The issue of innovation vs. tradition is interesting. In my own preliminary research forays, I am intrigued by how each antagonistic side of the English Channel views the other as tradition-bound, backward; while viewing itself as innovative, progressive, and modern. Thus, pro-Brexit folks view themselves as now-unshackled innovators and the EU folks across the channel as ossified bureaucrats; while pro-integration EU folks view the Brexit folks as hidebound British traditionalists. IIM Bangalore alumnus Hazurasingh Siviya, a.k.a. ‘Flying Singh’, likened the Brexit vote to a pub brawl with unpredictable outcomes: “It is a typical British pub brawl… A bully, who knows he will get beaten up if he starts a fight when everyone is sober, goes to a pub, gets drunk and using any excuse starts a brawl, no reason, no objective… just an excuse. Everyone gets into the brawl and no one expects serious or lasting consequences… Well, in the Brexit brawl, lo and behold, the unthinkable happens, someone gets shot and dies….no one takes responsibility, cops appear and there are consequences”.
The rigors of IIM and other elite education leave an imprint on all of us. Jayant Swamy, IIM Bangalore alumnus from Seattle – tech executive as well as popular author – evoked a classroom and grading analogy, noting that “while countries that were relatively weaker benefitted the most from EU, the rigorous requirements around governance and budget contributions might have brought unnecessary strains on Britain, akin to using a bell shaped grading curve, where an outstanding student gets clubbed with the vast majority of average students.” In that sense, “leave and regain your liberation” became a rallying cry for Brexit supporters, to separate out elite UK from the rag-tag new EU entrants.
Nik’s COLUMN
Nik Dholakia