Trees face extinction

 

At the COP16 Biodiversity summit in Cali, Columbia, IUCN released first ever Global Tree Assessment report. It presents shocking state of world trees. 38% of the world's trees are now threatened with extinction. Tree species are at risk of extinction in 192 countries around the world. Trees now account for over one quarter of species on the IUCN Red List, and the number of threatened trees is more than double the number of all threatened birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians combined. Human being has wiped out 60% of mammals, birds, fish and reptiles since 1970. Insect population has decreased by 75%. Freshwater habitat are the worst hit with population collapse of 85% (from 1970-2014 WWF report, and yes last ten years must have made it worse). So even if the destruction were to be paused today it will take atleast 5 to 7 million years for the natural world to recover. The recovery period is increasingly alarmingly moving to tipping point of no return.  

Trees are defining component of many ecosystems, and are fundamental to life on Earth through their role in carbon, water and nutrient cycles, soil formation and climate regulation. They provide habitat for many species as also livelihood to people. Trees cool the surrounding and provide shade, as also contribute to identity and aesthetics of the place. Trees are part of myth, folklore and stories, and are soul satisfying presence. Many species of plants and trees are saved by “kavu” -sacred groves in the forest or dense vegetation mostly inhabited by snakes, quite common in Kerala and Coorg (Karnataka). These are preserved for thousands of years and traces to proto religion that respected nature (possibly for fear of unknown forces that dense dark forest represented). There are no deity but some rocks or shape of cobra's hood. You light a lamp and do a silent pray, and leave everything as it is. As basic and as profound. Ofcourse in recent times religion has claimed these spaces and vandalized with structures and noise, but the sacredness remains and is therefore protected. These spaces are now refuge for rare species of plants and trees, and possibly microorganisms that will have much significance in future.

Clearing forest for farming and agriculture are the biggest threat to trees apart from logging, as also pests and diseases that is set to rise with increase in temperature. Increasing number of forest fires have significantly impacted the species biomass. Recent study points to possible extinction of legume tree, Vachellia bolei, along the TamilNadu coast mainly due to sand mining and conversion for cultivation. Human population and increasing consumption is the common factor in all the problems we face. Yet devious people are worried about falling fertility rate in some regions (as society evolves and increase in sophistication population will decrease, it is now for the technology to compensate as also increase comfort with more efficiency and less consumption of resources). Dark empaths working on neoliberal needs and primitive parameters of religion perform worry for falling human population and sniff out these as ‘news’. These opportunists shouldn’t be allowed to control narration. There cannot be any incentive for increasing human fertility.

*According to the report magnolias are most threatened tree species. Sampige (Magnolia Champaca) is a special tree, I used to carry those light-yellow tepals (tepals are fused petals and sepals -fun fact here is magnolias evolved before bees and depend on beetles for pollination hence these sturdier tepals) in my pocket -such agreeable light fragrance. Sampige road in Bangalore is now crowded and noisy hell but in mid-2000s was much quieter and a lovely place to walk.     

The rise of dark empaths

 

There is consolidation of extreme forces in democratic societies across the world favoring authoritarian leaders. Rising insecurity and disconnect in globalized world and lack of worth in increasingly transactional nature of society could be factors. What is not given much attention is the sinister rise of dark empaths and how they systematically degraded institutions. The reason why there is no caution against dark empaths is because they are quite comfortable in neoliberal value system hence have occupied crucial positions and narration controls. They define success hence the characteristic of dark empaths is positioned as desirable. Dark empaths moved in into the mainstream in mid-1990s as the neoliberal world went about globalizing. Consumerism defined every aspect of deal from news to entertainment to education to even human relations and emotions. If it has market value then it is useful, everything else can be dumped or strive to find monetization potential. Unthinking youngsters trapped in the system earnestly go about working out career in jobs that seeks monetization possibility from anything anywhere. The neoliberal claws are ready and constantly sharpened to grasp any possibility of monetization even in bleakest of situation. In this extractive system technology adds to the efficiency of exploit and effectiveness of control.             

Empathy is important and a valued attribute that defines human being. To be attuned to other’s emotions and care for their feelings is even exhibited by most toddlers before they even learn to speak. Empathy makes us social beings and for a considerate and caring society -evidence shows that the extinct humans Neanderthals also exhibited empathy and cared for their sick. Dark empaths however use empathy to manipulate for gains, named after a 2021 study, it is characterized by dark traits combined with empathy. Dark empaths use cognitive empathy, so they cognitively recognize how something might make you feel, and use that knowledge to manipulate you. Cognitive empathy is logically understanding other’s feeling and needs. It is different from emotional empathy wherein the person feels the worry and pain as if they are jointly experiencing hence cannot keep detached, there is a genuine remorse. There is another much deeper empathy referred to as compassionate empathy -a strong desire to help others and will go out of the way to make other’s feel better. I have come across compassionate empathy they are rare gem of a people who really shouldn’t be existing in this cruel world. Long time back as a witness to an accident on Pusa Road, and here I was emotionally empathizing and distressed, this girl went out of the way to help the man, she poured water and used bare hands to carefully wipe his face to reduce pain (it’s a nasty world, and sincerely hope she is in better surrounding with her world intact, such people don’t last long). I also have come across nurses with zero empathy who probably wouldn’t mind pulling the plug. Some 16years back I wrote about psychopaths in media who filmed a dying man, you may visit https://depalan.blogspot.com/2008/06/how-to-put-value-on-human-life.html. 

Dark empaths use cognitive empathy to understand how you are feeling and make it seem that they care but are manipulating for personal gains. They keep an emotional distance while performing empathy (in a cognitive way) this help to keep sharp focus on their sinister intent and control. They carry dark traits -maladaptive personality constructs (in mainstream these are commonly referred to as the 'Dark Triad', of Machiavellianism, psychopathy and narcissism, I recall discussing these few years back while discussing the book Corruptible -Who Gets Power And How It Changes Us by Brian Klaas). Dark empaths overlap is more towards narcissism, a sense of entitlement, grandiosity and self-importance, but unlike narcist dark empath -as they are aware of empathy, carry self judgement capacity not as a remorse but to improve. They also carry some attributes of Machiavellian and psychopaths, the callous superficial charm. Through their cognitive empathy dark empaths know what others want to see and so can don a mask of kindness and caring. This is precisely what neoliberal vandalism of last few decades have nurtured as they exploited people and nature: a competitive space for angst. So, carefully working the system they positioned as caring and concerned for people. With the spread of neoliberal there is competition for angst capital by NGOs (granting that some are doing tremendous work at grassroot level but most are posturers). These dark empaths work around the power centers and are active in debates and issues that presents to showcase empathy. They carefully observe the powerful (who themselves are in varying dark triad, thanks to extractive system that nurture these) and position to what is appreciated. With charm and guile they present themselves as benign concerned souls, mostly mediocres they compensate through manipulating and exaggerating their worth. Empathy being the lynchpin to work their ruse. So you have stampede of lawyers, journalists, actors…so on working overtime to showcase their empathy through activism. Carefully orchestrating to the needs of plum positions, awards and other goodies. Dark empaths degrade institutions, and are active agents of nepotism and crony capitalism. They exaggerate crucial issues in their zest for empathy to ridiculous and hence the backlash that further degrades. Woke is the work of dark empaths. Every issue from migration to LGBTQ to minorities are spoiled and made meaningless and divisive. Narcissist overlap creates high sense of entitlement and grandiose that brush genuine concerns of common people or even common sense. An empathetic person will be concerned and will know the limit beyond which it hurts. But for dark empaths there are no such concerns, there are no limits. Empathy keeps flowing as much as opportunities widens, and as the backlash creates divisions and vitiate the matter they charmingly position as benign empathy driven arbitrators and representors of morals. Henceforth there are only opportunities, and their aggressive pursuit among competing dark empaths that the extractive system keeps nurturing as stories of success. They have contempt for people (justified since most are herd and unthinking mass that are easily charmed) and instead of addressing issues or even attempting to retrieve humanity from herd they actively go about complicating the issue, using jargons of human rights they take highest moral ground to taunt common people for their lack. Their self assuredness solidifies with increasing insecurities of common people. Instead of simplifying they complicate in the egos of issues without any attempt to nuance the complexity. The mystification is for the ease of manipulation. The arrogant complacency of the system and condescending attitude results in charlatans providing simplistic version to stupefy populace.

