I’m not a prodigy of nepotism. I don’t have a godfather/godmother (why only godfathers, equality! And somehow thanks to the classic movie ‘The Godfather’, it has gained a negative connotation! While a godmother is an angel, a proud tag for a lady!) And so, I can talk about nepotism. I can question it and condemn it! (FYI, this is just a light hearted read, no offense to those who are fortunate to have one!)
Nepotism. A word which is in vogue. It’s everywhere. Made famous by the outspoken Kangana Ranaut, never really gave the word so much importance nor did I read about this one word so extensively. Branding the ‘star kid godfather’ Mr. Johar as being the brand ambassador of nepotism in his own show, Ms. Ranaut got the whole world talking about it. I know this is little late, nonetheless this is an interesting subject.
Kangana KJo battle! (pc. The Indian Express)
Now first let’s get to the basics. What is nepotism. How is it defined. The Oxford Dictionary defines it as, “The practice among those with power or influence of favouring relatives or friends, especially by giving them jobs.“ The origin being
Mid 17th century: from French népotisme, from Italian nepotismo, from nipote ‘nephew’ (with reference to privileges bestowed on the ‘nephews’ of popes, who were in many cases their illegitimate sons).
Now, if this is the definition of the term, I guess nepotism is as rampant as corruption. The powerful and influential always use their status to get what they want. That’s so obvious. The whole idea of being powerful and influential is to exploit that for one’s own advantage. We aren’t living in some moralistic world with values. This is the brutal cut throat, dog-eat-dog world.
I’ve personally witnessed it. I’ve seen nepotism around me. I’ve been where Kangana Ranau has, and I feel the pain!! But that’s how things work in the real world. There’s no denying that influence and power can always help.
Sure, this happens in all fields. It’s not just the big bad world of bollywood. Star kids surely have it easily. They get the big break with a big film and a big production house. Everything is set for them from the beginning for their glorious start in the industry. That does make it difficult for those without any such connections. It makes their struggle far more difficult and challenging.
(Pc: https://www.papermasters.com/nepotism.html)
My family is one mixed bag, parents both are medical specialists, physicians; eldest sister is a microbiologist; the other is a management executive and me a lawyer. There’s no help, no connection in the field. I am finding my own path, paving my own way to find where I belong. Now would it hurt if I had someone assisting me, showing me the way, and perhaps even helping me land my dream job? Surely not. I mean one will be clearly lying if they say no to it, especially in the present times when there is such a dearth of jobs. If one doesn’t opt for that kind of help, they are just too holy for this world! Holier than thou!
I’ve seen examples of people pushing their children to choose careers paths not of their liking, choosing paths that do not define who they are, all because the parent wants him/her to continue their professions. Essentially because they believe that they can guarantee success or atleast a great start for the prodigy. Unfortunately that is rarely so. In most cases, it ends in a colossal failure.
Irrespective of the scenario, there’s one undeniable truth. At the end of the day, it is simply the talent, effort and hard work that will ensure that one continues to shine in their area of work. The entry might be easy, one might get all the information that is possibly available which may aid in navigating the complexities of work life but unless there’s true talent and a commitment to work, nobody can survive in this world. Merely having power or influence cannot get one ahead in life, except of course in politics! Careers which require merit, that merit, and not the influence or power will ultimately be the deciding factor. That very merit will dictate how far one can go in life. As far as nepotism is concerned, it’s there, it’s not going to vanish. We might as well make peace with it!
Nepotism or not, just keep working, keep struggling and remain focused. One day or the other, you are bound to reach your goal.
Cheers!
-Saif Rasul Khan
The Literati 