SOCIAL NET-WORKING

It has, always, been fashionable to talk about the virtues of ‘net-working’. Yes, our ‘Social net-working’.

We know Social net-working helps us to ‘grow’… socially, intellectually, financially and even spiritually. Most of us have some of these reasons for joining various social circles - Clubs, Gymkhanas, Associations, Religious groups, and even Charity organizations…

Out there, we meet people from different back grounds – different interests, talents, and even cultures… and, we hope to learn from these people, share ideas, contacts, and grow from mutual benefits…

Definitely, it is the best way to expand our ‘circles of influence’, if I should borrow the famous catch-line of late Dr. Stephen R. Covey.

So far so good.

But, what is interesting is this: Imagine four people meet at a Club or Gymkhana… each having in his mind his own agenda: how to ‘expand’… how to ‘grow…by net-working with others. So much so, each one is there to push his own agenda. If you happened to be one of these four, what invariably happens is: you either end up using others for your personal goals or you end up getting used by others for theirs!

Thus, a Gymkhana , a Golf Club, a Charity or even a  Satsang becomes just another place to push your personal contacts, to expand your business…

I am only referring to the flip side of the story… and dare not to generalize!

Because, all of us do not join Gymkhanas or Clubs to promote our respective businesses…

Nor do all of us go to temples, churches and satsangs to discuss business…

No, Rotary and Lions are not about ‘business’ alone…

For most of us, joining a Charity organization is only for that – to do charity. Not business…

Meeting a stranger – fortunately and  gracefully -  is not to discuss passionately about our  ‘satgurus’ and their organizations… yes, not to recruit one more prospect, one more disciple…

Our personal agenda becomes the spoilsport! It ruins the charm of our social interactions… and, yes, all this under the cover of that fashionable catch-phrase: ‘Social Net-working’!

This morning, a man came to meet me. We were meeting after more than twenty-five years. He had come with a lady… and, they had come to talk about their religious group, their Guru… the wonderful work they were doing… They wanted to hold a ‘free awareness-workshop’ for my students… tell them about a stress-free life, about peace, about values and so on.

It was a good cause. I am, regularly, approached by various people with such noble ideas and plans… But, what was spoiling, once again, was this: the man, who was meeting me after over twenty-five years, was not at all making me feel how delighted he was to meet me… No, it wasn’t important to him at all… He had come with his single-minded agenda: to promote his Guru and their organization!

I was not interested in what he had come with!

What is the big deal when the man next to you 

 is not important to you… 

 and you want to conquer the whole world 

out there… 

Sorry my friend…

 

There was a gang of four thieves. One night, they broke into a wealthy man’s house and robbed him of his money and ornaments. But, the man woke up and tried to nab the robbers… But, they were agile enough to escape with the loot… into the nearby jungle.

After a couple of days, the robbers, who were hiding in the jungle, were unable to control their hunger. So, they persuaded two of them to slip into the city to check if it was safe for all of them to return… and, they were also supposed to fetch food for the other two.

The two robbers cautiously walked into the city. To their pleasant surprise, they found that everything was normal and safe. So, they walked into a hotel and ate to their hearts’ content. Then, a mean thought crossed their mind: “Why can’t we two get rid off the other two and take all the loot home?”

It was one helluva idea!

So, these two robbers happily bought some food for their other two friends, mixed it well with some poison, and went back to the forest!

And, back in the forest, the other two robbers had already made another sinister plan. “Why can’t we get rid off those two fools,” they had asked each other, “and take all the treasure for ourselves?”

Yes, the two robbers waited impatiently for their friends to come back with food. And, the moment the two from the city landed, the waiting robbers struck them with sharp knives and killed them!

After that, the two robbers happily sat down to eat the food brought for them by their two friends…

You know what happened after that!

Social net-working is one helluva idea… Yes.

But, we know what our ‘agendas’ are… What our ‘plans’ are… whenever we meet up!

GERALD D’CUNHA

Pics.: Manoj Nair