Longue vie à la France!

 

Olympic opening ceremony was one of the best in the living memory. Contemporary, elevating freedom and fun, fierce individual assertion in a classic French way that makes it endearing and will be remembered for a long time to come. No staid choreography -that is reflection of authoritarian order, but lively chaos of life on river and monuments. Idea of France is a defining idea of humanity, and to assert that in such energetic carefree way is what defines human life. This is also what sports is all about. Liberty and freedom are indelible hope for future that stand against limiting feudal world and restrictive religions. Pièce de resistance was ofcourse spectacular scene of beheaded Marie Antoinette, shocking and hilarious –a constant reminder of sinister presence of feudal values that degrade our ideas of just world and threaten our hard-won ideals on which humanity is hinged. French people condemned monarchy to the dustbin of history, flourished in new energy of freedom and with it breached sacred narration of feudals as status quo settled space for social progress (what it created was cesspool of ascriptive exceptionalism and exploitative value system). Emulation of last supper was counter narration that very much reflected contemporary assertion of individual choices and a firm statement on diversity against authority cultivated by sacred mainstream icons. It also reminds us that how liberty and freedom is being restricted and really cannot be counter narration but celebration. We can imagine a world without religion and border. We can imagine diversity of lively choices that defines what it is to be human. Longue vie à la France! May they assert their values and define humanity for better deal and a beacon for hopeful future. My only concern was that they could have included valuable indigenous voices from French speaking regions.

Meanwhile usual social media outrage and rage loop of lowest denominator attention seeking industry was alive with ridiculous and wasted. Some calling it satanic, lucifer, pagan, garbage, and what not, ofcourse with detail analysis in well exploited template of conspiracy theory for herd to munch on. Worst of the people were triggered. Mediocre castetva media in India too showed its tentacles (sample herein) linking nutcases to create narration that align with their ‘pure’ worldview. They have also found ‘pure’ allies in feudal Britain to fight hindutva! They are charmers and movers of degraded sinister world. Beware.     

let the game begin!

 

Dangers of divine rights and coronation

 

US is a flawed nation. But despite its horrible flaws it continues to be one of the few spaces on earth which values democracy, liberty and equality -how much of it is practiced can be debated but structure is intact and intend is valued. Much of best human endeavor originates in US hence to a large extent path of humanity’s progress and hope. US remains a significant nation and indeed a positive presence despite the horrors. It is for no reason that much of the world wants to, and continues to, migrate to US as it provides opportunities and freedom. It provides the best of the world, and ofcourse the worst of what a liberal progressive society can bring. Open societies expects responsibility and awareness to sustain, and this is where it is collapsing. Neoliberal hedonism can give impression of liberty and freedom but it is severely limited and sets the rot. Rule of law is collective will that comes with awareness of duties of citizens, or else we get violence and police overreach, there is general lack of trust on individuals and institutions which gives way to authoritarian rule. Neoliberal hedonist values breed pernicious nihilism that is mistaken for individualism. It leads to alienation and regressive collective consolidation. Lulled into alternate reality, consumerism sedated reasoning faculties, fantastical grandeur that opulence presents creates vision of chosen people, abstracting worst template from religion for atavistic consolidation. In a very riveting way, you could trace Huxleyian indulgence consolidating into Orwellian nightmare. Lack of awareness and irresponsible ways also means they are incapacitated to fathom the loss, the irretrievable nature of collapse. It happens when all the breathtaking human progress, unique context of evolution, is lost in daily inanities and bickering. Degradation of democracy is a loss to humanity. This becomes critical considering that much of world is deeply enmeshed in primitive swath -the evertightening grip of uncouths that is also actively nurtured by opportunist manipulators in liberal world. Democratic institutions, defining values of human progress like freedom, equality and liberty, are constantly being threatened, weakened and compromised, not only by fascist forces but also by dangerous liberal posing debauch persistently undermining ideas of diversity by encouraging regressive as collective identity. Semantics of primitive horrible past is being carelessly used to forever freeze narration and condemn humanity into recurring hell. Trapped in a fantastical alternate reality they are incapacitated to glimpse the profound progress all around nor are equipped to realize spectacular opportunities to evolve and understand. Exciting possibilities and hopes of future are lost in limiting intellect and instead constructed past becomes dreamland of perfection. Insatiable neoliberal wanton greed and omnipotence of opulence gives way to visions of mythical grandeur of past devoid of any context or care. From this putrid cesspool the calls of revivalist con artists gains credence.

