Thursday, September 24, 2020

Lacking common sense for common good

A society that lacks even the basic definition of engagement is incapable to handle crisis. They may show some responsibility if it becomes matter of survival otherwise they will seek to capitalize or exploit. In a hierarchal mindset people who are facing crisis are automatically valued below oneself hence fall into the matrix of exploitation (while those who get lucky make sure to showcase blessing –tawdry being the preferred mode, hence are ideal for sycophantic attention). The only tenuous possibility herein is patronizing for good omen. Being socially responsible and concerned about common good can be seen as weakness as it is against all the valuation of market success. Individuals in such beleaguered society live in constant mistrust, afflicted with prisoner’s dilemma, and are constantly in lookout for opportunity to secure themselves. With sanctum squatter’s moral vacuum spreading through family units and normalized as dealings the ethical context is absent or at the most works in the heuristic of the situation. Meanwhile effete elite are busy building narration of grandeur to awe the west (Castetva was quite sensitive on these matter so as to showcase as uber liberals –the kind the world is yet to encounter) recruited charlatans to work the narration, many have used nepotistic connections to settle in holes of West and frantically place their litters in gravy positions while emerging as local guardians, as blessed beings, to guide common Indians like gods showering petals or strike lightening as situation demands. What are the compelling reasons that made them settle in west is kept unclear. I gather these presences are automatically deemed as harbinger of competence. And for a society that is constantly seeking validation these are blessing. 

Literacy and health achievements provide a frame for humans to find their potential and function as synergic members of society that strives for excellence. Kerala model has limitations of primitive society, a limitation that Indians face. It really cannot and doesn’t have the capacity to use the opportunity. It doesn’t understand excellence nor capable to pursue it. Understand that a mindset that is deeply enmeshed in an empathetic connection to the surrounding is firmly hinged on critical valuation and inquisitiveness hence responsible. It’s a framework that nurtures open minded engagement to strive for possibilities. A society churning in putrid pit is incapable to produce such mindset. Indeed cannot have basic decency of engagement that forms the basis of community. Hence cannot form the foundation, nor has any possibility, of egalitarian society.

Kerala was hailed as a model to fight covid-19. Initially Kerala did well, and the investment on social health infrastructure helped to ward of the infection. Again, not entirely unexpected, it failed to work beyond the basic. As is the case with Kerala model which plateaued during 1980s –incapacitated by humans to capitalize, so is the case of pandemic. When society was expected to play its part, when individuals were asked to show responsibility and be concerned about others, it failed miserably. There seems to by no understanding of common good whatsoever. The data here shows that infection rate in Kerala is much worse than many bigger state with low literacy or health standards. The way individuals behave in society needs to be closely scrutinized to understand the spread. India is second only to US. The infection is set to rise exponentially. It can be prevented by following some basic simple rules. And that precisely is the problem. Blessed don't even have basic decency then what damn they will give about basic rules? People are aware of the mask, and how it prevents the infection, but there seem to be ego working that makes them believe that these are minor matter. Blessed as citizens of god’s own country with hundreds of temples, mosques and churches and what not –indeed waste land, there is a primal arrogance and matching sarcasm that becomes a toxic combination for pandemic to spread. Literacy is incapacitated to evolve into education as the primitive mind find solace in infighting of putrid pits that is elevated by charlatans as signs of vibrant democracy. That these are hollow engagements meant to satisfy primal urges of primitive society and only function to degrade any possibility that democracy presents, nor these have any connection with challenges of reality, is not realized. Then there is this bewilderment of blessed of not able to find the cure for virus and have to wait for the west to produce vaccine (meanwhile any link even a whiff to India is meant to be used as blessed Indians working to save humanity). There are always more than enough local “treatment” and “cures” against the virus that emerge in every street corner that is sought to cement blessed Indian’s connection to forces of universe which the world is yet to know indeed incapable to even perceive. Such is the audacity of the mediocres. This has given false sense of hope hence lackadaisical dealings in the public space, this amazing lack of responsibility towards fellow humans. Ofcourse to add, the obsessive eternal pursuit for purity without understanding basics of hygiene is defining characteristic of this society.  

Blessed narration has given hallucination of invincibility, special protection from guardian gods, hence exaggerated self worth, grandeur similar to white racist/trumpsters. They already know everything hence they needn’t know, indeed for some it is below their dignity to even read or understand about the virus. Although all the risks and details of virus, and all updates, are available on click they find it unnecessary. They could very well be living in medieval times. I am reminded of the Bergman’s The Seventh Seal where atrocities are committed to ward off spread of pandemic. They may be forgiven since they were terrified while the charlatans working the religion found victims to blame. We now live in a world that understands quite clearly what virus is and how it spreads. Attempts of anachronistic religion cannot be tolerated though politicians/market may try to humor the herd. This society lacks the foundation to take on the challenges of future. In a crucial juncture of humanity with catastrophic effects of climate change is being felt, and India is very much vulnerable, it doesn’t seem to be equipped with even basic nuances of dealing. We are looking at a scenarios where the blessed are set to abandon the unblessed as anthropogenic disasters start to hit with increasing ferocity and regularity. This seems to be a real possibility. The level of cruelty will be astounding. 

As the infection spreads it eviscerate the hallowed Kerala model as incapable and failed by humans. Only a year back these primitives were fighting to keep women out of temple (cannibalistic society is quite keen on dictating who to enter, who not to enter, what to eat, whom to eat with, where to go, where not to…) and now the same wasted temples are bereft of people due to fear of infection! Such disgraceful lives. Incorrigible bunch of buffoons incapacitated to evolve. It is precisely where India is heading. Castetva is trying to blame Hindutva, and is constantly in look out to trigger its nepotism built contact in international media to work the narration, but that is just a sham to wrest back power. It is the framework that was nurtured, undermining egalitarian value system and degrading terms of dealing, that were cemented which makes Indians incapable to fight the pandemic. A society that doesn’t even have an understanding on community cannot fathom social responsibility. Individuals nurtured in primitive values of hierarchal minds are incapable to understand common good. Pandemic has become a metaphor for cannibalism.