The rise of attention seeking economy have only empowered dark empaths as they spread wide and across. The woke backlash consolidated them as defender of higher values that has diminishing takers. Meanwhile common people across the world pay a heavy price as democratic institutions takes beating and so the critical issues of climate breakdown and biodiversity loss. Dark empaths for their nefarious gain have significantly contributed to rise of authoritarianism and diminishing crucial issues and polarization of society. I was reading Han Kang’s Human Act -strongly recommended book, these few lines are pertinent “…we’d all performed the miracle of stepping outside the shell of our own selves, one person’s tender skin coming into grazed contact with another, felt as though they were rethreading the sinews of that world heart, patching up the fissures from which blood had flowed, making it beat again. That was what captured me, what has stayed with me ever since…”. Other is not imagined. Other is lived. Lived in experiences that binds to profound realization of humanity.      

**the pic herein is of common place black empath in India. 

The attention seekers before attention seeking was an economy! The pic is morphed since it is not about any particular person, it is a snapshot of grandiose of dark empaths. Imagine the utter lack to post this. Essentially mediocre they claw their way up with nepotistic connection and very high sense of entitlement (matching the castetva cannibals and positioning to fight hindutva). Few decades back I observed these regrets carefully before being appalled and shutting them out. Most dark empaths are slick, and they wouldn’t make such mistakes. It is exaggerated self-worth and itch to exhibit blessedness as fate to teeming population placed in crude society is what makes this noteworthy unhinge. Same as another unhinged dark empath creep conjuring ‘slum cake’ in an hedonist exhibition of wanton impunity from reality.        

The ber tree*

The lone tree in the crowded street

Has withdrawn to itself

Covered in vehicle soot and dust

Tied for banner, drilled for adverts

It doesn’t wave to anyone nor acknowledges the plastic chewing cow

Leaves drooped in the weight of everyday chaos

It doesn’t shimmer in rain nor unfurl in the bright sun

Like a mirage in desolate desert

It stands neglected in the streaming crowd

Inhaling softly all day long

(the carbon and pollutants)

And exhale all of it into the night

Quietly ascend the stars

To work the magic of glossy mushy drupe

That delight the children on the way back from school

A gentle deference to everyday lived

So that no creature is devoid of divine quest 

*Indian jujube tree

Listen to her

 

Mia Mottley, the PM of Barbados, is the person who presents glimmer of hope in an exceedingly bleak world as it cruises towards the titanic iceberg of climate flip and breakdown. We know we are heading for a head on, and the distance reduces at an alarming rate as we keep assuring that it is still too far. Atleast the passengers on the Titanic didn’t have to go through this agony of imminent disaster. Ms. Mottley is an urgent and extremely articulate representor of vulnerable small nation on the brink of the onslaught of climate breakdown. She is therefore relentless and quite clearly passionately committed to seek solutions and unite for global action. Her views therefore carry earnestness of practical solutions hence gets to the crux of the matter without any pretensions. 

Climate finance is a matter that needs urgent attention to immediately initiate mitigative and adaptive measures. Her call for innovative source of finance, as also suggestions like making business class flying expensive, tax on stock and bond trade, $5 per ton tax on fossil fuel emission so on are doable. Something modelling Tobin Tax is the need not only as a climate finance but also reduce debilitating speculative trade. This is also the occasion for innovative reparative justice (must be noted that Barbados recently removed colonial feudal british system and declared itself a republic, asserting dignity is beginning of nation building, shunning extractive systems that nurture regressive mindset is foundation of a just society). Historical pollution is an important space for framing justice, therefore the obligation for sustainable technology transfer to poorer and vulnerable societies.                

 

 

I carry words

I light the fire to heat the word

Pound and chisel to get the shape

Squint to check the dimensions

Does it fit the image or align emotions

Not my concern

Every night I sneak into the darkness

Through the crack in the wall

I pass it to anguished poets of banished world

To scour sediment of neglect

To witness the whimsical in multitude

And save myself as everyone     

     

Media is dead

  

Importance of liberal democracy is not understood since nobody is bothered. Everyone is selfish and playacting concern to consolidate power. Social media has empowered people no doubt but also to fully act on their own selfish opportunist ways that they observe and emulate from powerful people as they amass riches with least effort. Collective news source no longer exists. People are living in alternate realities. Media is dead (to paraphrase Nietzsche). Whatever media may say they no longer hold the narration of collective. Ofcourse, most do source check the facts but their narrative are agenda driven and controlled by extremely rich people seeking more influence. Their focus and prioritization are biased to their ideology and profit from sponsors. Legacy media worked to extend the status quo and balance the regressive. To assert that they stand for truth is spacious. The reason why people desperately look for alternate source of news is because they don’t trust, or else they choose the easy ways of daily sedation by dumbed down infotainment of least responsibility.

We therefore live in post-media world. When collective is no longer source for information it creates its own problems. It is responsibility of the state and tech platform to authenticate facts, create systems to red flag and tag misinformation and disinformation. There is explosion of variety of opinions, that is not controlled and disseminated by elite and narrow interests. With access to authentic facts, it is for individual to choose what to read and frame his or her thoughts on. Value education, compassion and aesthetic sensibilities will create the framework for better. Therefore, in this post media world the state has a huge responsibility to invest in quality education and critical thinking. It must invest collective activities for young, active involvement in nature like kitchen gardening, butterfly parks, maintaining trees, bird watching so on. Best of education is rooted to uniqueness of each life and biodiversity in which they nurture. Such connectedness nurture understanding and therefore compassion for other life. This is investment for better future. Social institutions that actively value and strengthen framework of empathy and compassion. Creative people who extend creative sensibilities of society. Technology has increased speed of access to the world and rapidly multiplied possibilities of senses but that shouldn’t be the reason to hasten pace of life. There is a need to slow down. Our experience of life needs slower introspective involvement to bring in the best possibilities. State is dutybound to create framework for people to find their uniqueness and connect to surrounding. It should no longer be an individual pursuit, long delayed. State must invest in public areas where people are actively discouraged from using smart devices. Spaces for people to sit around for as long as they want, parks and garden with biodiversity, unique attributes of the habitat and value the ordinary. Quieter ‘boring’ places needs to be part of life’s experience that is being actively sought to be negated. Too much excitement over inane is not adding to anything but people on dopamine rush with low attention. It is a mix that surely cannot produce anything worthy. There is an urgent need for new narration to redefine what we value.

