Khalid Saleem
IN THE world of today, where everything has been turned on its head because of the Corona Virus pandemic, why should one talk of cars – used or otherwise? Why indeed? Nonetheless, a used car is a subject of some interest to people. As everyone knows cars – used or otherwise – are a big thing in the so-called developed world. In the United States, in particular, it is the car one drives that determines one’s stature in society, or so one is led to believe. Selling and buying of used cars has become part of the social vocabulary. In America’s lexicon, “Would you buy a used car from this guy?” has become synonymous with “Would you trust this person?” The American media, for instance, is known to make extensive use of this ‘criterion’ when evaluating candidates for elective office. In the primaries for nomination of candidates for the US presidential elections, for instance, this question is bound to figure so very often.
The term ‘used car’, it would appear, has acquired a somewhat shady and unsavory connotation. By the same token, essence of the phrase ‘used car salesman’ has assumed shades of that of a shyster or a crook. No wonder, then, that in many countries the ‘used car salesmen’ fraternity has resolved to adopt the euphemism ‘pre-owned cars’ in place of ‘used cars’. It sounds altogether more elegant and less fishy, don’t you think? Still ‘pre-owned car salesman’ does not have quite the same ring to it as ‘used-car salesman’ of yester-years. By the same token, the question “would you buy a pre-owned car from this guy?” does not, indeed, have the same fruity flavour as the classic question the world is familiar with. But, let us face it; the erstwhile ‘used car salesmen’ do have a point!
The one impression that one garners from the aforesaid is that, for reasons not far-fetched, it is hardly possible to fob off a used piece of machinery on anyone of above-average intelligence without resorting to appropriate use of guile. In simple terms, should you wish to make a living selling used (or pre-owned, if you prefer) cars, then you must possess not only gift of the gab but also a bit of chicanery to go along with it. Does all this not sound a bit familiar when you look at the politicians selling their point of view on the ‘idiot box’? Having got the aforesaid off one’s chest, the question that presents itself is: can a person sell a used piece of machinery by being completely honest about it? This is by no means an easy question to answer. And it can be expanded to cover all kinds of commerce there is. Would it not complicate matters somewhat? Especially for our group of leaders and aspiring leaders! As it is, honesty is a quality that is not easy to define or to quantify; much less with a certain degree of precision.
Talking of honesty logically brings one to the mention of ‘generosity’. One came across a rather apt quote the other day. It went something like this: “How much easier it is to be generous than just! Men are sometimes bountiful who are not honest”. This does open up a new and interesting line of thought. One often comes across persons who are ostensibly very generous but when you scratch the surface you find that they are far from honest in their dealing with their fellow beings. One does not have to travel far. Just looking around, one can discern several ‘philanthropists’ of the day who have come to enjoy lofty reputations through construction of houses of worship (for example) and yet when it comes to honoring their financial commitments to their fellow beings, they are sadly found wanting. In today’s world, people care more for images and less for substance. An edifice goes up for all to see and admire, while sleight of hand goes generally unnoticed and un-accounted for.
Be that as it may, it is not one’s intention here to pass judgment on peoples’ sins of omission and/or commission. At the same time, though, as a layman one would really appreciate a criterion whereby one could have the benefit of discerning whether or not a certain ‘gentleman’ is trustworthy enough to buy a used-car from. It is a trifle intriguing to confront man’s unfailing tendency to conjure up euphemisms for things unpleasant or odious. It is the mere façade that counts in this imperfect world of ours. In most organizations, public or private, in this blessed land, there is hardly a worthwhile system to enable a person to evaluate the personnel or their performance. As a consequence, merit goes out the nearest window!
In the milieu of today, beset as it is by such pestilences as the corona virus, everything appears to have been turned on its head, if not worse! One can hardly tell whether one is coming or going. This brings us back to the odious mention of Corona Virus pandemic. What did humanity do wrong to have been landed with this pandemic? After all it stands to reason that all of humanity must share the blame for the pandemic to strike the high and low all at the same time. After all nature can hardly be blamed for picking and choosing; or can it? Would it not be appropriate to put in a question in all evaluation forms for jobs to the effect, “Would you buy a used car from this person?” The only catch (and it is a big catch) is that all such evaluations invariably turn out to subjective per se, never objective! How is one to ensure that the very person rendering the evaluation is himself fit to buy a used car from? That is the moot question and one not all that easy to answer!
— The writer is a former Ambassador and former Assistant Secretary General of OIC.
