Over the last few days, have noticed a lot of twitter people discussing why Indian engineers/MBA types tend to mostly swing rightwards. Also, does the inclusion of a few humanities courses make a difference? Read on.
1) People have already covered the usual explanations - male, upper caste, the god complex that accompanies securing an admission. All solid points, but that doesn't account for the fact that the phenomenon often goes beyond savarna males
2) I think the question is one of basic worldview, and the assumption that the social world mirrors the 'natural world' (which in turn is also erroneously presumed to be newtonian and deterministic, with 'iron clad' laws)
3) Hence, a few humanities courses (which are taught without enthusiasm, and deemed useless in their utilitarian vision) fail to shake this fundamental belief (superstition) that the social world should be ordered, predictable and without ambiguity.
4) This leads to the presumption that social facts (nations, class, gender) are natural and pre-given. And ideas such as competition, might is right are woven into the fabric of the universe. Societies/ideas that dont confirm to this 'natural law' are seen as primitive and stupid
5) Thus ideas that confirm to a simplistic vision of humanity, with the individual in the center alone responsible for his failures and successes become popular - Ayn Rand, self help books (usually placed prominently in book stores) complete the circle
6) Politically, this amounts to a naturalization of capitalism, and the assumption that nominal equality equals substantial equality [Hence arguments such as, men and women are equal, so why do these women want quota in parliament]
7) Also the frustration when they are confronted with the inherent ambiguity and messiness of society (like in India) leads to this desire for a technocratic vision - inane arguments like "Look at how clean the cantonments are. The army should take over"
8) This clash with a messy, diverse society that clashes with the perception of the self as clean, disciplined and deserving thus creates the victim complex of the privileged. This is also coupled with a perversion of sexuality - the desire for sex coupled coupled with discomfort
...with sexuality. The influence of brahminical ideas has meant that the ideal male student is seen as disciplined and celibate, with women as distractions. And lets not even talk about female sexuality. A famous private college in Tamil Nadu is notorious in this regard
9) This automatically translates into preference for any political individual who promises to order society perfectly ('we should be like Singapore'). An individual who like them has sacrificed his own desires, is the incarnation of discipline and a technocratic vision. Also
...one who like any lousy MBA believes in silly acronyms. ENTER FUHRER. Thus, any recourse to arguments like data, shoddy performance, intolerance ultimately fall on deaf ears. Bcoz to stop believing in the FUHRER will mean nt believing in the self, thats reflected in the FUHRER
10) So to end on a more optimistic note: As a former engineer myself, if I had to recommend one book to any engineer/MBA/science/commerce student : It would be Berger & Luckmann: The Social Construction of Reality
11) Also, read good literature, tonnes of it: Manto, Krishan Chandar, Ghalib, Amrita Pritam, Faiz, Batalvi, Bulleh Shah, Rushdie, Neruda, Tagore. It is the perfect antidote to the excesses of the natural and the social sciences. And run away from the self help books! Thank you.