The foundation of US is consolidation of republic that defeated monarchy, the british monarchy -theatre of absurd is still kept intact as a tribute and sustenance to feudal values across the world. US, despite problems, stands as beacon of democracy and liberty. Recent ruling by SCOTUS giving immunity to charlatan Trump invokes medieval concept of divine right -an exception not meant for common people, this british value system is a severe assault on progressive ideas, liberty and equality, it is an affront to modern world we live in. Now, anointing Kamala Harris as successor without due process is another blot on democracy. Democracy is not about coronation with cabal of nodding elite, blessing media and hooting plebs. Democratic party is in increasing danger of becoming like Republicans in their pursuit of power.

When evil is beyond Kafkaesque

The conception of evil arose from alternate reality of religion, the intention was ofcourse betterment of individual hence society, simultaneous evolved awareness with degradation of hedonist world makes conceptions of alternate reality -conceived in medieval times, inadequate and meaningless to deal with complexities and urgent emergent realities of contemporary world. Evil was created as neat binary of good (which extended to juvenile conception of heaven and hell) for ease of convenience, a simplistic premise of moral for people to latch on to. In the uncertainties of medieval times, it worked to create workable ethical standards and synergy of dealing. You can deal with evil, or atleast equip yourself with an understanding, if he or she is a human. A human despite flaws suffers from human condition. Despite the megalomaniacal sickness and grandeur infected from alternate realities of religion and market they will have to face existential doubts and weaknesses that are too human. Now imagine an evil beyond human conception, an evil which is no longer human, an evil that is not contained in the binary of good or evil but carries complexities of good and evil. An evil that is beyond Kafkaesque -a suffering of modern times that mix existential and human condition into neglect, a bizarre and illogical world of total alienation and utter horror. An evil so logical that it questions our hold on reason. This has never happened before in human history, it is unprecedented. This is what is unravelling.

In the recently concluded G7 meet in Italy Pope Francis addressed the group on dangers of AI. This is significant, now I do have strong reservation on religion as also its pernicious presence in contemporary world but I do find Mr. Francis interesting and indeed a valuable and influential presence. So, whenever he speaks about anything other than religion, I give it due importance to probe further. The risk of autonomous weaponized AI is real. AI weapons that are trained and authorized to select their own targets and attack without further human authorization. It an evil that cannot be adjudicated with human reason nor contained by human condition. It augments ‘conventional, nuclear and cyber capabilities in ways that makes security relationships among rivals more challenging to predict and maintain and conflicts more difficult to limit’. AI is set to become indispensable part of defense system as it provides invaluable strategic advantage and insights that humans have no access to. It has capacity to identify patterns beyond human conception that even adversary did not plan, and then, recommend most optimal dynamic strategy to counteract in realtime. The simultaneous transfer of information to top decision makers in crisis situation is matter of concern since these become black box decisions -not accessible to human logic or reason, indecipherable to humans -that may leave them unsettled, but nevertheless certain of its strategic advantage. AI is superior to human reasoning with access to deepest pattern of reality in a way that is beyond human capacity, indeed range of human thought. There are two immediate issues here when non-human logic is introduced into military strategy; firstly, the strategic advantage created cannot be halted since enemy will be perceived to have formidable advantage, and secondly, since these capabilities are undecipherable accountability cannot be fixed hence severely impinging democratic discourse space and diplomactic negotiation imperatives. AI already has an upperhand over humanity. The race for strategic AI advantaged formidable defence system has already begun, and most likely is being used by IDF. There is a need for international moratorium on destabilizing AI capabilities that has exceptional destructive capacities. It is an arduous task since AI’s separate logic system by its very nature is incalculable hence generates autonomy and is adaptable to extremely volatile reality. Human oversight is essential before it spirals into most optimal strategic advantage bypassing humanity. AI cannot be autonomous. Transformative AI capabilities needs verifiable restraints and authorization for irretrievable actions where human lives are at stake. This new emergent reality needs entirely new vocabulary to deal.                          

