Putting the prize on hope

We are living in very exciting times, the Nobel peace Prize to Obama is a testimony to it. It is recognition to history and intent. When people at highest decision (geez my problem today is that I took almost 5minutes to find the correct spelling of decision!. This one can be really be frustrating but thankfully Wordfile does provide alternatives. Frankly how can c sound like s?) making position have the right intent that itself is significant. Unlike common people, people in significant position can make serious impact. It is really not achievement but path shown. This is very much true of Gandhiji if you look at it Non Violence as a means was not very successful and Indian subcontinent did see the worst form of violence in his life time wherein he was very much part of the people who influenced these situations. But despite these his commitment towards Non Violence as means for conflict resolution was steadfast and does remain a potent alternative in volatile times we live in. Obama though will have to find a balance between being a leader of a powerful nation that impact the human beings and this planet and increasingly desperate domestic problems and yes average American can be amazingly insular and collectively selfish, I guess that is what market can do to societies.

I have started to realize that American society is very different, although the pointers may seem like elitist from Indian or poorer country context but that may not be always be true. American society is very much influenced by visual media so even the President may have to spend some time (I still am very skeptic), further it is a mono lingual society. In American context it is seen as trying to reach the common people but in Indian context this is travesty, in particularly when Union Ministers takes time to express ‘exclusively’ in TVchannels (It need be seen as wasteful expenditure, for a nation of billion people an union minister need value his/her time). During the Memorial of Michael Jackson which this blogger happen to watch, a basketball player (Johnson?!) talks about his association and even mentions how Jackson ignored his chef and shared KFC chicken. Now that was a kind of a revelation for this blogger, in most developing countries likes of KFC or McDonald is symbol of crass consumerism/market imperialism but in America fast food is for common people, it places itself as anti-elite. So much of contrast!!. Therefore when Obama goes out for a bite, in American context it is connecting with common people but in Indian context very much elitist. So when these are taken out of context to countries like India it is seen as triumph of consumerism. The reason why market media here tends to get excited about Obama…no not about NPT.

In here special occasion is generally celebrated at home with focus very much on making variety of dishes and being together. In America they go out and spend (this blogger also understands that West really don’t have much culinary variety-basically meat & bake based, or that in poorer society richer dishes are reserved for occasions). Obama may never know this but the cunning market media in poor societies (specifically a country placed at 138 on HDI but very much hyped on GDP, I sincerely hope the French come with new development index at the earliest) is using him to promote consumer culture and to validate their extravagant lifestyle. He may not know but in here he is already brand Obama!!.

This blogger wishes everyone an exciting festival season and also requests to spend less and yes simple sweets can be prepared at home or hygienic shops near you avoid corporatized celebrations. And yes if you are buying some product check its usefulness and do a survey, don't get carried away by small time actors, cricketers and others who shamelessly peddle product (incidentally they are paid millions for few lines, this in a country where 80% people earn around 20Rs a day. Now that is merit i guess). Brand building and connecting to consumer seems to be based on cheating, it is stinking. In this context this blogger would love to watch Micheal Moore's Capitalism: A love story. I am sure it will make lots of sense as his other documentaries have.