Thursday, November 12, 2009

Manipulation


How important is the art of manipulation? Everything today from business, politics, accounting to love and marriage involve manipulation. On one hand, it reflects the ability of the human race to exercise its intellectual superiority over other races and exploit for personal benefit. The most common form of manipulation is lying - call it packaging, call it art of negotiation, call it eloquence for all I care. We are making Machiavelli look more and more like a genius as we continue under the façade of peace and democracy, brewing selfishness and greed along the way.

Two days back, just three months after taking the job, AIG CEO Robert Benmosche told the board he's ready to quit. Insiders say Benmosche feels compensation restrictions imposed by pay czar Kenneth Feinberg have left him in an impossible situation, without the ability to retain talent. Since when did we get so greedy that a salary that amounts in the millions are not enough? Note that just the high executive pays alone can easily pay for all enough food and shelter for the poor and homeless. But the irony would be that without exploiting the poor, homeless and other weaker classes, the executives would not be able to justify their salary.

Do you think that the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression can so easily have recovered with monetary controls? Clearly the news and optimistic numbers must be flawed, especially if you have the chance to survey the actual economic environment in the US among others. Businesses are closing, real estate dropping, unemployment rising and why is no one talking about the increase in crime rate?

Times have changed. There was a time when science was for the betterment of quality of life and evolution of the race. There was a time when peace and prosperity was built as a whole. But now, it is one’s ability to manipulate without his conscience getting in the way that determines his status in society and how many view success. That is the mindset society instills in you through constant propagandizing and brainwash.

Not many are as lucky and blessed as I, born in a good and loving family, without the burden of making ends meet and pressure to succumb to social conformity. Denial is certain and so is my conscience. That is when I realized that manipulation is no longer just an art. It is a prerequisite skill for survival.

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