How Loyal Are We?

Even a dog is loyal. Are you?

This commonly used statement confuses me. When we extend the logic used for dog to human beings many things come to my mind. "Are you loyal?" is an incomplete question. Loyal to what? When we say a dog is loyal we mean it's loyal to its master. But is it wise to expect a human being to be loyal to it's master? Answer is probably "Yes. Why not?"

In a recent conversation, my good friend who works with an MNC, projected a bright but untrue picture of his company. Many people present there had no option but to believe him. The next time I met my friend personally I asked about the veracity of the projection he had. As suspected that was a grossly exaggerated statement. But what was the need? What's the point in such distortion? My good friend believes making distorted positive statements about his employer reflects his loyalty- no matter how untrue the statement is.

Is it fine for a human being (even for a dog) to be loyal to his master knowing that the master lacks integrity, humanity and character. It will be difficult for a dog and many people to leave the master. It may not be possible to stand with truth, justice and humanity when your basic bread and butter is at stake. But what surprises me when well educated people pretend to be loyal to their employer despite knowing that the master doesn't deserve to be a master.

You must have seen many professionals who have loved to be loyal to their work, to their profession, to the society rather than being loyal to the employer. What's the point of being loyal to the employer? After all, you are contributing your work and being paid for that. You may not like to disclose any critical information of the employer or try to bring embarrassment to the employer but at the same time given a chance, you won't mind to reconsider working with a new employer if they value your work or talent better. And if you feel the employer is in a wrong path, or promotes a culture that is not conducive to your personal learning and growth you have every right to opt out. Does it mean disloyalty? May be not! A professionals definition of loyalty is different from the definition of loyalty applied for a dog.

Being loyal may not mean to nod your head with agreement every time. If there is an opposition for a good reason, if there is a disagreement with a valid logic it doesn't make you disloyal.

Then what about the educated people who change their own view just to align it with the view of their masters/employers? What about the people who take an U turn on their own statements to ensure that they don't differ from their boss? May be they are yet discovering how to define loyalty. May be for them loyalty is only saying "yes" without using brain.

How loyal are we depends on how we see the term loyalty, how we interpret it and at what level we are looking at it.