Dangerous escalation

 

What a mess we are in. This is escalating dangerously. We people all across the world are seriously concerned. An urgent intervention by UN and responsible leaders of Western nations is needed here. We common people across the world are always fodder in bigger game of powerful people. We really don’t know what is happening. We see horrible sights of bombs exploding and people getting killed, and now threats of nuclear war. What can we do except watch with growing concern. 

Let’s get the basics. Respect sovereignty of nation. Respect borders of nations. Russia, under dictator Putin, has attacked another country and massacred people. These are facts. What is also true is presence of anachronistic cold war relic NATO -that Russia see as a threat. Russia at this point is ruled not by reason but by survival instinct of an egomaniac. He has access to nuclear arsenals that can create havoc at a scale that would make Hiroshima look minor event and collapse life system on earth. Steps towards de-escalation could include roll back of NATO and eventual disbanding while Russia evacuate Ukraine territory. The world doesn’t really need military organizations that is ossified in the realities of 20^th century. If there is no Warsaw pact then why is NATO needed? What is the threat that NATO is protecting? World has evolved and is nowhere connected to realities of 1940s or 50s, there is nothing in common -it only exists in the minds of older leaders and their egos. West must recognize this by not pushing the world into fracture lines of the past. West must show magnanimity and confidence in its capabilities. Nobody is giving into the blackmail of a dictator. It’s logical thing to do, as also good for the world to strengthen UN. Deploy UNPKF at Russia-Ukraine border. Encourage democratic forces in Russia. If world leaders are not able to take decision, then feed all these facts to Artificial Intelligence (AI), and I am quite sure this is the optimal solution an AI would also suggest. This need not be a zero-sum game, it’s a loss for humanity and for life on earth. It can still be salvaged.  

The gluttonous sponsors of existential crisis

 

So, you are baffled that exploitative corporate like Coca-Cola (carbonated sugary water) is to be the ‘sponsors’ of one of the most crucial climate summits COP27 in Egypt. That a military dictator ruled Egypt (that quashes dissent and arrest dissidents including well respected and popular Alaa Abd El Fattah) is being chosen as venue is in itself problematic. As much like depleting biodiversity democratic egalitarian spaces across the world are also reducing at an alarming rate. Almost a decade back common people in Egypt had provided glimpses of possibilities when they uprooted a corrupt dictator unleashing a vibrant movement across the region. Unfortunately, they couldn’t sustain it as democratic institutions were not strong enough hence opportunist forces like religion capitalized to degrade and so army moved in as saviors. Feel extremely sorry for brave -tremendously inspiring, humanists of the region. Democracy provides humanist voices and institutions to thrive. It values liberty and freedom. Feudal control and influences are always anti thesis to democratic values. Attempts to patronize democratic institutions by feudal forces through euphemism of stability is ploy for control.

Imagine how they conceived the idea of ‘sponsoring’ a climate summit, quite clearly an attempt to normalize consumerism and work it within the ambit of ‘problem solvers’. And who is better to help us solve problems than Coca-Cola! They teach it as marketing strategy to younger herd as they are coopted into system as ‘success stories’ of money and intelligence. In primitive societies these are referred to as case of untold blessing as they easily move around pirouetting skills, charming people, influencing decisions, and generally agreed upon as refreshing ‘positive energy’ (there is a word in malayalam which was constantly used, and pushed on to ambivalent failures, ‘nokipadikada #@&#’ meaning ‘see and learn #@&#’). For marketeers this is -in their success churning lingo, a marketing coup. Most ‘leaders’ in flawed democracies across the world are presented to herd through these miracles of market. The ‘leaders’ are then elected to sustain corporate needs through euphemism of growth and development. Coca-Cola has this to say on its latest transgression on humanity “Coca-Cola’s firm belief that working together through meaningful partnerships will create shared opportunities for communities and people around the world and in Egypt.” When words are assigned narrow meanings devoid of contexts or evolving realities then it is an attempt at controlling narration.

