White Lies!

 I had just completed my M.Phil. I had registered for a Ph.D. with a UGC JRF/SRF. I was simultaneously trying for a doctorate from the U.S. I did get the okay from three universities. In fact, SUNY (State University of New York at Buffalo), a highly respected university in the U.S., sent me all the necessary documents as well. There was a small little hitch though. They were ready to fund me from the second semester onwards.

Papa was insistent that I go. He was most willing to fund the Sem. I expenditure. Well, till that point, my entire education was through merit scholarship as I was always a rank-holder, if not the topper. It was not that I was "proudy" (as indian English puts it!) but I felt that it could be a little dicey to be so very dependent on the whims and fancies of a distant dream. 

Well, I remembered all of it this morning because, as usual, i found a Youtube video flashing on my screen. This particular video described in detail the absolute raw truth of the U.S. job situation since 2008, post the Lehmann-Sachs meltdown, not to forget the shenanigans post-January, 2025, that is, post Trump trumpeting his desire to oust all immigrants, legal included. 

The white lie indeed is the American dream, in brief. In all the senses of the term 'white lie'. It is an un-truth by the White, and every which way.

Much worse, however, is the white lie by the non-white, especially in India. They pretend that in the post internet era, nobody knows that they are lying through their (non-white, once again in all the senses of the term) teeth about their happy, happy h(e)aven! 

One just pities them their lies, and not only because of the very many videos that tell the truth about the job realities in the U.S., Canada, and even the whole of Europe. Of course, as a person who teaches/translates these literatures (always THE mirror to reality from the days of Aristotle!), one knows the truth anyways.

But the best alibi are the honest who do not mind stating the obvious. At Woodland, where Aai stayed with Sanju's family (she loved the stay every which way), she was very friendly with a doctor there who immensely liked her because she never ever grumbled the typical way, despite being a senior citizen.

Their friendship continued even after Aai came to stay at Mukund Nagar. By extension, she became our family friend, too. Both her children are in the States. Both of them are brilliant, toppers type. Her daughter, a gold medalist here and a Ph.D. from John Hopkins, a highly respected university the world over, is yet, almost a decade later, to get a job/an assignment which promises that so-called American dream. Her son, an engineer here, with an M.S. there, has to constantly go job-(s)hopping, not to forget settling at times for whatever is dished out.  

I respect our friend for her honesty, and pity the white lies about/by those who could not honourably scrape off a decent degree here, and would be rejected by many a company in India. One knows very well why they work where they do (Texas, to give an example, where the taxes are lower, but so are the pay cheques), and all such white lies! Yet again, one feels like stating the obvious, that is, O, Lord, can you forgive them because they know what are doing/saying!!!

Pratima@The white collar job situation across the world is tough. Would it get worse with the A.I. and the robotics striding fast the lie of the land?!?