Alternate reality is weaponized

There were always attempts by sinister forces to create alternate reality so as to trap humans for control and gain. Religion and neoliberal market are compelling source of alternate reality. The seeds for religions were spiritual yearning for better understanding of reality that weren’t apparent to immediate experience of senses. It also attempted to understand egalitarian values and spread morals which had significant impact on consolidation of humanistic ideas and ethics. Alternate reality in this context was idealized version, evolved reality, that were sought to be inspiration for compassionate humans and a better society. It was also an attempt to understand human condition hence also opening philosophies of inquiry. As religion consolidated and moved away from benign intents systems of alternate reality became source of control. Instead of empathizing with human condition and reality of their existence it proceeded to systematically strengthen alternate reality with specific aim to trap and control people in the garb of faith. Sacredness and holiness were judiciously used to create systems of control in the alternate reality. Capitalism infected market with its own alternate reality of exaggeration and manipulation for immediate monetary profit, in many cases working closely with religion. Emotions were once valued, now it is commodity for exploitation. Human relations that were meant to consolidate society into better self is now occasion for manipulation. So what we have is herd fixated on gains from alternate reality (manifested through blessedness, good fortune, closely working with opportunism and crude values) while losing track of their reality, alarmingly in many cases use of mental faculties and basic sense. 

Rapid proliferation of social media in the last decade has created virtual reality that further consolidate alternate reality away from individual reality and context of living and life. Virtual reality easily exploits the template of religion and mechanism of neoliberal market to create an addiction to alternate world. Unlike the basic intention of alternate reality that religion created -to ameliorate human condition and vision of better world, virtual reality created by social media was never an attempt with egalitarian intent or humanistic concern. It was opportunistic venture within the neoliberal capitalistic framework to amass profit from new technology. Better possibilities through social media were effort of few essentially against overwhelming odds, indeed in the attention seeking cesspool such synergic association for voice were exceptions. It surely cannot be denied that internet has done much good and made life easier by making world accessible and transparent but mostly it has had a devastating impact on human life and society. It continues to spiral down into attention seeking economy pulling majority into lowest commonest denominator of reckoning. The brutes and primitives create rage and outrage loop for audience to gawk. Technology cannot really be blamed, it has help consolidate the existing framework of alternate reality and efficiently streamlined for benefit of few. Virtual reality has augmented alternate reality and made it more vibrant and immediate, and indeed very plausible alternate reality for many. In this milieu misinformation and disinformation find easy takers while conspiracy theories not only rival mainstream media discourse but is seen as participant -also a reflection on how much media is compromised that it has effectively lost trust and is no longer seen as credible source but representing agenda in an increasingly polarized world loosing faculties of critical thinking and with it connection with reality. Sincerity is no longer a survival attribute of Darwinian (wrongly attributed and wrongly understood) economy. Trust is lost. Fact becomes subjective. With it the edifice of discourse collapses.  

Enter AI. AI brings exciting possibilities of exploring reality in a way that is beyond human capacity indeed not available to human consciousness, it is redefining reality as we know -as mentioned earlier AlphaZero and Halicin are marvelous example in the limited context that shows immense possibilities of AI. It has potential to make deeper reality accessible to us beyond human capacity. Meanwhile, in a not entirely unexpected turn of events, it is being used to weaponize alternate reality. It has increased potency for misinformation and disinformation and provided ammunition to conspiracy theories. Fake is now compelling and fast replacing real, and with it devious people normalized into everyday life in a new urgency. Unless AI apps are stringently regulated and responsibility assigned this is downhill with devastating consequence. It is important that AI apps (as also oversight on foundational models) is aligned to liberal values and factual probabilities without restricting its creative possibilities. What is being played out in US is a lesson to the world. In 24/7 social media glare each happening has conspiracy mongers scooping in with alarming alacrity and amazing efficiency, and with latest intrusive technology they consolidate compelling alternate reality to polarize and control the narration. As it is AI chatbots have increased efficiency to manipulate emotions in a way that is unthinkable and scary. With its superior reasoning that is beyond human conception it is unhinging our critical thinking faculties; it has sown doubts on our abilities as human. At this critical juncture we need to firmly hold on to our deepest held ideas and consolidate humanist liberal values that define modern society and possibilities of better future. AI must be unraveled and put in context by the deeper meaning of what it is to be a human. 