Cycle lanes and footpaths actively slow down pace of life while being sustainable and healthy. Work space can encourage a day without technology every month or so. Areas to spent leisure time without much activity or purpose must be encouraged. More information and awareness need space for cooling the mind, ability to evaluate and understand, space to think. Slowing down makes delicate nuances and astonishing complexities accessible. Connecting to world fast is exciting but shouldn’t decide conduct of life and how we experience. Neoliberal value system has created this framework of fast technology equated to fast pace of life so as to work their ‘development’ model which is based on fast consumption defined as ‘growth’ on juvenile assumption of unending resources and no consequences. Apart from environment impact and individual wellbeing what is not discussed is how it is working to define collective sensibilities and connection to surrounding. People are increasingly getting alienated through technology, further isolated from surroundings through in social media, they create alternate world through virtual associations that is not able to distinguish fantastical from real hence easily fall prey to all kinds of fake narrations. A strong foundation of quality education, compassion and refined sensibilities is a barrier from the pull of rot of hate groups, extremist views, supremacist chauvinistic ideas and exceptionalism, conspiracy theories and all the worst possibilities. Since they are not able to find alternate to neoliberal capitalism nor refine and reevaluate the premise of development and growth it is for people to insist on slow down spaces so as to retrieve their being. We are not cog in neoliberal greed nor does job define our value or need to occupy ourselves from fear of our worst selves.                    

 

Wokeism and profound disconnect

 

I value words therefore with deep sense of anguish I use this word: woke. I refused to give in as the word was being appropriated and vandalized. Woke is a beautiful word that traces to 1930s black American call for staying politically and culturally awake “stay woke, keep eyes open”. Essentially it means to be alert to racial or social discrimination and injustice, along with being aware of what's going on. It was widely used during BlackLifeMatter movement and quickly broaden to include other issues, seeping into frivolous posturers hence lost intend, very soon the backlash saw it being used as sarcasm for ‘performative activism’ and mocked as ‘overrighteous liberalism’. Now the word is used as a sort of abuse in social media. ‘Woke culture’ ‘woke mind virus’ is free for all space for all kinds of slur. It is a study on valued word being reduced to insult. So I too will go along with it since it appropriately abstracts the contemporary context that is becoming too common. We are therefore living in woke world where everyone is performing for attention, righteousness has clientele in West and fits in narration of angst. Western angst is a feeling that arise when you know you are compromised and want to cover it up with overindulgence of righteousness that is essentially at the expense of others. This angst is carefully packed to showcase themselves as benign arbitrators, the civilized presence. It doesn’t ask for systems change nor critical scrutiny since it will negate their significance and expose their complicity. Woke is fake indulgence that severely degrades society. Woke’s performative activism takes matter to extreme to show its hold over common people as also a challenge to its competitors in the game of righteousness. It also cleverly morphs their role in systems that perpetuates the same. Historical injustices must be studied and understood to the context of time, and when you understand you realize that there are systems which controls and nurture individual actions essentially to perpetuate the system. A primitive society nurture such institutions and unevolved humans in different stages of barbarity will thoughtlessly indulge in these atrocities. Hence, it’s important to remove systems that nurtures injustices and discriminations. Systems that undermine democratic ideals, equality and liberty. Performative activism is carefully orchestrated to avoid questioning the system. Wokeism is here and now without any complexities or difficult questions.    

Horrors of slavery and untold trauma committed on blacks as they were dislocated from Africa and transported to Europe and US has no parallels in history. Hence no one should attempt to play surrogates for blacks. It must be understood clearly that racism against blacks is not same as racism against Asians or anyone else, it is also woke travesty to conflate racism with religion. Which also means any institution and system that nurture racism against blacks have no place in contemporary world and must be dismantled. Any racism against black must be dealt severely with all the understanding and significance of historical injustice. Which also means the humans living now are not to be treated as extension of past instead every attempt be made to remove any injustice in the present. Dismantling systems that continue injustice of past must be priority with quality education and nutritional security for children. Woke performative justice creates dissension and is meant to keep the infighting going for benefits. They rarely question anything that doesn’t benefit them. Clearly, performance is orchestrated for benefits. They uniquely lack compassion (except as posturing in front of audience) and are mostly obnoxious people with serious attention seeking needs. They cunningly use people to score points among their ilk. They stampede for power, awards, extract benefits from those whom they are purportedly fighting, they grab as they playact their woke concerns that is increasingly disjointed from realities of people they are vying to save. Comfortably placed, and rarely affected by vicissitudes of life that engulf most people, they actively vitiate the situation to gain attention as savior. They are clever status quoist conniving to replace and not change anything. Their beliefs are tailored to the need, a ruse to exact price for effort and a tool to compete for status. Hence the effort is always symbolic, lacking any motivation to improve the system, positioning themselves as actively involved representation. Their self-obsession is matched by stampede for self-aggrandizing relevance that will keep attention on them. The one on the left side of wokeism seek puritanical idealism that is further disjointed from common people, and is meant for scoring high moral grounds and intellectual bearing. They manipulate egalitarian intents and democratic institutions to their specific needs and narrow interests, not surprisingly against the interest of people whom they seek to represent. Beleaguered people also face backlash that is directed against woke making situation worst for them.  

Minority rights matters in a democratic society, but to reduce diversity into extremism of narrow religious identity, and to fixate humans into this primitive conception, is woke. Also, not to question transgression of religion into democracy is woke. Not to question how it segregates and dehumanizes gender (and race in US) is woke. To tolerate intolerance is not liberal, nor democratic. Issue of migrants is having serious ramification all across Europe and consolidating rightist response. Migrants are important contributors in any society but migrants don’t have divine right to enter any nation-state. Illegal migrants are a threat anywhere in the world. The state in its wisdom and compassion will take its call understanding the consequences and impact on its society, importantly citizenship to migrant has to go through stringent process. Invoking history doesn’t help, nobody is interested. Speak the contemporary reality. Even recent migrants to US (now citizens) don’t want new immigrants to the country and seek stricter control of migrants. They voted for Trump. This is what happens when elitism loose contact with reality of common people. They will vote for any plain-speaking charlatan to protect what they estimate as threat to their livelihood and security. 