There is no need to keep elaborating worst of corporates like Coca-Cola or Pepsi. Apart from largest polluters on planet it has played havoc on health, particularly of younger generation, all across the world by increasing obesity, diabetes so on at an alarming rate. Taking the specific case of Egypt which has the highest obesity rate in the African continent. ‘Between 2015 and 2019, the carbonated soft drinks market in Egypt grew by 27%, and from 2020, has been increasing annually by 19. By 2025, the market is estimated to be worth $4.08 billion’. There are other significant issues, that is also undermined by mainstream market media, of groundwater exploitation -natural resource depletion, and prioritizing electricity and resources to these exploitative corporates over needs of local population. This blogger had covered it in India almost two decades back https://depalan.blogspot.com/2011/03/anecdotal-study-on-nature-of-mncs.html. Not that it has changed anything but I can only do what is within my limit, as each one of us as conscientious objectors. We do our do. There are powerful forces who sideline, undermine and eventually block or tarnish, meanwhile they will ofcourse pose as benevolent force, as helping saviors, through opportunist celebrities and pliable influencers. Just that they will usurp all the power and money, and then ‘trickle down’ to keep the exploitative feudal system stable. It is how market spreads positive energy crap of ‘development and growth’. Unfortunately, they have reached a dead end. Neoliberal growth cannot work on limited and precious planet resources. Nice advertisement and meaningless words cannot stop climate calamities. West is facing the other end of neoliberalism what poorer societies have been facing all along. There is reason why west is suddenly facing ‘third world problems’. As they say, chicken is coming home to roost. Earth’s system cannot sustain unending demands of neoliberal gluttony. Quite clearly COP27 is turning out to be jamboree for leaders of flawed democracies, dictators, sponsors of greed, polluters and their lobbyists            

A Spectre Is Haunting World

 

Superficially black

 

This fellow here is a right example of what is defined as “superficially black”, indeed most ‘ethnic faces’ in British cabinet for last many years were superficially black. What Tony Blair’s party (that attacked Iraq and was responsible for many deaths and mayhem thereafter) aka Labour party must realize is that we are not living in 19^th century wherein ‘black’ had only one meaning devoid of any context -not even human, and that of skin colour. World has evolved since so has the word ‘black’, now the word, apart from ofcourse the unfortunate reference to skin colour hence racism, has a political and social context too. What it essentially means is that Kwarteng although he is black -hence all the historical context of racism/slavery attached against it, his evolution into social political has been such that his skin colour identity has become rather superficial. He is a neoliberal elite in a powerful position, and has consistently been immune to social reality of common people or the precarious state of environment. His education has failed him. Hence he is superficially black. Not at all difficult to understand. And this bunch who don’t even understand basic semantics of discourse or contexts of reality we live in are providing the political alternative in Britain. They want to keep common people ossified and controlled within the binary narration that help their manipulation for power. How can people ever trust these who pose as liberal progressives and an alternative to buffoonery show in Britain? These polarizing binaries is a significant reason why the world is in such a sorry state. While market media do ‘balancing act’ i.e. both sideism, to give credibility to manipulations and fake narrations. Ossified semantics, narrow meanings, becomes main mode of controlling narration to keep it tethered to past that has no value or connection with challenges common people face, indeed it’s a distraction, a criminal negligence, a sadist game.    

Hindutva hooligans at the fore

 

What to expect from a primitive society? The mainstream nonsense is becoming unbearable. With castetva forces degrading the society and institutionalizing regressive values, expectedly lacking personal probity (nepotistic corrupt sycophantic charlatans working on eloquence and hedonistic ways as liberal) in the last many decades, it was but expected. Entertainment in this part of the world was always substandard (with very rare exceptions -necessarily against the norm. As mentioned earlier music and colors -mainly through folk art, are two aspects of expression that worked for me from this depressingly degraded part of the world), an excruciating experience. With modern technology it can only go to worst of details. To expect something enlightening from regressive foundation is foolishness, hence we have to tolerate, this therefore becomes defining moment for freedom of expression and arbitration of possibilities that democracy and modern technologies provides.     

