Ignorance Is Bliss?

Whenever I have come across this saying, my mind crosses over to the other saying "Knowledge is Power". They are two totally contradictory sayings and yet wondered how both of them can be true. I remember my parents always telling me that Knowledge is everything in life. Most of us have grown with this paradigm. And ya, today we all know that knowledge is truly powerful. Indians are making a mark all over the world is a testimony to that. Today knowledge drives the economy and there is no doubts on that. But then, I have been thinking of ignorance. Is it bliss even today? Does the saying hold good today as we move increasingly move towards a knowledge economy?

In the last week, I happened to see an interview with the Railway Minister. Should I say it was funny? Well, Laloo has been the darling of the media. He simply spices it up! Be it his hairstyle or accent or simply his looks. There was a time when Laloo jokes were more popular than the Sardar jokes. But now things are pretty much different. He gives guest lectures at the most prestigous B - school in India. He has to his name the most stunning turnover of the biggest public sector organisation in the country. From the verge of bankruptcy to sit on a 100 billion is by no means a joke. The recent mid term polls suggest Laloo to be most popular ministers in the present government. And why not? No passenger fare hikes for some time now and the facilities are simply improving. And the employees of the Railways are getting incentives the private sector way - Laptops for senior officials!!! Long live Railways.

What catapults Laloo from the most corrupt leader to a guest lecturer at IIM-A? Is he a genius? Ya he is witty! But does he know how to run the Railways? No is the answer. He is a totally ignorant when it comes to the business of the Railways. But then how does it work? Its simply that he leaves the job to the people who know. He simply hasnt interefered in the running of the business. He knows that the people at the Railways and the bureacrats know their job. He is doing a great job by actually not doing anything at all - Not even poking his nose into it. He does not say - "Well I know it all!" He instead says - "I am ignorant of things out here. Its you who know, so run it and I will not interfere". Does it work? Of course it does!

Back to ignorance now. Is it still a bliss? I would say yes, but with a difference. Its not a bliss if you are just ignorant. You got to accept that you are ignorant and act accordingly. Ignorance with honest acceptance is truly bliss! Well, in the same interview, he said that he wanted to be the PM of the country. Now I dont know how to react to this? To think of how he did it to the Railways I would say ya, he can make a good PM. But are we matured enough to accept him as the PM? Are we (read knowledgable) ready to look at him as our leader? He is a joker agreed! But if Bush can be the President of the US of A, then why not Laloo!