A white elephant is something that is beautiful, aesthetic. But is of little profit besides that, and is on the contrary quite costly to maintain. Why then would so many, with inadequate resources, seek white elephants?
Could be an overarching sense of aesthetics.
Or else, merely a desire to be perceived as great and aesthetic.
Common to either is the great cost.
One can hear the trumpets of white elephants in the Indian Govt’s decision not to accept foreign aid from other governments and the UN for the Tsunami disaster-relief. Instead, India wants to join a consortium of donor nations. This when the finance ministry is mulling a one percent cess on corporate and personal income tax. One can list the pros and cons till kingdom come, but ultimately it boils down to a show of magnanimity and pride where there shouldn’t be. And verily, our foreign-policy stable is abrim with white elephants. The Non-Aligned Movement. Chilled Relations with Israel. Yada.
I’m as in favor of or maybe more, as the next guy, of being proud. But not of having a false swagger. For two simple reasons really – for one it comes at a cost. And worse, it only engenders pity not respect.
Being proud would mean not accepting any help from the outside world. I’d rather pay that much excess tax rather than have India accept foreign aid.
Offering help to other countries in the given situation would amount to having that false swagger I guess.
I’d rather pay that much excess tax rather than have India accept foreign aid.
I wouldn’t, thanks. I’m taxed enough as it is.
Neither am I interested in paying any more tax than I already do.
What I basically mean is that if the choice is between somehow helping myself and getting outside help, I’d rather help myself.
Ajit, I agree these matters depend on where one draws the line between pride and foolish swagger.
But you see – there wouldn’t be helping hands if others didn’t think it necessary to help out. And others think it necessary to help out for a reason
don’t they?
So effectively you mean to say that being proud is to deny what everybody else thinks about you, and slightly cripple your fledgling economy in the process?