Kerala surely is scenic,
despite high density of population and not very agreeable people, the greenery
is soothing. The reason why I prefer Goa since it is a much refined version of
Kerala -very likely because Goa had violent past that also led to severe break down of
regressive value system and later impetus of international tourism as also vicinity
to mega cities like Mumbai, and relatively sparse population, created a fairly open
society. Sequestered between mountains and ocean Kerala assimilated outside influences
into its regressive clutch. An incorrigible provincial mind despite constant
exposure to outside world. A materialistic consumerist society even evaluated literacy
into its utilitarian fold. I have rarely seen such desperation for wealth from materially
comfortable people, a pathological insecurity of souls that is in constant
dread of how they are being evaluated by equally depraved other -the society. Arrogance,
ego, pride, pettiness are defining factor of human relations while simultaneous
hallucination of grander version of themselves that the world is in awe of. The
complexities of pathetic is to be lived to understand. Except for my college
days I really haven’t spent much time in Kerala, I never really was comfortable
in this oppressive place. Possibilities of Communism and Christianity have well
passed its utility -the Kerala model, and now is a mask of ridicule that cannot hide grim reality. Hinduism and
Islam rarely contributed anything of value except these versions of competitive
regressive grand that is now a sickness, an increasingly violent sickness that has enthusiastic participation from communists and crude christian revivalist moralism. Best of ideas
have found the worst of possibilities (here I am not referring to creative expressions
of music, art and colours -contribution of religions is significant but has
reached lifeless impasse). Language binds but literature is still wanting and
withers into appalling standards of newspapers and mass publication with futile
expectation to carry atleast some minimum creative humanistic subtlety from
long exposure to literate society. It is an extended middle class lacking vibrant intelligentsia or sophistication, the best is always in fringe and seen as threat. The size of their house, money in bank, level of literacy, may vary but what rivets them is same, they watch the same thing, eat the same stuff, talk the same and dream, crave, the same. It is as if benefits of material comfort, tremendous possibilities of education and subtleties of life have bypassed them. An extended needy puritanical
middle-class moralism assimilated through worst possibilities of religions, lacking
any cosmopolitan glimmer despite material richness, astounding natural sights, confluence of religions/philosophies and uncommon social development. This society is caught dead flaking itself to
find its soul.
Entertainment is extension of this limited worldview. For last many decades they entertained the herd into grander versions of themselves in sickening patriarchy and depraved traditions, pandering to the middle-class oppressive moralism and normalizing brute violent patriarchs as saviors. Lacking crude flashiness that is seen among crass - in other part of the country, they produced compelling movies that consolidated middle class moralism in its persuasive everyday narration. Not denying there were rare flashes of brilliance but overwhelming patriarchal cannibalistic concerns crested the deal with dangerous outcome for wellbeing of society and needs of responsible humans. In the recent times lots of malayalam movies have taken up progressive themes but is still shackled in deeply dehumanizing degraded social reality hinged to appalling past. The aftermath of Hema commission (that ofcourse has initiated well-meaning soul searching, and yes guilty must be punished starting with exemplary speedy punishment to blatant heinous crime allegedly orchestrated by an actor on an actress) has unleashed worst of people in the social media who really don’t understand value of freedom. Poking sarcastic malayalee primed in middle class moralism morphs into deranged regurgitator spewing venom. They have come out of woodwork in hordes satisfying the primal urge to watch the rich and famous tumble. In this fall is collective resurrection of middle-class moralism of mediocres and essential defining characteristics of gleeful primitives. Malayalam film has nobody to blame but itself. They nurtured the slime. Fat slimy chickens have now come home to roost. Rule of law must catch these chickens and tandoor them.
*When I was in college we had college fest, and as is the case there was dancing and crap. Newspaper (ofcourse MalayalaManorama -repository of depravities) took it up in a big way and reported it as immorality of college students, the defining word was “koothattam’ -meaning drunk dancing -hence breakdown of social order! This was my early brush with sophistication of middle class semantics. There are trigger words for middle class morality that easily seep and grip the psyche of listener, the meaningful nod is an indication from the recipient of full import with all the seen and unseen contexts. This deluge of trigger words is what is seen in social media in last few days. These are shared and liked as middle class self righteous puritan muck seeks redemption.