The mainstream media and inbred litters in social media, shifting from castetva cannibalism to hindutva hooliganism, are baying blood for a latest movie about some Ramayana references through Ravan, Sita so on (check the details in the picture herein. This is India's next generation creating sinister conceptions from mythical stories as marketeers -in the garb of moviemakers, journalists...feed on 'controversy'!). As it is these were quite insipid stories carefully working feudal patriarchy crass contexts for religious values to keep common people in leash. Juvenile stories that move from adolescent spectacles to bawdy crude fantastical were meant to provide moral values, and are still vociferously presented in this modern world as alternate reality. Since herd is riveted, market driven mediocre entertainers have been using these for easy money. In the last many decades mediocre entertainers had free run to manipulate these ‘moral’ symbols for money churning enterprise. In recent time with hindutva hooligans working the deal for herd the ‘hurt sentiment’ has cascaded into riotous hold. Marketeer turned film makers working for easy money with least talent or creative skills conceptualized Ravana -closely resembling mainstream conception of Islamist or jehadi nightmare, the quintessential monster mullah. Now this was clever work to mollycoddle the hindu herd into contemporary realities of hatemongering hence successful formulae for money making. They even had him riding a flying bat -most likely to tap on the corona scare where bats were proclaimed as bloodthirsty villains to the hounded populace (I feel very sorry for bats -one of the most diverse mammal species they play a very significant role in ecosystem, and if you study how they use echolocation it's absolutely brilliant), now this is served to otherworldly blessed section with ordained role as saviors of humanity, of jagath gurus and mahatmas ordered as needed, who strongly hold the view that blessed Indians, obviously intelligent (pundit=intelligence/holder of spectacular knowledge that common people can never be privy to, and now even western ‘civilization’ too have acknowledge it by including it in daily conversation), could fly much sophisticated things than mere aircrafts!  

These cacophonies of absurd surrounding the ‘discussion’ (within the mythical vad-samvad traditions of putrid society) gets excruciating by the day. For literacy to become education is a big deal, it is saddening that modern technologies and spectacular access these provides has made it immensely possible but what we get is pursuit of crass and crude. It is easy to blame castetva cannibals for consolidation of hindutva hooligans, though this is largely true, but we are seeing trends across the world (latest in Brazil) where the worst of the people are getting acceptance in large scale. It is about time to understand this dangerous shifting -wise and better equipped minds should explore this. Most importantly these clever binaries that were assiduously created, and now collapse with remarkable ease in common people’s estimation, is stark. Manipulating feudal structures and hedonism into liberal and freedom while carefully feeding regressive religions as symbolic sacred. These constructed binaries are meant to polarize for easy manipulation and consolidation of sinister forces. These degradation of egalitarian into words with ominous intents has reached a dead end, it is being thoroughly breached into desperations of common people. We need to reclaim words that defines egalitarian values and human progress that hinges the shared aspirations of humanity. These cannot be kept ossified into 20^th century contexts and value system through narrative control of few. Modern world and its continuously emerging challenges need forceful semantics. Words holds meaning. Meanings are vibrant and constantly evolving.               

Interesting premise for a book

This book The Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan works on an interesting premise. He chose to focus four domesticated plants namely Apple, Tulip, Cannabis, and Potato, each representing an important class of domesticated plants i.e., a fruit, a flower, a drug, and a staple food, to trace its social and natural history. These ‘domesticated’ plants took “advantage of one particular animal that had evolved not only to move freely around the earth, but to think and trade complicated thoughts. These plants hit on a remarkable clever strategy: getting us to move and think for them”. Its about exploring social natural history from plant's perspective. As Pollan puts it “That’s why it makes just as much sense to think of agriculture as something the grasses did to people as a way to conquer the trees”. Phew, figure that!               

A finite life

A finite life 

Infinity is a place on the beach

Where you can walk forever and ever.

Where passing clouds and waves repeat

Again, and again.

Continuity of ocean breaks into discreet grains of sand.

The scene pixelated in infinite possibilities

Looking at you from shores light years away.

Thinking thoughts pause the fleeting moment

This sliver of time

This finite life

Through this human form

We are given only this much to see.   

nasa is live

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RA8Tfa6Sck

Two minutes to impact!!

