Humans in an Assembly Line

I think most of us must be aware of the concept of the assembly line. Still, Let me give a little definition of it so we’re on the same page.

Assembly line - A process in which a series of steps are executed to complete a task in an exact manner repeatedly. The main features of an assembly line are:

• Execute the exact steps repeatedly at an exact time in the product manufacturing cycle
• Each time, create an exact product at the end of the cycle
• If you miss a step or delay a step of the process, the cycle is broken and the product is defective/rejected.

I recently realized that we, the human society, treat human beings as if we should be products of an assembly line. I would like to share this view point with you and hear your feedback.

Human beings in an assembly line? Sounds weird, but we all feel the societal pressure to live our lives as a defined series of steps. Society tells us we must:

• Have a high school diploma by a certain age
• Have a bachelor's degree by a certain age
• Have a job and spouse by a certain age
• Have a house by a certain age (even if it creates a heavy debt)
• Have kids by a certain age
• Have retirement planning started by a certain age
• Retire at a certain age (Play golf or go fishing!)
• Product cycle completion - Humans depart from this assembly line

Now, think about yourself or anyone you know. If you have followed the above assembly line with the society specified timelines, then society must be indirectly giving you a stamp of approval - Quality Control Approved! But, if you do not follow the above assembly line or have missed/delayed a step, you might feel, sometimes, something is not right. That feeling is the societal pressure attempting to make you feel guilty for choosing a non-traditional route.

The reality is, there is nothing wrong with you or your chosen path. We are not, and should not be, non-living products of a societal machine; we are living breathing human beings, and we should plan our lives based on our individual circumstances, needs, and desires. If everyone followed the exact assembly line, we all would be exact replicas of each other, just like the assembly line products produced in factories.

My point here is, as human beings, when we alter this human assembly line, we are not creating defects. Rather, we are creating a diverse set of human beings capable of diverse qualities, which fulfills the different niches of society. Our diversity makes us complete as it produces skills for diverse needs required for the growth and success of mankind.

If every human was a writer, we would have had only books on Earth. If every human was a scientist, we would have been deprived of art and music. Each field requires specialized capabilities, which are acquired by different life style choices.

We, as human beings, cannot be part of an assembly line. Be proud of your choices and embrace them as part of your individual life cycle. Please, do not compare your life with others. Your life is different because you are different from others. The skills and capabilities you carry and offer to this world, knowingly or unknowingly, are unique because of your life cycle.

So, next time, if you ever feel gloomy about why your life milestones are not aligned with someone you know, think about this assembly line and tell yourself - "No, I am not a non-living factory product, and it is fine to be different from other human beings."

Enjoy your life to the fullest with what you have accomplished, because you do not know how many are looking at you and thinking, I wish I could have that kind of life.

 In a similar fashion, in your professional life, be what you enjoy. If you like finance, be a financial analyst. If you like coding, be an awesome developer. If you like managing people, be a skilled manager. Just as there is no single assembly line that we need to follow in our personal lives, we do not need to ascend the corporate ladder in a defined way to call ourselves successful. For example, I have met many skilled developers who think they are not successful because they do not have a manager title yet. However, it is not the title, but rather your goals that are important. The thought of seeking a title for the sake of the title alone is an assembly line mentality. We are told which title should come next in the professional assembly line, and we seek it regardless of the fact that the title brings with it a fundamentally different job.

I hope this article is of some help to some people to understand the concept of assembly line trap, and I hope it gives you the strength to step off the assembly line and accept your unique path

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed are solely my own and do not express the views or opinions of my employer.