Social Soul – Vinod Kumar

Mr.Solemon grew up with his parents, sisters, neighbors, friends and other relatives. Till he turned twenty five years old, he was not a stranger. His face was familiar to all and intimate to many. Mr.Solemon has now grown into an independent entrepreneur. His language now has a new vocabulary such as KRA, KPI, rates and other indicators. Mr.Solemon has now graduated from an upumavu breakfast, into a sandwich and French fries food style. Omlette, orange juice, sandwich, baked beans, and sautéed vegetables have become his normal tastes. He is interested in fiscal details, global market, database, corporate regulations and interpretations. Economy, cyber security, repayments, defaults and industry are new topics. His understanding about profits in each vertical and net revenue in each quarter is good. He has moved away from his family conversations of monsoon, agriculture, farmers and food inflation. His interests are moving to geopolitical issues and crude oil prices.

Mr.Solemon is now a traveler. A regular traveler. Mr.Solemon has to create revenue consistently. Every time he sits down to have lunch or dinner, it is a working lunch or dinner. His people are all from the business community.

Mobile phones, devices, gadgets, laptops are his new purchases. But he is stressed when all those equipment becomes quickly outdated.  Mr.Solemon has dived too deep into technical industry. He has to be in five different cities every month. Much time, Mr.Solemon is compelled to be inside aircrafts. His nights are in business hotels, and is limited to the life of a business man. He has matured through the last five years, into living an intense business life style.

You too may have met many people like Mr.Solemon. Young or middle aged, their focus is much on physical fitness, each muscle tones, workout and marathon. You will now see him as an expert in communication devices, handsets and full-on applications.

Haven’t you seen such young business men, operating almost all dimensions of their daily living from applications inside their handset? These people do not want anything for free. They are willing to pay for all services. But yet, they are expert in collecting coupons that can be redeemed for upgrades of hotel rooms and business class seats, in international airlines. They accumulate accrued points by using the Frequent Flyer membership cards.

Even calling for a bus, or booking a taxi service is done through a mobile phone application. Their eyes are mostly fixed on an interface in the screen of a computer monitor. These business travelers are oblivious to all other personal interaction. They may be very shy of sensitivity to human interaction. Many business travelers narrow their perception about social living to a small segment of boardrooms and banquet halls.

SOLO-MAN

How much longer can Mr.Solemon sustain the living of a Business traveler? He has no place to go, to learn about a way forward. Socially he has begun to convert into a “Solo-man”. He is almost looking lonely, at all times, indulgent with people, who are only of business interests.

Such people are evident with an attire of pin striped business suits and high end traveler kits. Gizmos are the only friends of Solo-man and Solo-women. Are they the new profile of people called “Business Travelers”?

Infrastructure developers and job creators are doing house hunting in electronic city, techno Park, smart city and other areas where there is access to digital world and digital people. The environment of Solo-men and Solo-women are in food courts, cycling tracks, shopping malls and multiplexes. So, how equipped are these solo-people to be able to re-integrate into the diverse social circles?

Pilgrimage travelers, Tourism, Journalists and reporter travelers, environment and cultural travelers seem to have different needs and requirements. But the unique views of business traveler must be studied by business hotels. They have created an aspirational business class. This is the evidence of success, of the solo-people.

Why not integrate, to the diversity of relationship and other social classes?Then, will the business class and business traveler lose out on some perks and comforts? Even the access to a business longue and executive conveniences are evidence of the ability of the solo people to create revenue and wealth.

But then, integration to other economic classes must be encouraged. This will enhance the possibility of more trade and opportunities. This opening up of a fortification around the elite business class, is a good learning to the business class travelers. The luxury of spa and massages, dinner by the pool side, executive lunch packs, and power workouts to acquire six pack abdomens can all be trophies for business lifestyle. But where is happiness?

SOUL FACTOR

The ambition to purchase the high rise apartment and the penthouse near the golf course may also be noble. But any award, reward or even trophies are validated, only if they are full of soul factor.

Mr.Solemon moved along to the club of Solo-men, and through the cartels of Solo-people. Now he has matured and looks forward to earthiness, real and even rustic. Is arrival at soulfulness, the aspirational solution?

Fortunately, the more we travel, the more we get the skills to social integration inside the travel system. Keep traveling and discover the soul inside this system. Then all is merged into the Soul people.The business traveller, need not stand alone.

Can the business traveller establish on diverse people sentiments? He can integrate to be part of the common social soul.
Vinod Kumar