Outsourcing is when a company contracts with another company to provide services that might otherwise be performed by in-house employees. It is cost-effective and at many times is really a time-saver. Wikipedia says, almost any conceivable business practice can be outsourced for any number of reasons. A friend of mine casually suggests how about extending this practice outside the world of business. Why not make a contract with another person to do your chores? ...Brilliant, why not! But aren’t we doing that already? Aren’t we hiring household helps to perform our everyday tasks? Employing peons to run our errands? Keeping chauffeurs to drive our cars? As a matter of fact, we are so much used to these that we take this lifestyle for granted, especially in this part of the world. Outsourcing our daily duties are not only very common, they have become the second nature.
But what if we extend its periphery further? Outsource our studies? Make a deal with someone to go to school for us, take the exams, but earn the degrees in our name like Rancho in 3 Idiots? Outsource our work-outs? Pay someone to run on that trade-mill on our behalf while you put your feet on the ottoman and drink coffee? Or, bribe someone to go shopping with our wives for the entire day while you chill out with your buddies? Life would be so enjoyable if we could outsource everything unpleasant and boring! And, why not!
Is it possible to outsource our sorrows? Can we strike a deal with someone who can shed tears on our behalf? Interestingly yes, in rural India the professional lamenters (rudali) will come to your house and mourn for you, cry for your miseries! How about outsourcing child-birth? Surrogate mothers have been there for ages. Probably one of the earliest outsourcing we can think of is hiring wet-nurses who would breastfeed your baby when you cannot or do not want to do the same.
So outsourcing have been everywhere! From surrogate birth to sharing your tiffin with your schoolmate to do your homework, from back-office processing to your arrangement with the wedding-planner, from the nurse for taking care of you to the funeral home to make you look good after you die. Long live outsourcing!
But what if we extend its periphery further? Outsource our studies? Make a deal with someone to go to school for us, take the exams, but earn the degrees in our name like Rancho in 3 Idiots? Outsource our work-outs? Pay someone to run on that trade-mill on our behalf while you put your feet on the ottoman and drink coffee? Or, bribe someone to go shopping with our wives for the entire day while you chill out with your buddies? Life would be so enjoyable if we could outsource everything unpleasant and boring! And, why not!
Is it possible to outsource our sorrows? Can we strike a deal with someone who can shed tears on our behalf? Interestingly yes, in rural India the professional lamenters (rudali) will come to your house and mourn for you, cry for your miseries! How about outsourcing child-birth? Surrogate mothers have been there for ages. Probably one of the earliest outsourcing we can think of is hiring wet-nurses who would breastfeed your baby when you cannot or do not want to do the same.
So outsourcing have been everywhere! From surrogate birth to sharing your tiffin with your schoolmate to do your homework, from back-office processing to your arrangement with the wedding-planner, from the nurse for taking care of you to the funeral home to make you look good after you die. Long live outsourcing!
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Perfect
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