Urgent collective action

 

Nature thrives in collective action. World is sustained by collective actions of different forces. Symbiosis and mutualism are norm. Predation and competing, though for specific limited purpose, these too are synergic part of the system that sustains life. Humans cannot survive on their own. They are dependent on biodiversity services of nature. Nor individuals can survive without society. That really doesn’t mean humans are social insects. Humans are sentient, and have free will, aspirations and different conceptions of ambitions and ideas of life. The instinct of life is byproduct of billions of years. Evolution is gradual consolidation of these instincts. Nature optimizes and not maximize; it sets it limit through synergic association with surrounding. Understanding nature’s instinct will therefore add significantly to awareness. Inquisitive minds and wise people have sought to understand these and consolidate into subjects of inquiry and knowledge. In this critical juncture of existential threat instincts of collective actions needs a way.    

As mentioned earlier systems that dehumanizes and isolates from humanity are constant threat. Significantly it prevents collective actions. A thriving collective action needs aware knowledgeable individuals otherwise collective becomes a danger of herd that has potential to be misled into mob. It is from these dehumanizing frames another regressive value system emerges that propose some as especially capable, some blessed individuals uniquely endowed to solve humanity’s concerns. Popular medium and entertainment has driveled these into mass psyche as hero worshipping -god is only a carefully constructed expressions of these. These seemingly proposing humbleness to bigger forces tend to undermine capacity of human. Individual assertions are classified as arrogance while individuality is seen as a threat. When someone escapes the tentacles of these regressive systems and is able to contain his/her unique human identity to contribute to humanity and if checks system's conception of success i.e. money, power, fame so on, then they are sought to be appropriated as blessed, as specially endowed, with divine grace as supernatural, as heroes, as avatars. Such is the degradation that money, power, fame -the paraphernalia of greed, sick minds, are presented by market as defining attributes to emulate to be successful. Since system rarely produce space for uniqueness hence we are presented with cheaper versions of entertainers with much fanfare. Comic versions are now serious mega buck heroes and influencers carrying the burden of humanity for quick and easiest fixes consolidating the subconscious narration of religion, of providence, of miracles. They create caricature of possibilities into implausible that needs superheroes, divine presences and blessed saviors.     

Life in itself is a providence. Each and every expression of nature is a miracle. It is only when humans are dehumanized that they fail to see these miracles. An evolved society will make it natural for humans to be part of the miracle. With knowledge, awareness and presence, they effortlessly connect and become perceptive to the vibrant universe surrounding us. Depending on their attitude, passion, they gain skills to explore. Thus, whether in art or science or both -since nature doesn’t work in silos nor mind, they sense the essence for humanity. Thus increasing our awareness and understanding hence evolving collective mind of humanity into a better world. It doesn’t need any specially endowed human or specific blessings since every life is part of the miracle and hence capable to replicate that miracle. In primitive societies such presences are impossible so binaries are created to appropriate the exceptions as a lesson for herd on implausible divine, impossible superheroes, so as to keep them in leash while awestruck to the miracle of the system and otherworldly providences that can be converted into goodies if they obey and follow. In evolved society or aware minds miracles are common place without loosing any of its wonder.

Climate breakdown is an existential crisis. It needs collective action from all across the world. Some people emerging from primitive societies are pushing for divine intervention -a super hero, an avatar or someone specially endowed with miraculous power (preferably a white male or a whitewashed exotic agreeable representation) to propose mindboggling solutions that unblessed are incapable to even comprehend. Beware of these mahatma burden carrying charlatans with severe savior syndrome. There is a reason why youngsters from some societies (particularly Scandinavian region) are actively involved in pushing for urgent climate action. Ofcourse, it has spread to other parts of the world creating a vibrant movement among youngsters but what is to be noted is that these aware youngsters are reflection of the evolved nature of society and perceptive education system. You will also note this kind of heightened awareness among tribals and aborigines who are synced with nature and can sense changes. Climate action is nurtured and empowered by active participation of youngsters into collective involvement from all across the world.