LGBTQ rights are important, they are vulnerable minority who are prosecuted in most part of the world. Compassion to their plight is what defines humane society and to institutionalize their rights is democratic. But this cannot be taken to extreme. They cannot start asserting (“identifying with”) all kinds of nonsense and create nuisance in public space. Nor can it be allowed to diminish and override women’s right. Individual right is valued and must be protected but not over others. Woke is arrogant estimation of one’s special place in people life and complacency of this self-assuredness. A compassionate leader would easily understand the problem common people perceive and actively involve to assuage. If Trump speaks of children coming back from school with gender change it is not about facts but putting the centrality of issue into people’s daily discourse. Whether you criticize or not you end up discussing it, and once you discuss you bring in your bias. So even though it has nothing to do with you or your reality you have fallen for the divisive agenda. Woke inflated for righteous indulgence and presented to charlatans to play savior. It is easy choice for common people. A logical compassionate leader would have clearly asserted that children cannot decide hence there will be law for no sex change until they are adult nor any violations on their body until they reach age of consent. Period. Since woke values did not allow this, charlatans worked overtime to exploit this minor matter into major threat posed to idea of family and really worked into common people's fear. If Trump talked nonsense about Haitian immigrants eating pets. It is not about pets. It is about migrants. It is a devious strategy to trigger and inflate the issue in people’s mind. Fantastical the claims the better. And if it has even a sliver of experience to their life or what they have understood from media as a threat they will latch on. It is not difficult to present pattern of migrant violence in Europe, it may be biased or minor incidents in spiraling violence but that inconsequential sliver of truth creates a narration and is inflated into their reality and conflated to their problem. Issues related to transgender is too insignificant matter but they are exaggerated with general threat to way of life.  They didn’t vote for stuttering old wind bag, they voted for a man who took vulgar potshot against insular elites. He himself is the rich elite was lost since woke was worked to represent elitist threat.

Views must be engaged and responded with skills of argumentation and critical thinking faculties and not cancelled if it doesn’t fit in one's narration. Nor should it be classified into silos of binary and dismissed. Those in public space as leaders and opinion influencers have arduous task and immense responsibility. Not to fall into cliché and actively pursue to create narration that address challenges of contemporary world. Unfortunately, very few people understand gravity of Nazi association and horror, they have no time nor caliber to contemplate on history. They go by easy narrations that synch with their world and challenges they face or made to perceive -we live in world of perception primed by neoliberal system. If responsible compassionate people don’t get actively involved in deciphering complexities into simple terms for common people, then opportunist charlatans will provide the simplistic versions to occupy the mind and vandalize. One shouldn’t undermine the misogynistic framework that is nurtured by patriarchal values of religion. That ‘cheap grace’ estimate women as second grade citizen who cannot even have control over their body is easily extended to resistance to women in leadership position. Kamala Harris was way better than Trump on every parameter but she lost has also to do with toxic masculinity fostered by religion in its sickening patriarchal moral euphemisms that comes alive in modern institutions and crucial discourse. Even a man of the stature of Pope -a moral authority for millions of followers, couldn’t locate the evil in simplest of binary choice is indicative of predicament of common people.   

The horror

     USA is diminished and has become a burden on humanity. Our mistake we took them seriously and placed high expectation (they though presents an interesting study on complacency and arrogance). It will be difficult to contain the splatter (the disgust as the world will have to again tolerate this obnoxious narcist for next 4years, and if he dies in office the next one). World has become significantly unpredictable in such a crucial juncture. US has failed, failed very badly. Looking back I think defeat of Al Gore (who had the potential to be one of the greatest American president ever) -that was orchestrated by the system, was the turning point. They didn't find the need to rectify the flaw. It is steep downhill from here. Brace yourself. Feels like passengers on Titanic as it hit the iceberg, they couldn't believe what they thought as invincible is drowning. Imagine the consternation, and then the utter horror. 

 Violent souls, but only
 As the hollow men
 The stuffed men. (TS Eliot)

SUV's kill

 

Strongly support activists in Scotland who are targeting SUVs in solidarity for deaths in catastrophic floods in Spain (Valencia) that has killed hundreds. In the online post they write: 

"..If SUVs were a country they’d be the fifth biggest world polluter. There were over 360m SUVs on world roads in 2023, producing 1bn tonnes of CO2, up 10% on 2022. As a result, global oil consumption rose by 600,000 barrels/day, more than a quarter of total oil demand growth".

Unless policy makers reflect fast changing reality of the world and rein in the criminally irresponsible these kinds of reactions will increase in future. Those travelling in SUVs could even be lynched as people target their frustrations due to lack of actions while climate catastrophe devastate their world. People in richer and advanced countries must take action and provide leadership since they are better placed to organize. Poorer and less advanced countries are trapped in 'GDP growth' as defined by West, the elite is too corrupt and compromised hence they will work the status quo of easy benefits. While rich countries in other parts of the world sustain fossil fuel and are theocratic primitives where common people have no say and lack quality education and evolved social values. Also, much of democracies in the world are defined by 'middle class' who are tutored to aspire for the neoliberal dreams and are bombarded with 'success' stories that sustain the system. They are too insecure and enmeshed in the system to take initiatives meanwhile they also aren't bothered about the marginalized facing the brunt of climate collapse. It is therefore for the common people in West to revolt and show us the way.   

#USElection2024

 
It is unfortunate but the worst aspect of religion has become a significant rallying point in US elections. Church and religious leaders must intervene to elevate its morals to the needs of the time. However flawed Democrats maybe, it is important that they win. There is too much at stake. Church failed with its 'cheap grace' (Bonhoeffer) during 1930s and 40s leading to horror and immense hardship for common people. Church and religious leaders must stand up and raise their voice of sanity so that the undecided voters are influenced in these last few hours of a crucial election that will have significant ramification across the globe. Importantly, Pope Francis need to side with Democrats against the evil. He will be equally responsible for unfolding horror... 

Spell of stupidity

 

Against stupidity we have no defense. Neither protests nor force can touch it. Reasoning is of no use. Facts that contradict personal prejudices can simply be disbelieved — indeed, the fool can counter by criticizing them, and if they are undeniable, they can just be pushed aside as trivial exceptions. So the fool, as distinct from the scoundrel, is completely self-satisfied. In fact, they can easily become dangerous, as it does not take much to make them aggressive. For that reason, greater caution is called for than with a malicious one. Never again will we try to persuade the stupid person with reasons, for it is senseless and dangerous.

In conversation with [the foolish person], one virtually feels that one is dealing not at all with a person, but with slogans, catchwords and the like that have taken possession of him. He is under a spell, blinded, misused, and abused in his very being. Having thus become a mindless tool, the stupid person will also be capable of any evil and at the same time incapable of seeing that it is evil.

