I am a slave

(August '08)

Slavery in its worst form is the harvesting of human minds that is done across nations, with no credit given to the human himself. The phenomenon of the First World Developed Countries stripping the Third World countries, the Developing Countries, for their resources is not new to anyone. While, earlier it was mainly resources of the earth, now it is also resources of the human body and intellect. As if kidneys, hearts and later even wombs were not enough, now it has come to the human mind.

The intellect is now a resource and its harvest is now a new form of slavery. An idea, the faculties of the mind, even a way of thinking can be carried across continents, thanks to technology. A barter is made- my idea for your money, my labour for your development, and in this way, the developed become more developed and the developing stay developing.

This is still acceptable, digestible as long as the idea has a face, an identity that can be appreciated, and recognized for its worth. But millions of workers in the BPOs of India are paid for their ready problem-solving skills, for their expertise, to assist a 'white' living across the globe. Their accents are altered, their manners polished, their names changed, their Indian-ness removed, until they can be a virtual foreigner, ready to suit the foreigner's expectations. The incentive of leading comfortable lives with the easy money they make is given to them to willingly forget that they are themselves, for a few hours each day.

While slaves of the past slaved to survive, the slaves of today are addicted to this new drug called 'luxury'.