History is no reference

 

What happened a century or centuries back is no reference for events now. Contemporary world is quite a different place and is significantly evolved with immense awareness hence has nothing really in common with medieval times. The present cannot be judged from the prism of past. Past can only be understood. The only context when primitive references of history matters is when some present systems trace its values from history or seeks legitimacy through history or primacy of traditions or tries to replicate it through institutions that intends to suppress and discriminate group of people or individuals. This is true for white supremacist (fascist, nazis etc.), exceptionalism of anachronistic religions (through caste cannibals, monster mullahs, white racists, herd fantasy, so on) or feudal institutions like monarchy that nurtures deviant values and norms that is anti-thesis and a persistent threat to democratic institutions and egalitarian values. No country or society in the world valued equality, liberty and primacy of law in its true sense even a century back. World was a nasty place. The world as of now, despite its lacunas and serious flaws, is the best of humanity’s possibilities. Democratic values in its true sense nurtures egalitarian systems and humanistic concerns. It fosters each individual to their potential.

There are two issues -which claims wronged history to rectify present, that needs attention. With death of british monarch debate was initiated on reparation with specific reference to Kohinoor diamond (a crystalized carbon that shines and had many wasted Homo sapiens irresistibly attracted). Let us make it clear few centuries back colonialism was a norm, at local level these were exploitations nurtured by feudal ways and idiosyncrasies of the ruled, any space for sanity was provided through patronizing hence control. Nincompoops in Indian region were incapable to defend themselves from colonial forces or invaders is not the fault of colonial forces or invaders. There was no rule of law, not by the invaders nor by the invaded society. It was might that ruled and decided. The claim for Britain reparation for colonial loot is quite ridiculous. How much is estimate of reparation? Who decides? Also, even within Indian subcontinent the feudals owe a reparation to common people. Where does this debate end? Britain is different country now so is the region of Indian subcontinent that was colonized. History froze in 1947. The rule of law came into effect. It is the democratic ideals that needs protection. 

Serious concern is not reparation or loot but the system that is being sustained. The feudal values that is nurtured through monarchy, as also how much it associates with colonial ways and racist mindsets. Most significantly, how much have these british medieval theatre of absurd influenced and degraded nascent emerging democracies of Asia and Africa in last many decades since independence? In many ways flawed society’s path towards democracy and egalitarian values, hence aspirations of common people, were actively undermined by elite sections who sought extra constitutional authority by emulating monarchy. Feudal values negated democratic institutions into pomp theatric ‘traditions’ while nurturing exceptionalism, nepotism and crony capitalism. Those who value liberty, equality and ideals of democracy must fiercely resist feudal forces even in its benign proposedly stabilizing form. It’s a dangerous and persistent threat to humanity. Democratic values through individual right and rule of law assure liberty and equality hence hope to common people. Hope brings stability.

Second issue is that of Gyanvapi mosque that is being claimed by hindus. What has happened in history cannot be claimed on present. Ramjanam Bhoomi/babri masjid case was different matter made worse by devious castetva congress capitalized by hindutva bjp. The site is now occupied by gyanvapi mosque, so it shall be. There is a distinct possibility that temple was demolished and mosque built over it. It was a norm during medieval time. Might ruled. Also, as invaders demolished temples common people did not come out to defend since it is quite possible that they had no dealing with temple. Indeed, temples weren’t space for egalitarian values or morals. It was a space that nurtured degrading dehumanizing values. How Buddhism exited out of India to contribute for egalitarian societies in East Asia must be studied. Also, how gods connected to local region, nature and saints were appropriated and castefied (avoid using words like 'brahmanical' since it gives leeway to castetva forces and their narrative control context. There are also compelling reasons why caste cannibalised words like pundit, pariah etc. were introduced into english and still used with impunity while caste cannibals played liberal savior exhibiting proprietorial entitled control over common people of India in West). Meanwhile sensitivities related to shivling must be respected and so need be handed over to hindus. Herds controlled by devious forces using religions shouldn’t be excited against each other. It is only common people who will suffer while deceit position. It is quite clear that religion is a threat to humanity and a terrible waste of time. Rule of law must prevail.   