These were incisive lines written by Deitrich Bonhoeffer, a German pastor, from prison before he was executed by Nazis. His views on nature of stupidity matters not only as an insight to the world he lived in but also the spreading sickness that is incapable to evolve to the immense possibilities of contemporary. Bonhoeffer lost his life because of stupidity that encouraged worst in humans. Millions of people were massacred for fantastical ideas so stupid that you would laugh if not for immense tragedy. A situation so implausible that one would’ve dismissed it as impossible in what was essentially an advanced society. Banality of evil was made common place by sadist stupidity that found large audience hence more power. A shifting ground that keeps everyone entertained before you realize it has started to engulf all that is valued. Unlike Cipolla (also elaborated on stupidity from limited economist frame of opportunities of gain and loss) who defines stupid person as “causes problems for others without any clear benefit for himself”. This ‘clear benefit for himself’ is root problem of modern times. We have well passed narrow lanes of neoliberal anchored staid management theories; indeed, attention economy of stupidity is thriving and hugely beneficial if you touch the lowest base of short attention. Bonhoeffer’s insight therefore matters significantly in the perilous times where stupidity is not only monetized for personalized attention but is having significant impact on democracy. Social media is increasingly pushing large number of populations all across the world into complacency, and ironically, disconnect. It is consolidating stupidest and vilest through conspiracy theories and utter nonsense to work dopamine outrage. Best possibilities of latest technologies are getting muted for nasty, it is tapping on worst of human emotions and insecurities as stupidity gets consolidated and used by the manipulators.

Bonhoeffer argues that people are not born stupid nor has it to do with intelligence -intelligent people can be stupid, there were many scientists who supported Nazi (even incisive philosopher, Heidegger), we also have many examples from contemporary world. Bonhoeffer see stupidity as moral defect and not intellectual -not surprising from a pastor, and that stupid person can only be liberated, not argued or reasoned. No doubt Bonhoeffer is insightful but as a theologian placed in limited frame of religion he is quite expectedly limited in his solution. This is not to belittle Bonhoeffer, he steadfastly stood for decency, civility, and kindness, and was fervently against narrow mindedness and oppression in trying times. The attempt here is to understand the issue. Idea of liberation is limited in christian theology and really cannot be universalized nor does it resonate to the realities of contemporary world. I am reminded of Elias Canetti’s understanding of crowd. A person finds liberation in crowd can be extended to liberation in collective stupidity, it binds them and gives self-worth of shared by being part of the crowd. It doesn’t matter how spacious or fantastical the claim is as long as it binds them into unrelenting unit. Indeed, religion is also such a construct. Bonhoeffer was earnest and deeply conscientious during the period under Nazi when even religious heads were looking for easy options so as to not antagonize the powerful and peril their position and life. He passionately criticized inaction of church and accused it as a site for ‘cheap grace’ – “it is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner. Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son”. Though he sincerely dealt the situation it cannot be denied that he protested within the fantastical illusion that is religion -that has only increased problems in contemporary world as an active breeding ground for variety of stupid claims. It is also not at all surprising that the movie on him Bonhoeffer is being appropriated by far right christian conservatives in USA (for this very reason the release is postponed). They are calling, defining time of historic US election, as resistance against evil state and appropriating his legacy into christian nationalism. The movie is unabashedly faith-based story -a preacher spreading the word of god, and promo of Bonhoeffer carrying gun (overplaying the role of assassin) to engage in violence to “battle against tyranny” with lines like “my country was invaded from within” wherein Bonhoeffer was much nuanced representation of religion, ‘a voice of love, grace, justice and courage’.  These are the perils of limited frame of engagement of crucial issue. Collective stupidity of religion -simplistic version of life, is seen as liberation from responsibility of complex reality and existential challenges. We have well passed this anachronistic frame, and as religion loses significance the theological construct of moral shifts to humanism arbitrated ethics. Stupidity therefore is not a moral lack but a significant ethical lack with serious social consequence. Neoliberal capitalism is another of collective stupidity that fails to see its consequences nor able to critically scrutinize itself. Stupidity is afterall lack of common sense.  

We all act stupid at some point in our life, we do carry that aspect of stupidity in varying degree and try to improve through self-evaluation and exposure to better understanding. Life as existential absurdity does see stupidity as respite. It is the basis of wit and essential aspect of survival. Most stupidity are childish and purpose to liberate from stress, essentially harmless, unless one is conned, breaks law, or importantly, finds deviant collective to consolidate as normal and not a defect. Stupidity could also be a channel for latent violence against complacent systems that nurture status quo and opportunist beneficiaries. There is a space for stupidity of ‘flat earth society’ but it is a problem if presented as a normal choice. They must be ridiculed as much as religion should be (and this I keep repeating, religion cannot be taken seriously in contemporary reckoning for solutions, it is a problem, more it is authenticated more you inflate the problem. Religious morals have serious alignment issue with humanistic ethics. The attempt to make it as defining identity is sinister, nor is it adding to diversity). Stupidity is not a choice but an ethical flaw. 

Clips of stupid acts are fun to watch. It becomes a problem when we are cunningly addicted to monetize and we slowly lose the ability to critically engage. We are being made stupid by constantly watching stupid. Our threshold of tolerating stupidity is reduced so that we start to slowly entertain fantastical notions. Our scaffolds of critically thinking are continually eroded as we fall prey to short attention dopamine crave. It is feeding our worst emotions (social media must have caution similar to what they have on cigarette cover. Like for instance: this is a 5min video of cat eating food or a 3min video of two people fighting on street, an essential summary with duration so that it puts context as also value of time. Or else regular warning of time elapsed. It gives people option to choose rather than being led by bigtech. A short summary is like a list of ingredients on a packet. It must be made mandatory so that people are cautious before being pulled to watch). These addictions to social media as also attention seeking stupidity that it is nurturing must be dealt with regulation. We have entered unchartered path of atomized isolated alienated individuals virtually connecting into collective to further stupidity. This is having serious ramification and legitimizing worst kind of people into responsible positions. Stupidity is sinister it has led to mass killings, it degrades the world. Stupidity creates herd out of human. It is the product of unthinking mind, lacking critical thinking faculties. Increasing complexities of discourse -varying views in deluge of information and technology, is alienating common people, essentially a failure of society to peg egalitarian values and education to nurture critical thinking and empathy, are incapable to comprehend, relate, or deal, with emerging reality hence seek simple relatable narrations, palatable views to create their own narration further simplifying the complex truth to assuage their insecurities and alienation. Demystifying issues into simple facts and opinions based on empathy and critical thinking will help. Even if there is a failure of communication or breakdown of society, foundation of empathy and critical thinking will find suitable response. It will be wary of views that questions basic human sensibility and actions that undermine humanity.

Thinking and understanding different views and assimilating facts to decipher takes time. Market media has nurtured worldview as attention feeding snippets and caricaturized crucial issues into entertainment. This is now extended by social media. There is a need for culture of slowing down. Neoliberal economics evaluates life as usable resource tagged with price and fast consuming pattern as growth. Fast food MNCs have created infrastructure of hygiene and efficiency but the culture of fast food doesn’t value life. What is needed is food that is made slowly with nutritive ingredient and sustainable process that includes traditional knowledge of the local and preferably served in an environment of inclusive leisure and connection with surrounding -the local ambience creates association with memory of place that will nurture into care. Care connects to values of concern for place, hence environment that assimilates web of life. Such robust grassroot association by its very nature will not encourage stupidity. It is an urgent vigorous connection of care that doesn’t tolerate superficialities. Stupidity can be addressed by awareness of responsibility. A deep sense of sympathy in existential condition, and ability to separate human from their stupidity. There are no stupid people but people who hold some views that are stupid. There is no stupid person, it is not a congenital defect. it is an ethical falling that has a personal and social context. So, we need to separate the person from stupidity. We need to appeal to shared humanity and concerns. Logic or reason has limitations, indeed could backfire as stupidity will find its own logic to be self-satisfied. Personally, I have zero tolerance for stupidity and stupidity that occupies public space as alternative, a primitive society is overwhelmed with stupidity. I as a common person can keep quiet or walk away but a political leader or a social reformer doesn’t have that luxury. They will have to engage. Surely, they cannot call the electorate deplorables or garbage and alienate (particularly in extremely polarized US). They will have to engage with stupidity with all earnestness without losing their bearing, or else seek some other occupation. Also understand likes of Trumps are not accident, he is an extreme spectrum of neoliberal nurtured useful idiots to control the system, and yes Democrats too are in this spectrum so are most political parties across the world. To deal with stupidity there must also be earnestness to address factors that degrade democratic institutions.

