Herd Mentality

Sometimes i wonder - Why we do what we do. i know its human nature and all that, but there are times when i have seen people joining the bandwagon for the sake of it, without any real interest or ability.

Someone told me - i want to work in banking, i asked why.. her reply was "i think i like wealth Management".when i asked her to explain me her understanding of wealth Management,sure she had little idea. Now i don't know if the term wealth management sounds "cool" or was it a real interest. i remember, many years back i thought i will be a software engineer because it sounds so cool to be one.

Just recently i met someone, who was telling me how much they love the idea of sustainable development(well, we all do) and that they would surely work in this area.again they didn't know what exactly they wanna do - Maybe because its cool to work in SD? or an AIESECer who doesn't work in SD, is not cool? or was it because everyone else around them was doing it? - Reality is that they are not even sustainable in there daily actions(recycling etc), wonder how they will save the world... but then again, they would chirp every time i meet them..."do you know of any jobs in SD?"

Some of you might disagree, but for me this is a fact. Topics like SD or even diversity are relevant topics, but we need hard committed people who can make a difference, not ones who love to talk about it because its so easy(and cool) to talk about it(i mean, hello, everyone can talk about it because if you say "lets save the environment", you wont find many sane people who would disagree), question is 'how' - we don't need people who are concerned about things when its convenient for them and rest of the times it does not matter too much.

Question is how we would do it? - A good friend of mine works in sustainable development in Romania, and she knows about the topic and clearly is not there just because she thinks its cool, and is making a big difference - reason is simple. she didn't choose it for anyone, but for herself.

My father still wants me to do an MBA,when i ask why, he says(almost shockingly) "because everyone is doing it, daaa". Now saying that, i might still do it but i often wonder why. why can i only be successful if i had an MBA, how is it that a degree holds more value that actual work experiences in business situations? do i just want to follow the crowd? or is it because an MBA would add to my "CV" and get me a higher salary?

Here is an extract from a book - "Business schools teach the wrong people the wrong things the wrong ways for the wrong reasons.MBAs are impatient people who want to leapfrog others and run things. Business schools operate on the presumption that management is a science and that an MBA grad is a professional. Management is not a science. A science involves the pursuit of knowledge. Managers do not pursue knowledge. They have a completely different function." - i think its so true

MBAs generally gravitate to such fields as investment banking and consulting.Now think of a lot of people you know who have done MBAs and have recently moved into jobs, what are they doing? - either they are analysts or they are consultants. These areas provide ample occasion for the MBA to apply what business school teaches: analysis and presentation but they do not provide much opportunity for real, hands-on, management.

Saying all this - i think i still do some things because of peer pressure, or because everyone else is doing them - perhaps joining the bandwagon.maybe its human nature...