It is a fact that in the competitive modern India that interfaces with the world at numerous levels, caste has almost no role to play. This is because people identify themselves in many different ways relevant to their actual existence, rather than conform to archaic stereotypes. Like a number of other identities, caste is being shed, particularly when it comes to marital bonds – which were an important element in the perpetuation of caste.
At the same time, at another level, caste is being reinforced vigorously, ironically under the claim of eradicating it through social revolutions of various kinds. It cannot be denied that, whereas the competitive nature of the free market builds on genuine productivity and outcomes, the policy of reservations introduced as ‘temporary’ affirmative action has created powerful vested interests benefiting from caste votebanks. Such movements naturally have a built in expiry date owing to the contradictory nature of caste identity reinforcement and the demand for social justice, but as they play out, they can undo the future of an entire generation. Adopting a caste based perspective on everything blinds activists even to opportunities that would actually help achieve their claimed objectives. The condition of the BSP under Mayawati is a good example of this, despite the fact that she is one of the few sincere in the desire for emancipation of the ‘oppressed’ sections.
It is no surprise that India’s democracy has evolved mostly into caste and family based units – all the idealism having degenerated into self-seeking pursuit of power. And a class of intellectuals has developed that makes a living out of critiquing ‘Brahmin Patriarchy’ and crafting social theories that have absolutely no functionality in life except the production of valueless PhDs. This neo-Brahmin class seeks to teach the true values of social justice and political correctness to the ‘uninitiated’. The sufferings of the persecuted castes and classes are appropriated for this purpose in a most shameless manner.
Obviously, the free market, the private sector, economic growth and real-life competition are anathema to this class, as caste genuinely is cast aside in the process. A truly empowered working class invariably leads to the watering down, even the extinction of such social doctrines, with the truly meritorious climbing up the social order. Even religious conversion does not serve the purpose as it leads not just to a deep seated convert’s guilt, but also animosity among religions. There is a new world beckoning, one needs only just to see it and learn its ways. What caste would one assign to AI entities?
