
posted by amAUzed at 10:29 PM
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