“The key to good decision making is not knowledge. It is understanding. We are swimming in the former. We are desperately lacking in the latter.” ― Malcolm Gladwell
In the course of the last one month, we the voters were inundated with numerous sloganeering, shouting, brow beating and sophisticated marketing pieces of various political parties for the most obvious reason; the deep desire of influencing our decision to vote! As it happens when one is served with too many dishes on a platter, it becomes a hotch potch. Too many flavors may, at times, set one thinking! Whilst one may have good knowledge of individual flavors, lack of understanding of the combined effect of different flavors may lead us into making a bad decision with respect to the cuisine as a whole!
Today was the day when we went out to vote! Mumbai voted! Badly though! The sad irony of the day was this! I had the knowledge, well in advance of the scheduling of general election this year! I had the knowledge of incumbent political party, its virtues and vices to the last detail! I had the knowledge of the aspiring opposition who dreams of forming the next government! I was aware of the minutest detail of the protagonist and the supporting actions in the drama of politics! The only knowledge I lacked and the only awareness that I did not have was whom do I vote for? Until the last minute when I cast my vote I was debating the pros and cons of various candidates standing from Mumbai North. The fundamental issues that were bothering me were (a) What if my vote gets wasted if I vote for Candidate “A”? (b) Why am I so bothered about my vote getting wasted?( c) Should I worry about the profile of the candidate at the local level or should I be worried about the who will form the government at the center? (d) What difference will it make if I cast my vote either ways? (e) What if everybody is facing the same dilemma and ends up casting vote on the basis of media trends and reports rather than voting for someone who really deserves? (f) Why is the mass voting pattern bothering me so much?
These numerous thoughts were running parallel in my mind while I was standing in the line. These thoughts were bothering me while my identity proof was being verified by the polls officer. I was still undecided until my turn to cast the vote arrived. Whilst I was in front of the voting machine I did not really have the time to continue with the never ending analysis. I cast my vote immediately. The decision was made in a split second. The blink decision was made on the basis of the understanding that at the end of the day the decision is simple! It is not so complicated after all. All that I want is that a good and honest and capable candidate to govern my constituency. Is that not what we all want? Why do we complicate it? We allow the constant media barrage influence our decision making to the extent that we make decision on the basis of complete lack of understanding of certain simple fundamental values.
There are chances that the candidate whom I voted for may not win. There is a possibility that the party whom I voted for may not form government at the center. So what? At least I have the satisfaction that I voted for a candidate on the basis of merits. I strongly believe that if we, at an individual level let merit drive our decision making process; then collectively as a nation, we will not give ourselves the chance to complain as regards the lack of merit of the incumbent government!
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