at a crucial cross road in Durban...

Deja vu at Tahrir Square

powerful entrenched elite try to scuttle the voice of people. Must say Egyptians are amazing people...  

Condolence: Bhupen Hazarika was a colossal figure, an institution into himself. Probably one of the very few people from North east who had a pan Indian appeal.

Blistering barnacles….Tintin is here!!

What a wonderful movie this one could be. I surely will be seeing this one. I recall we used to fight for tintin in the library. Wait for someone to return the book; conspire to get, hide under rack so as to read it again. Tintin is a visual treat (same holds with Astreix). Now that they have made it into a movie the expectations are high. I gather there is no Prof. Calculus in the animated version…geez what a letdown. Wonder how they will create that inimical change of expressions on Captain…as he comes out of the stupor. Then we have Snowy getting drunk, not to forget Thompson cousins. This is really quite exciting!!!

We are very glad to hear from you Mr. Markandey Katju

“...all this is largely ignored by our media which turns a Nelson’s eye to the harsh economic realities facing upto 80 per cent of our people, and instead concentrates on some Potempkin villages where all is glamour and show biz. Our media is largely like Queen Marie Autoinette, who when told that the people have no bread, said that they could eat cake”

This just one of the paragraph from Justice Katju Chairman, Press Council of India.

Aren’t we so very glad to hear from him? What makes it much charming is that he holds an important position. Though this blogger wouldn’t go for generalization but yes (and that is a resounding yes) Indian media is overwhelmingly mediocre. And one Delhi based media group (HT i guess) had the temerity to pass it on to “vernacular” media. Maybe she should spend some time to watch Malayalam media, the discussion herein are far better and nuanced that probably her market blinkered eyes ever noticed.  Anyway Delhi based demagogues (moon walking as celebrities) are known to have national (in most case international) aspiration. They have a strange affliction of ‘representing India’, it’s intellectual version of trade fair in pragathi maidan.

It goes without saying that Indian media in most cases (with very rare exception…and its getting rarer) is blatantly crass and self serving. They lack understanding or contexts of serious issues, its fly by night operation…I don’t want waste my time explaining but yes this blogger fully agree to what Mr. Katju has said. It’s high time these neo-brahmins are put in place. There is very urgent need for laws on privacy, slander or manufactured news.  Indeed popular people themselves are fair game and news are created by small timers (likes of Crude Woman & her fixers – though high on freedom of expression, I am aware their ilk expertise in creating fake news to be in the news at others expense, its called competition. in reality these are manipulations of crony capitalism), particular in this case is Bachchan family. While on the sideline a coterie pretends as protector of culture (some amazingly mediocre people), the fact is these self appointed guardians are worst offenders and given a chance they can do severe damage, they are hanging in the sidelines for big lick, that’s all. Values are ruse.

The problem here seems to be that the Indian society’s framework of morality is rather weak. This is because the  so called Brahmins were on the helm for more than 5000years and they created amazingly crude system defined by self serving logic. Morals and values were subservient to their selfishness. You will note that theoretically they had answers to almost anything and everything. Their world views were generally grand (and in some case rather valuable, I do admire some aspects of it). This grandness hid the immediate poverty of conscience and compassion (Buddhism sought to mitigate this gap). This is the framework of morality/ethics they created and perpetuated, and so the latter claimants to power/elite section tried to emulate/follow this regression (some even audacious to call it sanskritisation, it’s unfortunate …Sanskrit is a beautiful word that is misused by boys with fancy ideas on world). There are umpteen examples of kings and nobles trying to see themselves as closer to god thus gain acceptance and so on. This manipulative behavior became the reference point for social mobility. 

This thousands of year old framework is what we inherited, so its very much expected that the neo-brahmanism finds its expression in modern India. Media -the new center of power (indeed many in the top of this field are actual inheritors, so no pretensions!!) is an excellent instance. The fact that they propose to consider themselves beyond any criticism or law, and as is the tradition, gang around to curse anyone who questions. They have positioned themselves as our benevolent guardian; it’s our fault to criticize them. Indeed we are told to be grateful. We are sinning against values of freedom and liberty if we question neo brahmins. It’s another of the old brahmin spin we have inherited.

Add to this the crass world of market. Where every action and inaction is justified with money. We have  ready made script  for Indian media. Since India has more population –meaning more lick -this becomes rather severe.

Justice Katju has a view on “introspection by media”, this blogger differs rather significantly. Whether this bunch does some introspect or not, we are not particularly bothered, but yes there should be strict laws against any transgression of people’s right and should be severely dealt. Get this straight in market driven world nobody is doing any savior’s work, these grand positioning cannot be substitute for laws that punish the guilty and those who are criminally negligent, that definitely includes media. Neo-brahmanical ploy will not work.                                   

G20 Meet and a fairytale…

There was once upon a time happy rich family who kept slaves. The slaves were told every day about how fortunate they are with so much freedom and stability in their life. The slaves could go out to see and watch. They saw the glamour and glitter, and felt blessed being in such presence. They were also given vision of fairytale future. They also learned to aspire. The slaves believed they were part of masters’ life, the more masters acquired more they felt they are developing and that their life holds much meaning. Though they worked more and created more the masters gained from their enterprise. In the meantime the masters lived an avaricious life, they partied and passed new thoughts and judgments on freedom and liberty. They also lived much beyond their means, as their lifestyle demanded such minor transgressions. So a day came when they were in serious debt. Since the slaves lives were dependent on masters’ fortune they were asked to tighten up, the slaves were to lose their salary and savings as the masters went in for austerity cut. That wasn’t enough for the masters, since their debt was too large, he called the slaves one evening after dinner and told them that they should save them. If you don’t save us you will suffer, said the masters wiping leftover food from their mouth. They asked slaves to sell their belongings so that they, the masters, can survive. Since if masters cannot survive what will happen to the slaves....

Someone may please complete the story. You could take hints and leads from speeches that will be made in Cannes!!