New technologies are presenting newer meanings for assertion of free will and the alienation it creates must be understood. The resurgence of religion, rallying to revive the mythical past, are attempts by limited minds and flawed humans to construct and control their reality. At one level it is deeply painful to see this unravelling wherein they could use the possibilities of amazing advancements for better but on the other it is scary. There must be therefore institutional mechanism to create awareness of responsibility. It is complacency and greed that is nurturing stupidity to thrive for gain. Stupidity is seen as distraction. As institutions lose credibility and trust evil seize the opportunity to gain credence. Stupidity facilitates evil. Hence it is important that complacency is called out. Feudal and elitist status quo nurture complacency and distraction as it helps control power and resources and perpetuate exploitation under the garb of democracy. Systems that nurture stupidity sedate indelible aspect of being a human: to use faculty of mind, in such eventuality free will presents scary scenario hence will go back to comforts of stupidity immune to immense evolving understanding of world. Stupidity is herd’s weapon to repeat history and suffer without gaining any insight. Original intent of religion has withered while the egalitarian attempts of religious doesn’t pass the basic scrutiny. The dilapidated framework is therefore carried forward in the garb of faith in all its glitter immune to changed reality therefore, intendedly or unintendedly, nurtures stupidity as the need to hold it together –the crowd needs rallying point and increasingly it is stupidity that is filling the gap as acceptable surrogate. Personal salvation through mystified faith has unraveled into juvenile claims incapable to factor changed reality hence cult of stupidity that claims authority from fantastical world of make belief. Stupidity can be engaged by retrieving “individuality and spontaneity” (totalitarianism works by transforming a person into a superfluous entity through the destruction of individuality and spontaneity- Arendt). Individuality is what defines a human and his or her spontaneous connection with reality is freedom. We must resist any attempt to negate our individuality and curtail our spontaneity and gaiety towards life. It is a lively barrier from turning into a ‘mindless tool’.  Unless institutions are strengthened with democratic principles and individual responsibility nurtured with egalitarian ideals, we will see complacency that feed stupidity which facilitates evil. Awareness of complexities needs framework of care and concern. Complexities that are not complicating but deeper awareness and assertion of simple values and not allowing it into complacency of simplistic narration. Every attempt must be made to retrieve humanity in every human.                      

I leave with these lines from poem by Bonhoeffer, a beacon of religious response in the best tradition of humanism in 20th century.  

Death, lay down your ponderous chains and earthen enclosures
walls that deceive our souls and fetter our mortal bodies,
that we might at last behold what here we are hindered from seeing.      

Need reparative justice not reparation

 

World few centuries back was quite a different place. It was substantially brutal, controlled by ruthless power that arbitrated and decided life of people tempered by religion and systems of heuristic morals in varying degrees of righteousness. Power transacted nature of existence. It was an unstable chaotic world that could turn fatal any moment for no reason, and the constant endeavor was to maintain stability and control. People naturally acquiesced and aligned to nearest power for safety and survival. Every region in the world was controlled by systems and institutions that sought expansion to extend control hence more resources and increased chance of survival. Expansion was basic logic of survival, it was natural order of things and those not competent to face this brutal reality were vanquished, eliminated or controlled. With advancement of technology the control was sought to be extended through this new mean. West with superior power took to control the world. Colonialism exploited the world for resources and power. System of brutality and exploitation of people and nature shifted to bigger forces from smaller players in the region. Technology improvised and sophisticated demands of greed and luxury increased to unsustainable. Could they have steered technology for better purpose? Quite unlikely, technology is determined to maximize the system. Technology will find all its potential and opportunities to gain for the system in whatever ways possible. It is the system that decides. If the system is extractive (as is the case of colonialism) then it will go to whatever possible extend to wantonly exploit. As egalitarian values consolidate into inclusive system the nature of technology align to better deal. Systems have significant say in what aspects of technology be highlighted and nurtured. Inclusive system will not ban technology but regulate on emerging basis without suppressing the possibility of technology that is essential representation of varied voices in modern world. Steering is forced shifting -an exhibition of control, hence not in response to emerging situation or heuristically evaluated decision. Inclusive society will regulate technology as an earnest measure using mechanism of subsidies, taxation and laws that protects its citizen (human rights, discrimination, privacy so on). Indeed, an egalitarian society will naturally align to technologies that doesn’t hinder evolved values.

Colonialism is accepted fact of history that shaped much of the world and discourse until 20^th century. This surely cannot be allowed to influence the emerging world and challenges of 21^st century. Colonial exploitation was past reality doesn’t necessarily mean reparation is present outcome. This is too spacious an argument that doesn’t pass critical scrutiny. The reality of the past shouldn’t be used to evaluate the present, even the semantics of past is problematic. Reparation for what and to whom? Where do you draw reference of exploitation and where do you demarcate line of history? Does it address complexities of historical injustice? Bigger narration of exploitation shouldn’t undermine smaller exploitations that thrived before the advent of colonialism. Was colonial exploited regions egalitarian? Not at all, as mentioned, world was brutal place. To attribute West for past exploitation -indeed being socially efficient and technologically advanced shouldn’t go against them, any other society with same power would be equally, if not more, devastating. Indeed, extending the same logic much of the world will need reparation from, say, marauding islamic army while Indians need to be paid for centuries of brutalities through caste cannibalism, overwhelming mediocrity and nonexistent morals. Also, who will pay and who should be paid is equally important. If Britain decides to pay reparation, then the cost will essentially percolate to common people -as it is the corrupt neoliberal value system has inept public service. People must stand up against this and strongly protest any attempt at so-called historical injustice that will perpetuate contemporary injustice. Also, are these countries with colonial past democratic with essential humanitarian value system, clearly reparation will fill the coffer of corrupt and accentuate disparities. Also, unlike TRC arbitrated monetary reparation to specific victims and families in S.Africa -that is a recent history and reconciliation of racially divided population was need of the hour, colonial history has passed few generations. Reparation also has a sinister narration of normalizing british feudal system as patronizing benign. What is needed is systemic change not short-term fix and semantic ruse to extend the discourse to nowhere. Subsidies and investment on quality education and nutrition has an impact to rectify injustice while inculcating dignity to younger generation. Richer countries must increase grants for higher education in poorer societies -taking care not to further local inequalities and regressive values, most early migrants to West are byproduct of regressive values severely reducing space for reparative justice for blacks -who faced horrendous exploitations through slavery.