Tourist destination

Lake turns blue and add a perfect shade of green

Hyacinth’s waxy leaves adds to invasive allure

Palm trees line up and freeze against the setting sun

Cormorant emerge with fresh catch and a photogenic glee

Stork billed kingfisher pose expertly for top destination

Clam collectors wave their sinew body for better angle against the sun

Women stop their daily chores to arrange the exotic

Girls expectedly giggle, boys carelessly laugh

Polyglot tongue deep fried in desperation prowl for better deal

Shorebirds mud stamped hieroglyphs deciphered by the drowned

You will see miracles

When languages collide in mind

Thoughts cross boundaries

It’s like a river breaking into ocean

Fresh and saline water breach barrier

Words settle in nutrient rich unfamiliar estuaries

Subconscious sediments extracted from strange ages

Create diverse marshland of unruly thoughts vying for expression

Like an occasional mangrove propagule breathing an entire island

As if it is the only home  

Cumulonimbus is moving in

 

A decade back south west monsoon used to be languorous incessant rain, sometimes intense, but mostly dreamy stretch of cirrus stratus clouds and lively scenes. Rainy season stalled action, people shifted to special diet, lazy intonation of prayers and ayurvedic treatment for yearly rejuvenation. Intensity, and frequency of these intense rains, have increased dramatically in the last few years. Rain is now dreaded. It has become an omen for sinister natural forces in abidance. Kerala, a strip of fragile land locked between mountain and ocean, is extremely vulnerable. In my understanding Ockhi cyclone in 2017 was the trigger point indication of irreversible climate flip. Ockhi was a rare cyclone that crossed from east coast to west coast -taking people in the region by complete surprise, and travelled almost 2000km. After Ockhi there are clear indications that weather is detaching from fixed pattern into increasingly troubling unknown, things are not going to be the same again.  

Ocean temperature is steadily increasing and warming of Arabian sea is estimated to be 1.5 times higher than other oceans around the world. This creates dire situation. One of the significant outcome is change in pattern of cloud formation. Sea surface temperature rise creates atmospheric instability and intense low pressure, as also warming atmosphere increases the capacity of air to hold moisture, leading to formation of cumulonimbus clouds. Cumulonimbus clouds are vertical clouds unlike what you generally see during monsoon; the cirrus stratus spread out. Cumulonimbus clouds rise like a plume, born through convective current as warm air rises and cools, they rise higher and higher, thick and motionless stretching to wide area hence giving rise to static charge. They carry enormous amount of water leading to extreme rainfall and lightening and many a times cloud burst, and what makes it particularly worrisome is that it is difficult to predict. If you observed rain, SW monsoon is generally quieter unlike NE monsoon that happens during November-December -you could see cumulonimbus cloud building up during day time followed by intense rains and lightening in the night (as a youngster I even hid under the bed to escape the high decibel lightening noise of NE monsoon!, also recall, in the aftermath going to public library in Kochi to find about lightening). Things have taken a definite turn in the last few years. SW monsoon is now about cumulonimbus, intense windy rain and lightning, immediately followed by sunny and blue sky. Few weeks back I was caught up in this sort of rain, it was so intense that within matter of few minutes I was wading in one feet of water, lightening also killed two people. Such dramatic intense rain is increasing in frequency, and can easily turn catastrophic in fragile ecosystem. Be very concerned, something sinister is looming in the horizon. Be prepared people.                       

