Imagine if we were all bankers…

Sometimes I wonder if it really isn’t such a good strategy to attract so many young, ambitious, talented, able-to-see-in-multiple-perspectives, progressive people into development work.

Development is a big industry. It’s an important industry, in my opinion. It is still an industry, with mechanical inputs, and not so predictable outputs. Yet, the problems we try to fight are so vast and complicated, that I’m not sure being an industry would actually make much of a difference.

This thought came about when I was discussing with a friend (I seem to do that a lot these days; love it) about how I always seem to meet the most amazing people in Dar. The most ambitious and good-hearted people I know, are from when I travel or work abroad, usually in developing countries (aside: how I hate that word). I meet people like that back home(s) too, but then I usually meet those people abroad again at one point or another. It’s a big part of the reason why I really enjoy living in Dar and visiting Kampala. Getting to know people who aren’t afraid to go into intense discussions (1). People who spend their off-work hours thinking about work-related issues. People who read ‘heavy’ world-issues type books for leisure. Because I’m this kind of person, I feel at home when surrounded by such types. Yes, we do get cynical. We do get frustrated and give up sometimes. But many of us still stay and keep crashing our heads against the wall, in hopes that we’ll at least leave a crack.

At the same time, maybe it would be a bigger impact if all these amazing people could just ‘infiltrate’ all different kinds of industries, instead of concentrating in one. Preaching to the choir. Singing the same old songs to the same old people who already know all of the words by heart. Imagine if only 5% of the stereotypical banker population were people who are now in development. Would it make a difference? Or more importantly, would it make a bigger difference?

I don’t know. Although I know for sure if you told me to enter a normal banking career path right now, I might just cut off all contact and hide in a cave on a mountain. I’m not that brave. A coward.

1. Yes, afraid. I think most people don’t think too critically because they are afraid of judgment and of the world falling apart (it’s called deconstruction ;). Personal opinion though.