a previous rant I posted elsewhere on this Re: -- more on -- GOP Outsources Fundraising

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

> Date: Thu, 28 Aug 2003 22:41:10 +0530
> From: Suresh Ramasubramanian <suresh () hserus net>
> Subject: a previous rant I posted elsewhere on this Re: [IP] -- more on -- GOP
>  Outsources Fundraising
> To: Suresh Ramasubramanian <suresh () hserus net>
> Cc: dave () farber net
> Organization: -ENOENT
>
> This might make a few things in my mail that you published clearer -
>
> There's been a depressing lot of articles about call centers being posted 
> on IP, and all harping on extremely similar themes (hopelessly underpaid 
> indians taking jobs away from low wage americans)
>
> While there is a *lot* about Indian call centers that deserves to be 
> roasted, the current roasts on IP are not the right roasts, so to speak.
>
> This thread (one of several on the india-gii () lists cpsr org list) might help.
>
> https://ssl.cpsr.org/pipermail/india-gii/2003-June/004201.html
>
> > > [india-gii] Outsourcing to India
> > > Suresh Ramasubramanian suresh at hserus.net
> > > Fri, 06 Jun 2003 18:49:06 +0530
> > >
> > >     * Previous message: [india-gii] Outsourcing to India
> > >     * Next message: [india-gii] Outsourcing to India
> > >     * Messages sorted by: [ date ] [ thread ] [ subject ] [ author ]
> > >
> > > Raj Mathur writes on 6/6/2003 6:23 PM:
> > >
> > > > Why this antipathy toward call centers and the people who work in
> > > > them.  Sure, it's a non-skilled job, but then so are many others, I
> > > > don't hear them being vilified on this list as call centers are.
> > >
> > >
> > > My major problem is with the fact that it is a basically unskilled job 
> > > that - currently - gets paid sky high salaries.
> > >
> > > Besides, it is an unskilled job that pays bargain basement wages, stateside.
> > >
> > > I do have a problem with the basic fairness of paying kids artificially 
> > > inflated salaries which are gained by depriving a human being, 
> > > elsewhere, of a really low salary that might be the difference between 
> > > that person's living with dignity or scratching a living on welfare.
> > >
> > > I am also scared.  This is one of those bubbles that just screams out 
> > > loudly for a sharp needle to be poked in - and when this bubble gets 
> > > bust, I shudder to think what is going to happen to all those poor 
> > > stupid kids who have bumped up their lifestyle like this.
> > >
> > > Beer in trendy pubs, expensive clothes and accessories, a girlfriend 
> > > with equally expensive tastes ... or for the boys and girls with "no bad 
> > > habits", stuff like down payents on a new car / apartment / whatever at 
> > > what would normally be WAY over their income level ... and suddenly 
> > > forced to accept huge salary cuts, or maybe even get unceremoniously 
> > > ejected from work because call-center after call-center shuts up shop?
> > >
> > > > Sure it's true,  But I know no other profession (except the criminal
> > > > or quasi-criminal ones) that start out unskilled kids paying them 10K+
> > > > per month.  At least the kids get some money to spend, instead of
> > > > being a drain on their parents' resources and getting depressed and
> > > > committing suicide when they beat doors and remain jobless for years.
> > >
> > >
> > > That's just the point man - they get too damn much money to spend, and 
> > > ill-deserved money at that.  Paying someone way above their skill level 
> > > is dumb, to say the least.
> > >
> > > > Even Cartoon Network in Hindi (at least in Delhi) is a step in the
> > > > right direction.  Of course, my own kids avoid it like the plague --
> > > > elitist to the core, they only consider things worth having if they
> > > > have sophistication (spelled y-a-n-k a-c-c-e-n-t) written all over
> > > > them.  My fault, but I ain't complainin'.
> > >
> > >
> > > Your kids need something I grew up with - Amar Chitra Katha.  Trust me, 
> > > well worth the Rs.20 odd that it costs today, as it was well worth the 
> > > Rs.3..7 I used to pay for it in the late 70s and early 80s.
> > >
> > > > Again, if you believe that India Inc needs to rise up in the value
> > > > chain, go ahead and start a business venture that provides high-end
> > > > consulting and/or products to the outside market.  Don't whine about
> > >
> > >
> > > Or do some outsourcing that actually requires more than two barely 
> > > functioning brain cells.
> > >
> > > I am actually starting something like this (for my employer, and based 
> > > out of home / telecommuting) - initially starting small, with most 
> > > likely just one additional person I identified sometime back, and who is 
> > > a former colleague.
> > >
> > > It is quite similar (in several aspects) to the call center thingy - but 
> > > does require a lot more than mindless parroting of readymade scripts.
> > >
> > >     srs

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