Transparency is a condition derived from a property called 'transparent', which indicates that it is an object than can be seen through.
It is a desired quality in humanities, management, markets, governments and what not. The benefits seem to be so much that we would desire it to be a part of every society and social system.
In terms of a social system, transparency is all about making available any information as soon as it is available. This of course, would help in keeping officials accountable and help in keeping the ethics & personal interest in check.
As the information is available to all, it seems like there is less harm possible with that information. Of course, the strength & integrity of a system should not be vulnerable to the information revealed.
So, all seems well. It seems so good, are there actually any bad things associated with it.
Now, you would be thinking, of all the things how did I end up picking a topic like this to do some loud thinking. It so happened that a few days back, I was busy analysing ways of overcoming a hurdle in my work and from a few meters behind my chair I heard a loud BANG! I saw quite a few heads in front of me turning behind with open mouths and wide eyes. Along with them, I saw myself turning behind too.
A person had just banged into a glass wall. He was vigorously rubbing his forehead. People were looking towards him apologetically, without much help available to be catered to his immediate need as there were no cuts or bleeding.
As the attention from his swelling forehead diluted, people got back to their workplace, getting ready for another uninterrupted session of work.
Still in the mind of some concerned souls, there was an anger towards this ostentatious display of prosperity through expensive glass walls. What was the need for such a thing? May be it is cheap to store wealth for longer duration in the form of expensive glass walls, it is not like gold, which anyone can take and run away and of course it is no longer a liquid asset too.
Well, I guess there is a need. In an organization promoting transparency at every level, it makes sense to see people meeting in a closed room and conspiring together to cater to the various needs of a growing organization.
But still, we need something to blame. Who can take the credit for that bulge on that poor soul's forehead. Aah! I got it, Let us blame that foolish brat.
Did he not have any sense of carrying himself well at such an altruistic place. What was he thinking, walking into a wall, okay it was a glass wall, but still, it is a wall. Did someone pick you up from a paddy field or what? don't you know that these places have boundaries called walls. What a hopeless chap. I guess the next possible thing is that he will trip himself down with his own legs. Nah, I guess, I have been a little harsh on him.
Perhaps, that guy had a tiring day, may be he forgot his spectacles, may be his wife reminded him of an impending capitation fees waiting for his kids admission to the elite nursery school, may be his father reminded him of his irresponsibility in front of his in-laws, may be he just had a bad appraisal at office. Yes indeed, many things are possible. So, may be he was trying to commit suicide banging himself to the wall due to the insult he faced and also get the insurance money to pay for the capitation fees, may be he has already sold his spectacles, to buy the application form for the kid's schooling.
Well, those seemed to be some rather tangential thoughts. Coming back to the situation and looking beyond the context, there seems to be a problem and a symptom in whatever happened. the onus is on us to recognise it.
Have we ever thought of how providing unwanted information can be harmful for the receiver. What about the people, who, mistake transparency in a system for non-existence of boundaries? There are personal, professional, ethical boundaries of anything that is transparent. How will we mark it up for notice?
Ever wondered, the harm caused by having your life as an open book. Of course, you don't care anything about people causing harm to you. You are a soul loved by all and you have the best intentions for all. What about the harm caused to the people who don't know how to handle the information.
Information is as powerful as fire, wind or water. Careers, personalities, societies can be burnt, swept away or sunk with information.
Thus, it seems like educating the ability of handling information is as important for a system as much as implementing transparency.
These are just after-thoughts, things do exist like this in many different forms in our own lives, people do keep banging into transparent walls every now and then, but do we care for it being a part of the system. May be yes, atleast as an after thought.
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2 comments:
I really liked the way you have developed the analogy. The question of how to differentiate transparency from a lack of boundaries has been on my mind too. The example of a person who leads life like an "open-book" struck me as very solid. But what exactly do you mean by harm caused to others who don't realize the context of the information they are getting? Is that more than the harm cause to such a person by such people's misinterpretations?
You can take misinterpretation as one of the possibilities and also the effect it has on the misinterpreter. But, what I am looking at is beyond misinterpretation.
People need not have the capability of assessing or handling the information that is dealt as an open book.
One such example could be parents, teachers and leaders ability to manage their self doubts and doubts about their principles with the people for whom they are role models or guides.
The people need to be guided or elevated into a position, where they can process or handle this information. Or else, it can ruin their understanding and faith in the system they are a part of.
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