What is in a Smile? Developing and Generating Social Capital

 

I have been meaning to tell you this since you came here, Sir. You are a great guy. You treat people with respect and exude warmth to all. This attitude spreads positive energy around and it is just fantastic, ‘an employee at my office told me. This startling and I daresay embarrassing revelation got me thinking: What was I doing? What made people at my work place walk up to me and offer nice, straight from the heart, sweet compliments? I was doing nothing extraordinary; neither was I going out of my to do anything that would require effort and energy.

All I was doing was acknowledging people, smiling, being courteous and offering salutations and enquiring about my colleagues and , for want of a better word, subordinates’ well- being. I see people as people and do not judge and evaluate unless I have to and I have compelling reasons to do so. I also see that every human being has an innate sense of dignity and self-worth that craves validation and recognition. This is not rocket science; however it has taken me years to appreciate and understand this and I do my best to see people for whatthey are and do the obvious.

If this attitude and approach spreads positive energy, warmth and good will, then this is a salubrious one. It can be said that if we all just do what we can do and respect people and recognize their inherent dignity and self-worth, then this can generate what social scientists have called ‘social capital’. Social capital, has been defined by sociologists as, ‘ the expected collective and economic benefits derived from the preferential treatment and cooperation between individuals and groups. (This definition is a verbatim citation from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_capital. I apologize to my readers for not citing a more vigorous resource).

I am no sociologist or anthropologist but what I can say and cite with some authority(based on experience and observation) is that social capital and the attendant co-operation between individuals and groups can lead to happy, good and productive societies. This is no insight but a trite observation that however has tremendous social and economic value. A happy and content society is a more productive society and this has implications for both the society and the economy. The generation and crystallization of social capital can obviate gratuitous and unwarranted conflicts, friction and frisson.

While it goes against the assessment of the great philosopher, Thomas Hobbes, who posited that,’ men lived in a kind of a jungle and that life was nasty, short and brutish’, it corresponds to some extent the assessment and nature of the social contract devised by that great philosopher , John Locke. And it corresponds to the nature and content of society that isprescribed by the Quran and the Ahadith(sayings attributed to the Holy Prophet(SAW)). I have not heard of and read of any other religion that states the contrary. So both the philosophers and the Prophets are on the same page on this.

Why then is social capital which has the sanction and approval of philosophes and religions difficult to generate and maintain? According primacy to feelings and emotions like anger, jealousy, envy may account for this. If and when these emotions are accorded primacy, then the baser instincts of human nature come to the fore and overwhelm the nobler, sanguine ones.

The question then is how can social capital be generated and maintained? The answer is easy but difficult to put into practice. Generating it lies in the domain of being true to our nature and not let ourselves be seduced by negative emotions. Acknowledging a colleague or subordinate, speaking kindly to all- parents, the poor and the deprived, offering empathy and sympathy, and charity are some of the things that can lead to the generation of social capital. No extraordinary effort is required for this; just an emphasis on the ordinary and the prosaic is all that is needed.

Once the dynamic is begun, this leads to a network effect and good and positive energy spreads; just like its converse: negative energy. This ambience and environment needs to be complemented by institutions which are designed and devised to promote public good. This means a state that isdesigned to respect and maintain human dignity and self-worth.

In combination then, this can lead to a state and society that are aligned in terms of values and the good life. The results and consequences can only be salubrious and redound positively to all. So let us make an effort to smile, be kind and generous, respect and acknowledge the inherent dignity and self-worth of all. It can only be an unalloyed good for us and society at large.