A magnificent creature nevertheless

A magnificent creature nevertheless 

Bees see more colours than I can

Birds see colours I cannot conceive

Mantis shrimp see circularly polarized light that I don’t even understand

Fire chasing beetle sense heat I don’t feel

Elephants hear what I cannot sense

Moth locates scent miles away

Butterflies taste with their feet

Crocodile sense pressure many times over my fingers

Killer fly catch prey in space of my eye blink

His brain process visual information many times faster than mine

Dolphins echolocate what I cannot locate

Shark sense electric field

Robins use earth’s magnetic field to migrate

Dung beetle use milky way galaxy as navigational aid…

What I see and do not see

Not blind yet not so

What I hear and do not hear

Not dumb yet not so

What I sense and do not sense

Invulnerable yet not so

Yet I claim exception in all my actions

I am created in god’s image

I am all the million multi-headed, multi-handed, bigger and smaller gods

I am the wise

Yet I lack the sight, sound and sense of common place.

Yet I am another magnificent creature in the vast oasis of life.  

Word salad 

Ideograms of undeciphered thoughts

Hieroglyphics of forgotten deeds

Words stampede from left to right or right to left

It may float or congregate into strange patterns

Or collect in a bowl

To be eaten raw

Stream through blood

To decipher alien thoughts

Of civilization lost     

On studying useless thing

 

Market with active support from religion -as signs of blessing, have nurtured aspects of usefulness for herd to be kept occupied and controlled. Hence whatsoever doesn’t fall into this matrix of usefulness is deemed useless pursuit. Usefulness is clearly about extractive mindset -that market capitalism sustains on; it is quantified by money and power of control over herd. This then is showcased as success for which we are expected to strive for. Primitive religions authenticate these as outcome of specific blessings that is being granted. So, more money, power and godforsaken fame is to be latched with god returning the favor to obedient devotee. Hence the stampede to please and obey. 

It is in this context education is qualified by usefulness. Thus, we have younger herd members prepared to replicate the template of success by carefully regurgitating useful education into money churning enterprise. They compete and waste, and essentially become threat to all that is cherished. Market defines usefulness in education hence create goals to be attained. Religion works to authenticates these as god’s will. The more the young mind is goal oriented more extractive mindset settles in destroying the potential and capacity of the human. They become a cog in the competition to prove their worth in the extractive system. The existential impasse we are in can easily be traced to these devious ways of control. TedCruz is an American embarrassment on humanity. His extractive mind emblemizes the threat. Extractive mind essentially lacks qualities that define human, compassion being one. No one anywhere anyplace in the world should be taking loan to learn. Education must be free, if ever it should be minimally charged. Student in debt is a failure of society. Most importantly education must strive to create self-aware individuals, inquisitive to learn for knowing and using latest advancements to understand. Whether what they find interesting to be pursued or researched further must be decided by individuals and their aptitude. Society is expected to nurture the minds as presences to probe and sense the reality and subtleties. Awareness increases depth to observation. Fields of expertise are just tools. Only an evolved society produces such presences which therefore becomes common place, a norm. In primitive societies such presences are exceptions hence claims of blessedness or great souls. In these presences there are no binaries of usefulness and uselessness. These presences are excitements of life expressing what it means to be alive. It is these presences over the centuries that carried humans from caves to the sophisticated comforts and value systems to explore. Education is being conscious to all that connects lifeforms and systems at work. What is useless in extractive system is useful in life nurturing systems. In nature there is nothing useless. That ofcourse doesn’t mean carbon trapped in likes of TedCruz is in useful state.                

 

British embarrassment is now international embarrassment

 

The world is seeing worst of people churned in by complacent insecure people -lulled by consumption driven market and dehumanizing religions, into the helm of affair when existential threat to human life on earth is becoming increasingly apparent and imminent. As the climate crisis takes hold (as indicated by pandemic, food crisis, energy crisis etc.) nationalism is expected to rise as devious people controlling the systems will arbitrate to please the herd, and very soon as the situation deteriorates richer section will barricade and isolate.