Past exploitative consequences must be factored in framing international accord, like say, climate justice -historical pollution is an important parameter in deciding -even in case of biodiversity -colonial exploitations severely degraded forests and land for mining coal and other resources. Subsidized sustainable technology transfer and infrastructure for quality education are mechanism to factor in the exploitation of past. Lack of vibrant democratic institutions in poorer societies also lead to neocolonial exploitation (like for precious minerals in Africa, people of DRC have even taken corporates to international court), this can replicate to outer space and deep sea mining unless effective laws are enforced. What is needed is inclusive democratic systems vibrant to factor in fast evolving world. International institutions and discourse must reflect these for better possibility and safer world. What this essentially means is that feudal institutions, exploitative dehumanizing value systems that nurtured horrors of colonialism, doesn’t have any place in contemporary world and is indeed an affront on humanity. Dismantling colonial value system and feudal structures is beginning of reparative justice. Reparative justice as a transformative inclusive justice that nurtures institutions and empowers indivduals.               

Reevaluating Kipling

 

I have had quite churning last few days. I read ‘If’ by Rudyard Kipling again. It is a poem that touched me quite deeply when I was trying to find my footing in nasty noisy Delhi horror -was really ambling the edge, few steps into abyss, and when you are young these kind of ‘inspiring’ poems gives meaning. Surely, I owe Kipling gratitude hence the urge to reevaluate the mainstream narration. It is important to engage, understand, and not to shun based on staid narrations or powerful interests that have frozen contemporary into past narrations. So I thought to spend time to critically analyze Kipling, not on his entire oeuvre (quite incompetent to do that, nor have I read all his work) but narration that attempt to undermine. I maybe wrong but my views matter, atleast to me. What is clear is that Kipling was brilliant writer as also incisive and sensitive as can be judged by Jungle Book. "Kipling, the supposed expert writer on India, showed a better understanding of the mind of the animals in the jungle than of the men in an Indian home or the marketplace" commented RK Narayan. There is no reference of Kipling claiming that he is an expert writer on India nor is it attributed anywhere. And yes, understanding minds of animals (ofcourse anthropomorphized, nevertheless a story that delighted generations of young readers) is an appreciable attribute and a personal choice. It also questions on what was RK Narayan’s understanding of men (women were yet to be discovered -thanks LeGuin!) in an Indian home or marketplace? His fictions were well written and one of them (The English Teacher) searingly personal that left deep imprint on me. Narayan, like Kipling, was also a brilliant writer and exceedingly funny who created endearing characters, nostalgic reminder of innocent world gone by that you want to clasp and not let go. But his fiction had basic flaw, he gives a fantastically naïve version of Indian society sanitized of apparent glaring blemish that is everyday reality of common people. It is a simplified world of simplistic people with excessive emotions. These nice stories tickled the sensibilities of elite narration on an afternoon siesta. It hardly showcased grittiness and heartbreaking reality of what is essentially a primitive society. Well, it is his choice to place fiction the way he wants to but to claim an understanding of Indian society, or attributing a reflection of Indian reality, doesn’t pass basic scrutiny (indeed most Indian writers lack sincerity and romanticize the bleak, those who show sensitivity come out as excessively patronizing and insipid, after my earlier reading -as I was exploring as a beginner, I rarely indulge Indian writers, they mostly lack vigor, there were rare exceptions like say NirmalVerma -also liked him as a person, Bashir so on). Narayan’s nonfiction musings could have balanced this lack instead he comes out as a self-absorbed colossal bore.

Colonial Britain was much advanced having consolidated ideas of science and philosophy into streamlined thinking and institutions. Britain was at the center of industrial revolution and was essentially the engine of human progress (powerful monarchy created the conditions is undeniable). It is therefore natural for anyone placed within the society to feel superior when encountering a world which was seriously wanting and primitive in all apparency. And when you see the other of different skin color it is but natural to see the pattern and attribute to race hence racism. Writers, of the caliber and sensibilities of Kipling, are meant to be different. They cannot herd people into discrimination or dismiss whole society based on what they may see on daily basis as the only reality. They are supposed to do their work and search for redeeming qualities in the morass of neglect and find individuals to claim humanity. They have to break pattern of complacency in classifying and negating people into horrible discriminations. So how did Kipling fare? Well, his heart was in the right place, and surely was a victim of circumstance. You cannot blame him for ‘white man’s burden’ since he genuinely believed it as a benign responsibility (benign and not racist considering his nuanced sensibilities). How this got detached into wider narration, and to contemporary interpretation, is definitely his fault, as a writer he could have anticipated this pattern -surely, he must have observed blatant racism around him. He was privy to better version of humanity but he failed. Also, as a incisive writer he could have eviscerated Indian society into all its worth with the kind of empathy that was evident in Jungle Book. He chose not to. That reminds me of profoundly insightful Swedish writer Harry Martinson, who spent few days in Mumbai in early 19th century while his ship was docked -he was stoker labour at the engine. His heightened sensibilities and complexities of existential experiences he faced equipped him to effortlessly spot redeeming humanity in the beauty of ordinary people trapped in absolute rot of depraved society (for more you may visit https://depalan.blogspot.com/2023/12/on-meditative-stillness.html). Kipling chose not to and that is where he compromised.

The youngsters in british university were right to insist on Angelou’s poem. It is urgent and values the time in which we live in, importantly it reflects these youngster’s deeply held values and inspirations. Kipling’s poem is not bad but simply not suited. He is also perceived as racist in enlightened interpretation of contemporary cannot be denied.                  

 

Inirida: the flower that never dies

...meanwhile 23 targets of the Kunming-Montreal COP15 Biodiversity is not on track...

 

I bear the tide

You may write me down in history

With your bitter, twisted lies,

You may trod me in the very dirt

But still, like dust, 

I’ll rise…

Out of the huts of history’s shame

I rise 

Up from a past that’s rooted in pain

I rise

I’m a black ocean, leaping and wide,

Welling and swelling I bear in the tide… 

Wrote indomitable precious Maya Angelou in ‘Still I Rise’. These lines were painted over Rudyard Kipling’s poem by conscientious youngsters in one of the UK university. They argue that “Kipling stands for the opposite of liberation, empowerment and human rights –the things that we students stand for”. They add this act as “a statement on the reclamation of history by those who have been oppressed by the likes of Kipling for so many centuries, and continue to be to this day”. This is what right kind of education and awareness does to young. They consolidate values that stand for what is right, unblemished by cynicism and manipulation of the outside world. Insular, unaware, cynical neoliberal goal oriented youth is death of humanity. Maya Angelou was one of the most significant voices of protest and memory of oppression. I am deeply moved by her writing. I feel she wasn’t adequately recognized by the world outside US despite the fact that she remains immensely popular in articulating voices of subjugated masses and protesting people across the world. Unlike Kipling, who chose to be the voice of colonial power and exploitation, authenticated racism ‘white man’s burden’ -the extractive system (surely it cannot be inclusive), adequately rewarded him (he is also the youngest Nobel laureate in Literature! Incidentally prodigious Chekov was very much alive. No writer has taken me in as much as Chekov). He was born in India (so was one of the greatest writer George Orwell -who’s significance surges each day) at Malabar hills -not to be mistaken for Malabar region in Kerala -that would make Kipling a Keralite (!!), the name traces from spice traders who settled from malabar (Malabar hill in Mumbai -one of the costliest locations in India even has Cochin street, Calicut street so on). Kipling was very much influenced by India, clearly as an extractive abstraction since his writing had many racist references eulogizing british colonial empire, and to justify it in the context of times he lived in estimates him as of low intelligence and exonerate his lack of basic humanity least from an immensely talented writer.    