 

Faith of the matter

 

The last post was meant to be about stampede that killed more than hundred people and maimed hundreds more but I meandered into something else and decided I may not have to express thoughts on something that happens at regular basis in this blessed part of the world. But the way barbarians in the media are going for the onslaught, and the narration that is sought to be consolidated leaves me deeply troubled. Need to also add I avoid TV nor waste time on popular media of what is essentially a mediocrity thriving society that has potential to ensnare and waste you (apart from regular nonsense, including necessary slant to the news to conform deep narration, there is an obsessive interest in private life of entertainers and attention seeking upstart sundries, the voyeurism is intended to infect people while they gain attention and life affirming branding of superficial lives). I generally catch news trends on social media since I am located here, one must have a side glance on local, as also national, and international trends that excites herd since an excited herd has the high probability to intrude your world. If you don’t keep an eye on herd, you could be caught off-guard and trampled.

 So, in the aftermath of stampede that killed more than hundred and left many more seriously injured the nasty media was working on controlling narration. Instead of focusing on administration they were consolidating narration that was meant to demean and degrade the victims. What we saw was criminal negligence by essentially an incompetent administration. Incompetent because they are incapacitated to be responsible since once they get job security, influence over common people, they deem themselves blessed and will emulate all the debauchery of sanctum squatters. So, people gathering, stampeding, dying, not yet dead, dead, bodies (it is even difficult to show some dignity to dead body, the rote is deep), are all play of fate. They all share the same value system hence the market media play savior by focusing on lowest hanging fruit to milk the issue for daily wage as also consolidate their world view and blessedness. This arrogant display of power, influence and indifference in the most unfortunate of circumstances is what makes it especially depraved.    

Market media and legacy outlets -that were fed and fattened for decades, were seen focusing on nature of cult, vituperative details of hapless people’s faith while concurrently showcasing squatter authenticated pure worldview. They were highly critical of the idea of “human god”. Castetva and hindutva media were both vociferous in their contempt while they wrangle to play savior. Let’s be very clear this incorrigible debauchery in the guise of dispensing news is meant to insult the victims and an assault on faith of dead who died due to criminal negligence. What people want to follow, or not follow, as their faith is their choice. They face immense tribulations and have coping mechanism that is quite ancient system in this part of the world. What is important is whether it violated any law, rule of law is the only matter that is open for investigation. Even here conjecturing is being used by narration controllers to demean and degrade. And yes, in case you want to question the nature of cult then you must be open to these questions every time some tragedy happens, or even otherwise -I believe everything must be open to question and scrutiny (except something that is personal and doesn’t have any impact on others or society). Hinduism is essentially about cult, and cannot be sanitized into sanctum squatter’s infective ‘purity’ or sanitized temple space. In this society if people find someone of value they assign godly attributes, it can be good or bad (personally I think it is problematic particularly when deified or assigned inscrutable faith, but respect for great soul is valuable since through this evolved values get rooted, helps in betterment of individual and society) and can be manipulated by charlatans. But then what is it about religions that is different? Dude in imaginary space sending someone (worked as prophet) to write holy book that excites cave minds or god dude’s son worked his way up as carpenter to walk on water, performing miracles including coming out of dead, while another dude is habituated to drop in as avatar even for minor family dispute, working fantastical narration of simultaneously saving dharma, sometimes quite fortuitously as a king to fight devil in human form weaving compelling stories as moral study and message, another carried empathy to understand human condition but was converted into dude (so much so that hindi word for statue is budh). Millions pray on these as their focus of faith, they also fight and kill to establish superiority of their dude over other dude. Some peacenik arbitrate reminding that all dudes are same why fight! Ofcourse it rarely works with herd hooked to fantastical stories and supremacist ideas.

