The Nestle (Maggi) issue was
quite a revelation, as devious commentators brought in their compassion exuding
versions to side with the defaulters. Market as harbinger of goodness is now an established fact among certain section but that the multibillion dollar rich corporates are epitomising conscience
is something of a revelation. Political clout and money power is the
constant crave hence the stable factor, how you negotiate these into positive
frame is the narration here. Corporates wants to display themselves as good, hence
in constant look out for goodness. The goodness is now cemented as liberal values,
hence ferocious defence and stampede by the elites meanwhile exaggerating
threat perceptions to maximise their advantage. Being a mediocre lot they have
hinged themselves as service providers a compelling euphemism for sweet talking
facilitators adept in range of manipulations. After liberalisation big money
has been flowing to multiply itself, hence the touts have morphed into sophisticated
versions. With this huge money they have been twisting and degrading the system
with ease as compliant policy makers wait for their cut. Market media is very
much in the game and have their own agents working furiously to gain clout. As they
went on with their nefarious ways they needed cloak of goodness, that is why we
have these soul mercenaries who moonwalk as opinion makers, slick communicators,
do-gooders etc. morphing into the requirement for a price. They expertise in
taking conscience to ridiculous level embellishing it with Indian culture and
tradition (i.e. if they intend to give a right twist to the narration) or
higher goals of humanity cleverly hinging it to western pointers of liberalism.
Exploitative corporates need them as a front, market media has a high value on
them, so do the political establishment depending upon twist that is needed.
A cash rich specie has
emerged, as an essential by-product of service industry gigantism, they fix
things and provide twist to the narration as and when needed. They expertise in
creating perceptions on demand, obfuscate ethics and push in subjectivity to rules.
Even basic facts are sought to be dimmed, recently Coca Cola is reported to be pushing the nonsense that “to maintain a healthy weight, get more
exercise and worry less about cutting calories”. “The beverage giant has teamed
up with influential scientists who are advancing this message in medical
journals, at conferences and through social media. To help the scientists get
the word out, Coke has provided financial and logistical support to a new
nonprofit organization called the Global Energy Balance Network, which promotes
the argument that weight-conscious Americans are overly fixated on how much
they eat and drink while not paying enough attention to exercise”. While Health
experts say this message is misleading and part of an effort by Coke to deflect
criticism about the role sugary drinks have played in the spread of obesity and
Type 2 diabetes. They contend that the company is using the new group to
convince the public that physical activity can offset a bad diet despite
evidence that exercise has only minimal impact on weight compared with what
people consume.
Coca cola can do this so easily
in India. Confusion over ‘science of health’ is an easy matter to manipulate. You can use the service of array of soul mercenaries, as also specially ordered icons, journalists, politicians, marketeers (includes colossal waste nutcases who do IIM after IIT, ready for any money suck), creative sellers (some even get poetic)…everyone is available at
the right price. This usual haggling or even show of minimal talent, in
whatever field, is for enhancing their brand value. Nestle is a good corporate image,
hence soul mercenaries have latched in, it is a symbiotic relation. It is also quite
likely these corporates might have fed handsomely as service gigantism spread
with liberal values cloak, nepotism fattened clique furiously clearing the path
with higher and higher conscience in shifting moral grounds. The new government
most likely played its trick, the Lead/MSG issue seems like a convenient alibi.
I gather there are corporates that is taking sides (or have taken sides) or is
trying to masquerade higher conscience. There is a wresting of initiatives
going on, as the other sides are trying to push in the ‘ominous portent’ narration.
It is in this wrestling that crumbs fall for common people, atleast now we have some standards on packaged food that will be checked. It is
the same reason why the Congress government didn’t initiate any meaningful changes
or reforms (despite some brilliant suggestion by subsequent reform commissions
so on), there was no gain, they therefore maintained socio-political status quo as the cronies reaped in. Afterall in this society moral codes were sought to be established through Mahabharata, essentially a family feud exaggerated for grandeur; scheming, and cunning protagonists mostly devoid of ethics
or compassion. In this family feud of elite we have to search our morals, it is
the same framework that exists even today. The negotiators have shifted from primitive
frameworks to board rooms. In this narration of one-upmanship crumbs are
dropped to common people, that is democracy.
Donald Trump could very well be Donald Deshpande, a convenient
Gandhian (if seeking to take higher moral grounds), or a high sounding bureaucrats
(with negotiable ethics, but high on traditional pointers), pretentious
journalist (dexterity with words, also exalting lifestyle puerilities), or a machiavellian
marketer (on a liberal high ride, ever so landing softly as GDP trustees),
investment friendly politician (ready to open up the natural resources to be
plundered by likes of billionaire Trumps or Aggrawals), an activist socialite (market
props who cover loose ends, purring sickularism/compassion, moral morphing whatever
can fetch)…thankfully the new government is seeking to plug in the loopholes,
although it is an arduous task, decades of apathy have severely dented the institutions.
Knowing the primitive social system, entrenched apathy and contemporary realities
this blogger is not expecting any miracles but is ready to give this government
atleast a decade. Even some of the corruption charges can be excused, it is a minor
matter at this stage (overwhelming perception is that Sushma Swaraj is not corrupt,
she made the habitual mistake of Indian elite when they see money bags, but
nothing substantial was compromised. IPL is a stink pot and everyone including
the cricketers are corrupt and severely compromised). Compared to the kind of
loot and arrogance initiated by the previous government these are nothing, and
what makes it distressing is that they don’t seemed to have learned the lessons,
many of the cunning leaders are still in currency and espousing high values. Amazing
lack of leadership, one would have thought worst defeat would have revamped
them, kicked out the dead weights, crafty weasels. Indeed that is what happens
when you feed sycophants while arrogant leaders tend to be assured of their invincibility
in these fawn filled surroundings.
