Pay and grading

I don't quite agree with the pay and grading business where people try to "standardise" pay and grading scheme because they assume that most jobs are the same and most people doing similar jobs always do the same thing, to the same standard and therefore should be herded into categories.

In the normal world through, people are all different. Managers take responsibility for deciding who is worth what. It is part of what they are paid to do - to recruit people, retain them using reward system commensurate to their ability, skills and output. HERA doesn't care about that. They think managers cannot be trusted to do such job.

In a way, this eliminates the biases, prejudices and disparities. In another, you create frustration - in managers because they are not allowed to reward their outstanding subordinates outside of these pay structures and in workers because they know that they can never progress. The fixed pay and fixed grades demotivate workers by ingraining in them that however much they contribute, they will always be rewarded according to the structure anyway so there is little incentive to put in any extra

Mental ability

If people are exonerated for their crimes because they can prove permanent or temporary mental disorder, where can the line be drawn? People develop emotionally as they experience new things, meet new people, are exposed to incidence. Some advance further than others but when those who fail to develop, either through lack of opportunity or lack of will, can use the failure to their advantage after they have committed a crime and exempt themselves from punishment, who is responsible? They aren't responsible for their action if they are in the state where they don't know right from wrong. Should the rest of us be forced to accept this? Can the victims forgive them on the mental ability ground? Is there something wrong with that society? Should the society try to look after people's mental state? Should we renounce our personal responsibility to act responsibly? What happens when the society fails? How can we help children develop emotional competencies at home and school? Should parents be the main source of children's mental development rather than institution?

Corporate reward

Banks claim that free market forces them to reward their executives extortionate amount as a tool to attract and retain talents and ward off rivals' competition. The assumption then is that people are driven by one thing alone and that is money. Where are other incentives that keep people motivated like corporate ethics, the prestige of being part of successful organisations, personal and professional development opportunities and the passion for what you do?

It seems quite insulting to assume that people can only be incentivised by the amount they are paid. In that sense, these people are reduced to being just a slot machine, with only one purpose in life.

On relationship

Some say relationships shouldn't be hard work because, after all, it is assumed that you will have controlled most determinants in a relationship like the compatibility between you and the partner you have chosen, the time in your life when you decide to enter into a relationship, the level of interdependency, and so forth.

But then you have another group of people with different beliefs, who will say that you have to "work" at relationships. Because like most things, relationships are difficult, they are not perfect and they need to be nurtured. There are many things influencing which direction the relationship grows that are beyond one's control even including the two people in the relationship. People change and they are the least predictable of all variables.

Romance and relationship

Can people really fall in love after one date? Is it lust or is it all things falling into place prompting a miracle to happen? The cupid is just a rare occasion when two people are in the right place at the right time and in the right company? Gosh how nice it is to be observing this. How even more wonderful when you contribute to other people's happiness by making this rare occasion happen for them!

Is it ever good to be devoid of emotions?

I wonder if it is a blessing in disguise when you are denied emotional support from people around you because in the end everyone has to find their own way around their problems and one can only gain emotional experience by having to deal with instances first hand.

On the assumption that we all have to learn and acquire emotional competencies through direct experience, we would be independent from the network of support of friends and family and for some people who do not have access to such network anyway, it just makes perfect sense. I just feel sad though that the world would be such a place where only the emotionally strong will get through it and be selected in the natural selection scheme of thing. Vocabulary like compassion will not exist.

On the other hand, it could be argued that everyone can build such a network as long as they are committed to returning the favour. So basically, if you are emotionally available for people around you when they need support, then surely someone would be deemed to be there when you need them. And the concern for one another could be a genuine one even though you are not related as family or even friends, it does not have to be the case of "I'll scratch your back and you scratch mine".

And what is the answer?

Emotional intelligence

What an ideal world you would be in if you can always take a step back from a sticky situation and so you can be emotionally detached and deal with it constructively with no or little emotional involvement.

But in a situation where you are emotionally dependent on the other person or other people like in a relationship or in a family, can you really apply the same principle? Will it be at the risk of being heartless? We are not robot after all.

In Buddhism though, we are meant to be. All emotions - good or bad, elation or depression are defilements that one must strive to rid of. There is something intelligent about the Buddha teaching because it is so true. But you won't be emotionally mature if you succeed. You get to progress towards Nibbhana.