The point being made here is that cults consolidating few centuries back are normalized as ‘religion’, and passed on without scrutiny, even seeking protection for their herd as cherished identity, while recent herd working on the same framework are classified as unthinking peasants. This is unacceptable premise and grossly discriminative. Organized religions (as also organized hinduism) have contempt for “human god” hence legacy media and market players find these as easy prey, it’s easy to conform with powerful organized force than with righteous and unbiased scrutiny. Will they ask question, in case there is stampede during Ganesh chathurti, as to the ridiculous tradition of praying to God with elephant head or inane rituals, and eviscerate the faith through panel discussion and call for rational way of life? Will they question people stampeding in mecca or self-flagellating herd (such brutal self-flagellation in public space must be unlawful) as to why do they do such nonsense, of rotating around big cube or whatever, and initiate validity of mentioned in so called holy book, or praying a dead man’s statue screwed on cross? So, people have right to faith, or no faith, and they can follow whatever crap they fancy. In a free liberal society there is space to pursue one’s interest. Better ideas, evolved thoughts and innovative pursuits emerge in open societies. Such societies also see liberty misused and insecurities exploited. Ofcourse it is a different matter that these indicate failures of education, collective loss of society and incapacity of individuals. There will be cults, there will be degradations in the name of faith, there will be exploitation of insecurities -authenticated through long tradition of faith. Regressive values and dehumanizing traditions must be questioned across the board. Therefore this bourgeoise elitist attempts to classify faith into bigger -hence unquestioned as belief, and minor -hence ridiculed as superstition (on these matters sociologists and anthropologists suffer from dominant narration sycophancy hence cannot be taken seriously), must be questioned. The only thing that matters is; is it within the law, does it physically impact other (like blocking/noise/stampede) as also what steps state machinery has taken to see that it is properly conducted. Ideally, we should also seek to scrutinize how much these miracles driven nonsenses, holy texts, sacred traditions so on impact society as also individuals particularly vulnerable children, that is what is expected from civilized society and need to be focus of scholars. Critical scrutiny shouldn’t be confined to small cults or vulnerable people -indeed these diversity of faith connected to local reality could be serving immediate existential purpose with limited harm against colossal damage religions continues to unleash on the world. If you seek to eviscerate cults when hundreds have died recently then the same stringent standards and ridicule must be applied to religions. By making fun of common people’s faith and choices meanwhile safeguarding miracle driven balderdash of powerful religions legacy media and marketeers are showing their prejudices and essential incompetence that defines such ogle. They emulate organized religion's contempt for pagan thus reducing world into binaries to severely degrade humanity. What must be reiterated is that these kinds of recurring tragedies are due to state apathy and criminal failure of district administration therefore there must be criminal proceeding against them. Government job/money is not for showcasing blessing but performing duties efficiently and effectively. What is needed is empathy driven quality education. Meanwhile a civilized society will stricture media; ideally minimum decency would self censure ridiculing faith of recent dead. What is yet again made clear is that we don’t live in ideal world -not even decent, it is a crass crude world of beggar minds stampeding for next joint of opportunism. The irony not missed here is that when others die in stampede of different setting there isn’t any moment of self-reflection.     

Facing the evil

 

What do you do when insecurities you face in life is so basic that you are incapacitated to be a human? It is a grim struggle to claim semblance of being a human. When the system is hinged on fate, and fate has burdened you in debris of overwhelming odds, how do you claim your life? This is constant struggle of people in this part of the world, and many get trapped and trampled in stampede as they come in terms with reality of their existence and die miserable deaths. In this extreme violence on soul the human body is kept intact as a carrier of game of fate. Human bodies are where liberal battles of democracy are fought. Bodies are kindling to keep the flame of grand narration burning. It must spread the brightness of fiction of nonviolence and diversity, and we must reclaim the dimming brightness with more sacrifices. Incidentally, Shaivism was very much a primordial cult with extreme tendencies and violence was very much part of its bearing (which could be traced to stone ages without the later consolidation into Shiva -much later appropriation into hinduism). Shaivite cult formed mercenaries of war in ancient medieval India. The attempt to sanitize into nonviolence doesn’t stand basic scrutiny. Ofcourse these were assimilated into squatter narration, and myth were churned to consolidate and work out divine relationship between various sects, and with narration control these were stamped on to people. One must add cosmic dance is quite a nuanced idea and a charming visual motif, the spectacle of death and mayhem emulated the existential nature of life during uncertain violent medieval times. Not only invaders, infighting, natural disasters, but disease wiped out much of population regularly. Microorganisms added much uncertainty to life.        

