30 Days: Outsourcing

So did you catch the second episode of Morgan Spurlock's 30 Days?  I am going to keep on asking... anyone, anyone (Bueller, Bueller..)?

Thanks to TiVo this Wednesday night show is a Monday one for us... so, once again, if you missed this one you are out of luck until the series repeats (which I assume it'll probably do at some point).

This episode was all about outsourcing... as a 37-year old guy who lost his job to outsourcing moves to Bangalore, India for a month to see where his job (and millions of other American jobs) has been re-located and also to land a job for himself.  This episode wasn't quite as riveting as the immigration one... but I think it was more educational than confrontational.   But it was still very interesting...

As with last week's "Armida," my attention shifted from the "guinea pig" to the secondary "character" of Suni.  We all know about the impact of outsourcing on Americans, but it was interesting to explore how outsourcing, and the "wealth" and opportunity it brings, is affecting Indian culture and traditions. (I put wealth in quotes, since I am guessing most viewers would find the living conditions of "middle-class" India to be pretty unacceptable).

The very first time I see Suni on the screen I say aloud "she doesn't look very happy."  Moments later this is more than confirmed.  Suni lives with husband Ravi's family... and, as is still the tradition, it is an arranged marriage.  Suni is expected to take care of her husband and his family... and she does dutifully wait on them like a servant.  But soon we learn that Suni is studying to get a job in a call center (a prestigious Bangalore gig)... Ravi is not too happy about this... and some of the neanderthal-ish stuff that comes out of his mouth made my jaw drop.  But this is just the way it is... and the way it has been for a very, very (very!) long time.

The role of the Indian young woman has shifted from 50's "white-picket fence America" to 70's "feminist movement America" just within the span of a couple of years.  While this is no surprise, it wasn't an aspect/impact of outsourcing I had given much (any!) thought to.  When we Suni outside the house (in a very comical moment, she says to her American houseguest "what's up dude"), she is a totally different person... like a weight has been lifted off of her.  At show's end, we learn Suni has been hired.  Now she'll have two jobs... at the call center and still as the traditional caretaker. 

It was very encouraging... you had to feel happy for Suni's ambition and success... but you were still left with a feeling it is going to be a very hard road for her... and that she won't quite have the life she dreams of... but perhaps her daughter (or grand-daughter) will!

Next week... I think we are headed back for some confrontation... as an atheist moves in with an evangelical Christian family... for 30 Days.

Comments

[monette]

I really like this show. I agree that this eppy just wasn't as confrontational, the outsourced guy wasn't as angry and bitter as most people they pick, but was willing to go along for the ride smoothly. So it wasn't as WOW!, but I still thought it was good.

As soon as the wife started talking about wanting a job, you could tell right there was the real story of cultural issues. And it's crazy all over India, this disparity of moving into the technology age while still being a third world nation, while also having their own women's lib movement. Although I do remember when I was in Bombay visiting family in 2000, the most conflicted scenes in my mind were seeing families sleeping on the streets under these giant coporate billboards.

But it was interesting the point that the guy made about the social value of jobs such as telelmarketing, how in America, it's not something that is valued in society, yet these are the jobs that many Indians are running for in droves, because it's a constant source of income that is well paying.

I'm still looking forward to seeing the one where Spurlock puts himself in jail. I wonder how close (or far) from OZ it will be...

[Vijay]

The story is really an interesting one and gives the outsourcing issue a perspective from the other end of the pipeline. You can read about outsourcing and India at http://India-IT-Pulse.blogspot.com