Thread by @ahmadrajwana, Exsistential Challenges of being a Civil Servant [ A long thread ]When [...]

Exsistential Challenges of being a Civil Servant

[ A long thread ]

When one joins Civil Service, they are either full of dreams, hopes, aspirations to serve their country and to experience social mobility in a bullet train.

This is how the journey starts for most of them

Then comes, the realisation of having achieved something and there kicks in a false sense of pride; few hang on to it, few grow in it and few finally grow out of it — depending upon how their experiences shape their future

But, nonetheless it has an amazing impact on individuals

Then comes career progression, those with superior intellect find it in early career that this is no place for them, they leave for greener pastures; for good. Then there are multiple classes within a deeply stratified civil service, each service defines who you will be tomorrow

Few are brave enough to walk through this unharmed, most don’t. Inter-group rivalary and share in the power structure further breaks many, many leave their quest and aspiration — by mid career they become procrastinators at best — those who don’t become either masters or demons

Public never lies, so no matter how grand and mangnamous one appears to be — it can be misleading. At this stage few lose heart, few loose appetite and few lose souls. This is a point where you find once brilliant kids becoming another cog. Rarity is those few who still sail

.. through, but they are very few and there are multiple factors behind it. Very few of those are based on objective truth and talent.

So what breaks people?

People, choices, compromises and a system so broken that doesn’t recognise diversity nor does allow creativity.

Results are obvious, an elitist mindset that thrives on tribalism and cults. This is not governance, this is not public service this is a smoke screen. A self defeating resuidary and self-decieted prowess that sees nothing beyond themselves.

There’s little hope! Very little!

But there is, one day as a nation we might come out of our collective coma and self-denial and we grow out of ourselves and realise what is at stake and do and let each other do what they should be doing in first place — doing what is required of them.

#civilservices

There are broader three categories of people who aspire for Civil Service, regardless of futile this medium is per say — if you weigh costs:

1. Class/Social Mobility
2. Power/Prestige
3. To prove themselves (though 1&2 are kind of sub categories of 3)

The cost is horrifying

Only if one understands it. Govt service is seldom equated with this “frivolous prestige” as in most of x-colonial states. Reasons are many but are very simple.

Failure of society to evolve into a whole where talent is not only employed but guarded. But make no mistake —

— Civil Service isn’t place for talent. It’s a labyrinth that crushes everything that brings a new perspective. I refer them to as “Slave of Form”.

But at the same time, they all are human beings, with little hopes, wishes and dreams. Honestly, most of them are amazing people

their challenges are just too many. Their challenges are two faced monsters — one that they keep fighting throughout their careers and one they become fighting it.

I wish I could write and say more. But I’ll leave this here and write some other day and share few thoughts.

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