Slum cake mindset

 When Schindler’s List -an iconic Hollywood movie that dealt with holocaust, was released in early 1990s there was a news (indeed a minor mention in the sidelines of mid pages here in India, now this was much before internet and ‘cable’ tv was limited) that few youngsters were found giggling while watching those horrific scenes. I found this news intriguing; indeed, I too had limited knowledge on these events ((Life during those days was trained to be ‘within the syllabus’, munching and regurgitating, and praying to work the fate -the meaninglessness of degraded form of education that the collective intelligence of society could conceive and value, it took me lots of effort and constant vigilance to remove this infection from my system. Sadly, the employees at ISRO represent the same failure of education and assertion of beggar’s mindset -of working favor/fate by pleasing and being pleased. The hierarchy of humbleness and well-defined deals to appease. What a pathetic life that even possibilities of education are negated. Since I had spent some time at Space Centre -my impressionable mind was impressed, I kept an eye on the happenings here. But these people have constantly shocked me with their regressive ways (in mid 1990s I recall quite distinctly some even participated in rituals facilitated by squatters to appease god for boon of boy child! Imagine the mindset at work here. Meanwhile charlatan squatter has repertoire of deal with god for sake of people) lack of context or application of mind)). So, people were stupefied by the ignorance of these youngsters and lack of empathy while watching these scenes. Some of the students countered that these were nervous giggle or that they found the scenes awkward. Nevertheless, they were removed from theater, later attempts were made by authorities to make them visit concentration camps and read about holocaust. Now, in 2023 Indian moviemakers went to Auschwitz and created cringe entertainment of self-obsessed ways that define these people, even untold horrors of holocaust becomes a prop for their fancy and minor learning about their own ego. These are special people.  

So, more than a decade back an elderly fellow -posing as artist even got himself into parliament as representing art, ordered a cake fashioned as slum for his equally pretentious wife -now this crude woman has positioned herself as some kind of activist -attuned to market needs. She, it seems, is concerned about slums and visits them! What is clear is that she gained a lot from this positioning, and this ‘slum cake’ was designed by the muck sodden fellow in appreciation of it. Hedonist orgy of love! It had models of congested modest dwellings surrounded by mounds of garbage replicating unfortunate living people packed as sardines -not far from where they live, meanwhile he did not forget to depict overflowing drainage that characterize these hell on earth, and yes -what seems to be funny depiction for some- of cloths haphazardly hung to dry detail. The impoverished congested spaces in big cities are unhygienic and reek with disease hence chance of infection are high people therefore do everything to keep clean. You will see more washing in slum areas than anywhere else heartbreakingly in dirty water and filthy surrounding while children defecate in open. This obsessive washing is a desperate attempt to keep disease away, to stay alive, and yes cloths are hung to dry in polluted air. What else can they do? There is nothing funny about it. This becomes funny when you have a deviant sense of what is funny.  

Few months back I spent some time to go through this fellow, actually few indicators are enough to estimate these despicable people. Believe me it is absolute waste of time, and it is unlike me. The intention though is to broaden to understand the ecosystem that nurtured these people, and how much society had to pay for these. So, few decades back one of the costliest Indian movie was released, and when they put more money you can be rest assured they will dig the depth of mediocrity and crass as entertainment. I didn’t watch it -for godsake, but scanned it randomly to understand the fellow who has scripted this (unlike other movies which were coscripted). Atrocious movie to even scan through, how can people even write these kind of crap? Now there is a pivotal scene wherein a pigeon is shown carefully picking up number from cards to identify vehicle number or so it has witnessed of some crime committed, I think. I used to find some Indian movies interesting for the ridiculous since it had something I could never even conceive, ofcourse within the cringe frame of sexism, patriarchy and other crap that this society is incapable to be sensitive, crude as entertainment. The ridiculous can be funny in the fantastic turn of unexpected even in the lowest form of aesthetics, the slapstick. When fun is also sought by some by taking people for stupid -lacking intelligence, is where the problem is. It is a reflection of contempt for common people that one can even think of writing such a script. This same contempt for common people and lack of aesthetics is what prompts one to create cake depicting slum. And that the fellow is claiming to be an artist is what makes it worst. The depravity is astounding. This is slum cake mindset. It is uniquely Indian.

If poverty is a crime, who commits the crime? The poor are to therefore seek the offense before they are punished. The fate is the offense that finds itself hence is open to ridicule and contempt. They will have to now beg to recognize their guilt. They have been acknowledged. There is celebration. They will however not understand how this is funny. A sick joke is a joke if you are outside the joke. Inside a sick joke it is horror. The horror of trapped in everyday living and dying. There is no Shakespearean grandeur in this tragedy. There is not even consolation to be alive except to be laughed at. So, while they sink in their horrible lives atleast they made us laugh and are lucky to be chosen reason for a cake for us to celebrate. Such is the blessing.

The cake, I am told, tasted delightful and I am not sure whether they had group orgy on it and kink fulfilment but yes muck filled drainage was the pièce de résistance. The squelchy texture was finger licking real for which the tacky fellow got an extra helping. 

 

Post script: Slum cake mindset is something I wanted to write about for some time now. There are problems when you write about attention seekers, they enjoy it as also use their PR for possibilities of branding or at the least play victim (that is the nearest they can come to be victim -indeed there is a stampede to play victim and position for gain as also fertile ground to represent common people). Now, I came to know about slum cake only few months back -more than a decade later. If I knew this before I wouldn’t have wasted my time travelling all the way, I became extremely vulnerable almost a decade back, nothing much, and I cringe even the thought of having visited these people. It was difficult to forgive myself. These are the worst kind of people, and to be noted, nurtured by castetva forces as brand- they in turn emulate the depravities of sycophants and manipulate narration that fancy the moment. These are the people whom I tried to get in touch but ticked them out within no time, having confirmed what kind of depraved people are these. Ofcourse for me writing was prime factor -and writing atleast 500words per day was what I targeted to be writer of some reckoning, hence I let it work meanwhile tried to improve my writing skills as also delve on issues of concern, and moved out to blog as soon as I got the opportunity.  

These people have positioned as artists, and gain credibility through state awards and largesse. What I have noted is that there was a stampede for state awards, positions, RS seat and UN ambassadorship so on, and you could see them going in heat. Earlier it confused me when they unexpectedly ransacked TV studios showing concern for common people and dire warning with controversial statements, when they had no movie to release -they go into heat before movie release -the juvenile market logic being if you attract attention during these few days herd will be impressed enough to part with money. The level of grandeur and self-obsession -among, arguably one of the least talented people, is astounding if not psychopathic. Many even ghost write their autobiographies as if world had not got enough of them. Even our fellow (any resemblance to real, as they say, is purely coincidental!) has written one. It is also an indication for bigger intent, as a summation for those within their little world to take note and envy. It’s not manipulation of the moment but consolidation of constructed past as branded gift for humanity, a blessing for us. The onus is now on humanity to receive this blessing as a favor for our existence, a gratitude for something we are incapable to understand.