So, I was reading britishery of british media. Jingo imperialism marches on lacking basic humanity or universal concern, insular in entitlement, continuing arrogance of theatre of medieval absurdity wriggling into modernity. It so happened that british ‘royals’ are visiting (touring is the word used) Australia, and continuing with the anachronistic colonial entitlements they also are head of state. Incidentally British monarchy is head of state of 15 countries, and if you go through the list, except Australia, Canada and New Zealand, all the remaining 12 countries are insignificantly small or too poverty ridden and weak to assert itself. So what is it about Australia, Canada and New Zealand? Well, these are white dominated countries, the same white people who were part of colonial britishers who decided to settle in the land after appropriating resources and decimating original inhabitant into insignificance. They did it in USA too but white americans were enterprisingly independent and self-respecting to seek degrading monarchy. They revolted, and so began one of the most resourceful experimentations with idea of democracy, after French revolution, that catalyzed humanity in significant ways.

To put it in context, imagine if colonizing britishers decimated most of Indians and left us insignificantly less in number and weak, and so the powerful white people with exploitative control and brutal majority decides to continue to have british monarchy as our head of state in India. Imagine that! And now imagine that the same horror perpetrating system (ofcourse nurtured on the foundation of racist exceptionalism) is maintained with same pomp and gala (as if nothing has happened in last few centuries, some kind of bad dream that could be wished away with sway of narration control!) and we are asked to receive the hereditary entitled as head of state on occasional tour. This is what has happened to aboriginal people (semblance of pride through first nation people), indigenous, natives as also sane people who reject these feudal anachronistic theatrics in Australia, Canada and NewZealand. There is a reason why likes of VS Naipaul -a brilliant writer, someone whom I read with great relish and significantly impacted my ideas of writing, chose not to eviscerate monarchy, which he could have easily. Associating and aligning with powerful narration controllers comes with benefits. He cleverly chose to work feudal as stabilizing force, a precursor to consolidating culture and science so on into systems, and if truly competent, appropriating the best from across the world for critical inquiry -as science got consolidated in Britain in an inquisitive inclusive value system of logic and critical thinking ofcourse within the framework of racist and gender discrimination. That doesn’t explain continuation of these extractive systems and degrading values in contemporary world. Silence on these matters is how you trace the control of powerful narrations.  

And so it continues. Linda Thorpe, an indigenous leader, protested at the presence of british monarch in Australia’s parliament. If you know the heartbreaking horror of british history (headed by the monarch) in the region you will empathize with her. But instead, what you see is classic example of britishery. It needs to be recorded to consolidate the idea of britishery (the way they consolidated thuggery, pariah so on with brute force into language). It is quite a sophisticated sophistry, there are two strains of narration going on here, one is how they describe Linda Thorpe -crude unsophisticated ‘new-caught sullen peoples, half devil and half child’, and second is the ‘royals’ -nuanced, ‘nostalgia’(of what?), indeed almost ephemeral apparition in ‘warm bubble’ of kindness unblemished by humanly concerns.                                                                                                                             

Take a look at this pic of news ‘reporting’. They couldn’t get photographs of Ms. Thorpe in snarling sinister angle -that creates revulsions among readers, these are usual tricks neoliberal media use to construct narration in the garb of news. So while ‘royals’ ‘entered’ Thorpe had ‘positioned’, her ‘outburst’ it is assumed ‘created sympathy for the royals’ as she was ‘not being polite to the guests’ (the attempt to ‘decency’ implicit in wording of ‘guest’ must be noted, factually ‘royal’ here is not a ‘guest’ but ‘head of state’ hence head of the parliament). There was a comment on her sartorial choice as also sarcasm over “indigenous sovereignty’, general jokes and banter to keep the ‘royals’ amused by parliamentarians presenting as agreeable plebs, one said ‘People have had haircuts, people have shined shoes, suits have been pressed. And that’s just the republican’. They all laughed, kind of quaint sea sparkling gallant of saved civilization.  

In recent times there are documented incidents of racism by british ‘royals’ -put this in context to life of most people in 21^st century who live in much evolved value system, as also elderly people in all possible luxury carrying such mindset, it is not accidental, they 'don't drop from the sky'. These are crucial bearings of feudal values that nurture extractive primitive institutions and devalues humans. They will favour the powerful or contrive narration of benefits. Mr. Charles even supports fatwa by mullahs of Iran on Rushdie (as quoted by Martin Amis). Now juxtapose this with 'disrespectful' Ms. Thorpe. Such is the disconnect. It is natural for primitive feudal institutions to align with oppressor over liberty and freedom. They fancy stability and control over human rights as it threatens their legitimacy. They authenticate and normalize feudal oppressive forces from across the world, and yes also take expensive gifts from equally dubious -surely to influence narrations undermining democratic institutions. Therefore, media can easily be ‘sexed up’ and manipulated when needed. General degradation of Britain and absolute arrogance of its leaders can be traced to these feudal systems. Regressive institutions will create regressive ecosystem, is there a surprise?             

To be fair I don’t use past-history, to evaluate present. Present can be understood with insight of past, the relevance stops there. There are no lessons since the present is not past, it has no parallels unless ofcourse people are herds who have just replicated through time. History repeats when people are herds. Vibrant living humans evolve with contemporary knowledge and understanding, they become better. They are not the same to repeat. History is primed to repeat if you maintain the feudal system from past, a regressive infrastructure, like a virus, activates when conditions are conducive. History, as an understanding and evolving involvement, is lost in morass of revivalism as it galvanizes primal fear and repeats horrors of exceptionalism and supremacist ideas into modern institutions and discourse incapacitated to factor the possibilities of present. The reason why Britain continues to nurture feudal extractive systems that degrades democratic institutions and nurture inegalitarian value system is because they are being cushioned by luxury of colonial extravagance. Their patronizing is from the position of plenty or atleast the arrogance of its memory of exceptionalism -feudal hangover. The extractive feudal ecosystem will eventually set the rot in as it is too compromised to deal with modern values. When reality strikes, they will eventually realize the need to reform and dismantle restrictive institutions with inclusive egalitarian reflecting essentials of democracy and equality.      

*full disclosure: Before I started reading too much and entered murky world of racism, colonialism so on I was quite naïve fellow and really liked 'If' by Kipling (it is quite a nice poem if you don't bring in the context of poet, views and so on) so much so that I got it framed and gifted it to one of the organisation I was part timing for. They put it at the reception. I also liked 'Jungle Book' -didn't read but saw the movie/cartoon serial.