Shades of exploitation

July 3, 2005

By Amar Jaleel

In our society the general public can be exploited in several ways


WOULD you believe we are exploited in different ways daily, without our knowing it? Why would you buy a pizza after midnight? Because they either sell it at half price or gift you an additional piece free. It is disguised exploitation that they call marketing strategy and sales promotion at your cost. Consult your doctor, and ask him to tell you what happens when you consume thick layers of cheese late in the night, and then go to bed. Haven’t you come across vendors selling Madina nihari, and Makka bund-kababs, and Harmain Sharifain Jewellers where wives of corrupt functionaries lavishly spent ill-gotten wealth. They exploit your religious feelings.

Exploitation can be classified in two major categories. The two categories then root into several sub-divisions. We will not go into the detailed analysis of the fragmented subtleties of exploitation. For the time being let us restrict our analysis to the two major forms of exploitation, disguised exploitation and undisguised exploitation. It must be remembered that getting exploited results form a person’s own weaknesses. We, because of our own deeds and misdeeds fall victim to it. The word weakness should not be taken in its literal sense. It has nothing to do with the weakness you experience after recovering from malaria. In certain situations the word weakness is inducted for metaphorical expression. If you have irresistible craving for chocolates, you can be described as a person having weakness for chocolates.

Let us briefly look at the two main forms of exploitation, disguised exploitation, and undisguised exploitation.

DISGUISED EXPLOITATION: Children do not take long to feel the intensity of our love for them. The more we cuddle them the more they become conscious of our fondness and affection for them. Much before a child toddles it instinctively learns how to catch the attention of its father or mother. Through experience the child learns what kind of behaviour attracts the attention of his parents. Some children unconsciously sport a charming smile and some make a hue and cry to catch the attention of the parents. On spotting a toy shop some children suddenly create an embarrassing situation for the parents in public. They start crying, and sprawl on the pavement, and refuse to budge without buying a toy. A child’s similar manipulations are classical examples of disguised or innocent exploitation. No ill will is intended in such exploitations. They instinctively exploit your parental emotions.

Overtly clever merchants exploit you through your children. They offer to sell substandard products tucked with a toy, a sticker, a pencil, an eraser, or a toffee and things like that. The children lured by the ads create hell for you if you refuse to buy such substandard merchandize. This is an example of engineered exploitation involving your innocent children. Though repugnant, it is far less a heinous exploitation than the one in which a child is abducted for ransom.

Mala is your vivacious colleague in the office. She is admired by the entire staff. But she gives you an impression that she cares for you. What she exploits in you is your simplicity. In fact, Mala is your boss’s woman. She uses you as a cover. Without your ever realizing she cleverly keeps you to the donkey work. Arguably it is a loathsome example of innocent exploitation. Emotional setback is not considered a crime in our society. Though it ruins personal lives of the people it doesn’t have legal repercussions.

UNDISGUISED EXPLOITATION: Amin is an office assistant in the purchase department of the Public Welfare Directorate, PWD. The purchase officer, serving the interests of the seniors in the corrupt officialdom, receives commissions and kickbacks through Amin. The victim, Amin bears the brunt of degradation. He is haunted by the suspicious hounds. He is believed to have had once resisted his further involvement in the organized crime. But, by then it’s too late. He was already submerged in the crime up to his neck. He knows the consequences of his desire to live a clean life. There is no way out for Amin. He is a chronic patient of depression, hypertension, and ischemic heart disease.

A nasty husband in our society exploits his wife through the prerogative of keeping four wives at a time in his house. He ruthlessly wields the wand of divorce in exploiting his wife. He has the right to throw her out in the streets as and when he deems it proper. This is brazen exploitation of a hapless woman. A well-qualified young man appeared in an interview for the post of a computer engineer in a reputable firm. No sooner he was seated a member of the selection board asked, “Is it true your father was a thief?”

The young man was taken aback. He said, “Sir, the question doesn’t relate to the field of computer technology.”

Another member immediately asked, “Is it true your father was sentenced to a five-year rigorous imprisonment?”

The bewildered young man said, “Won’t you ask me to tell you what have I done in the field of my expertise?”

“No cross-questioning,” the chairman of the selection board said. “Answer the first two questions.”

The young man collected his documents and left the room. The most vicious exploitation surfaces within the realm of politics and religion that we would talk about some other time.