44 Nonsensical theories of communication

The Indian railway system was created by the English administrators. Though the English administration was confined to the relatively small region of British-India (Calcutta, Madras and Bombay presidencies and a bit more), I think the railways encompassed a lot of geographical expanse.

It was based on English communication systems. It was quite efficient, courteous and very refined. Timings were punctual. This much I gathered for old-timers who had experienced these things first-hand.

However, when the railways were divided and given to the respective new nations that were formed, the native languages slowly entered into the system. In India, English held on, in the midst of a number of feudal languages creeping inside. Hindi being the declared official language of the central government staked its claim.

When feudal languages creep in, every single communication link gets split into three optional routes. That of higher ‘respect’, the next of neither ‘respect’ nor ‘disrespect’, and the third one of outright ‘degradation’. When this optional system emerged, everything started stalling. Railway efficiency went down. In the 1980s, long distance trains were late by more than 24 hours. Everything was in problem.

Two mutually opposite communication systems, were competing with each other.

However, slowly the Hindi version got fully enforced. That of the higher man being ‘respected’ and the lower man being ‘degraded’. The newer entrants to the railways got used to its thraldom. And soon the lost efficiency returned, in a much cruder manner. However, not anyone noticed the difference. For the whole new generation is made to move through the same crude and rude communication system in the Indian vernacular schools and other educational institutions.

Since I have mentioned the issue of communication in management, I think I will take it to its full length.

I have heard of various management theories that purports to explain the ideal communication systems. Actually there might be only two basic communication systems. One is that of planar languages like English. Other is that of feudal languages like those of the South Asian subcontinent.

Both can be efficient or inefficient. It depends on other factors. However, what is the essential difference between the two is just this. In planar languages, individuals are more or arranged in a communication system of higher stature or dignified stature. There is no equality, per se, expected or desired or required.

However, in feudal languages, the higher officer should be addressed and referred to in ‘respect’ and the lower should be addressed and referred to in ‘degradation’. If this is very powerfully enforced, the discipline in the structure will be quite high, comparable with the Japanese army of WW2 and the current-day Chinese/Indian army. The command or wish or even a simple desire from the top will be treated as divine wishes. Everything will work like a clockwork mechanism.

The only drawback in this system would be that the lower ranks would be quite stupid beyond the requirements of the job. Their interaction with anyone outside this command structure can be rude and crude. However to their own superiors, they would act like honey.

In nations like India, governmental work is in the second mentioned system. However, they suffer from another ailment. Many kinds of hierarchies work inside the system. One very powerful one that can literally compete with and dismantle the positional hierarchy system is the one based on age. Another is social stature. Links to political leadership. Financial acumen is another.

Beyond all this, the ordinary citizen is defined as of low stature in the indicant words.

All this has made the second system quite inefficient.

However, in the Indian army and railways also, I think, the second communication system is enforced with only one hierarchy allowed. That of positional superiority. The other hierarchies based on age etc. are banned and crushed. It makes the army quite disciplined. However, at the next moment the army leadership seems gone lame even for a brief moment or the nation is under threat of being overrun, the soldiers will shoot their own officers first and foremost.

That above is not part of the flow of this book. However to an interested reader, this might give a wider perspective of what is what.