R Wing
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there were research institutes under ministry of science, but they arent performing as well as they could due to typical BS babus lording over engineers, and application of obsolete govt rules on research institutes.
Exactly.
Yes, we should be optimistic, but our deen also shows us how societies develop for both the better and the worst.
In terms of the best, we know of the Ansar in Madina. Following the Battle of Bu'ath, both the Aus and Khazraj leaderships saw that their present course was untenable. So they strived for something better. They respected the tradition of the Yahuud and took their prophetic claims seriously. So, when some of them came across Rasul'Allah (saw), they basically saw a future in him (saw) and in Islam. That society changed, and in doing so formed the nucleus of our history.
Society will not change until the leadership itself changes how it thinks. I'm not talking about revolution. Rather, I'm talking about people who take their mental space from the status-quo to something that demands ambition, sincerity and vision. Islam requires the individual and collective alike to shift their mental state. Unless our leaders shift their mental state, we will not change. Allah (swt) has shown in Seerah that without mental shift, societies do not change unless someone from outside forces them to change (e.g., Fateh Makkah by Madina).
So, in response to everything you said, it won't land unless our leaders want that stuff to land. If our leaders are not interested in change, then we'll stay in the status-quo. We can just look at the reality and see it play out. Right now, the leaders don't want change, and lo and behold, our society is suffering.
I don't know, maybe the global real estate market needs to crash for our society to wake up. Maybe if the value of those apartments in London and Dubai evaporate, our leaders will have an Ansar-like epiphany and decide to focus on building an active economy.
As always, couldn't agree more.
I am writing my thesis (at Harvard) on exactly this problem. Cross-disciplinary insights from neuroscience, behavioral economics, social psychology and sociology (national/organization culture), comparative politics, and applied history all point to exactly what you've said.
The conundrum, as you've rightly pointed out, is how this can happen when the current incentive structures are aligned problematically. Their personal power, perks, and privileges are not directly affected by the overall shitshow and lowering of standards of merit and excellence that we see all around us. In the words of General Jehangir Karamat, a former COAS, this is 'qualitative deterioration' of the worst kind.
I would like to share some good news; some important people are beginning to wake up to the reality that Pakistan (particularly its major nat sec institutions/IC) is being left far behind: without drastic measures/modernization and BETTER PEOPLE (yes, that means bloody civilians!) working under a MODERN SYSTEM (no ancient yessir culture uncles micromanaging tasks, etc.), there is little hope. Please inbox me (if that capability still exists on this forum) as I would like you to be a part of such reform proposals.
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