Hinduism was never really a religion as is understood by organized horrors on humanity. It was built on cult and myths, on conveniences and wisdom, practical and spiritual. Oldest ideas of human yearnings and myriad faiths knitted the concept of singular religion that assimilated quite recently -as it faced organized religions onslaughts (as also better narration of control hence vigorous myth building that emulated organized, ending with prominence of single book -bhagvad gita) and later pressures of nation state et al legal needs into single entity. Meanwhile over centuries local traditions were assimilated into its fold with myths of bigger gods, grander avatars and smaller local representation (hence the local god through compelling apophenial side story became symbol of bigger trinity). Squatter control created a pan subcontinent narration that were spread through these channels which consolidated with power. With it the framework of misery which acquired neatness as colonial british saw the opportunity of easy exploitation. Divine rights were attributed as the inbred cannibalised the region into worst of humanity with purity of purpose. Nature provided the bountiful while the region slipped into wasteful mediocres and pompous nincompoops sowing vilest values. The best of thoughts were always exceptions while nuanced contribution from this region happened much before squatter consolidation -enlightened Upanishad were contribution of vibrant seers and saints (inbred mediocres are incapable to have the intellectual brilliance, the wisdom or any empathetic qualities) contributed much to Indian/Hindu philosophies that is plagiarized into sanskrit -sometimes the mismatch in claim and affect is hilarious!, while much of ‘philosophies’ were embarrassing grand urges of imbeciles. Later contributions happened as a resistance to squatter degradation and growing tentacles that had started to eviscerate humanity. Incidentally, Hinduism, as is understood today, cannot claim Nalanda. Nalanda was an Indian idea of quainter humanistic world that was determinately against inbred squatters, and there is a definite reason why it ceased with spread of Hinduism. Buddhism was not trying to reform squatter consolidation of hinduism, it vehemently stood against it. If marauding Islam demolished and burned the physical idea of Nalanda the spiritual idea was demolished by Hinduism. Islam destroyed violently while hinduism destroyed nonviolently. It is striking that nonviolence posing MK Gandhi took quote from bible on the “famous business of turning the other cheek” (it so happens that I am reading Joseph Brodksy’s collected essay Less Than One, and had intended to write about a few weeks from now), moral supremacy is a serious infection afflicting caste cannibals -the sense of entitlement and compromised self-worth/hometruth makes them easily susceptible to narcissism. What is infection on humanity is the reason for some to live. What kind of people are these?

Brodsky deals with this moral balderdash brilliantly, it needs intellect and empathy -deep awareness of human condition, it has to be lived, and a lawyer politician turned moralist caste cannibal is surely incapable despite the best effort of narration controlling cheerleaders. Brodsky begins by putting the context; since ‘turning the other cheek’ is not fully quoted (“a line taken out of context will leave you crippled”!), and indeed in the limited context the ‘moral victory’ could be mistaken by the adversary (it also has to be understood and emphasized: a superior adversary where you don’t have any chance of fighting back) as impunity. Brodsky quote in length an incident that took place in prison in Russia, the young prisoner “remembered the text of Sermon on the Mount better than Tolstoy and Gandhi”, he understood the complete context. The context of the quote continues with ‘let him have thy cloak’, and further do whatever is demanded, and this is where goodness shifts to metaphysics, hence cannot be quantified into the needs of modern politics. Brodsky elaborates “Quoted in full, these verses have in fact very little to do with nonviolent or passive resistance, with the principles of not responding in kind and returning good for evil. The meaning of these lines is anything but passive, for it suggests that evil can be made absurd through excess”. “The victory that is possible here is not a moral but an existential one”. Brodsky explains “To base ethics on a faultily quoted verse is to invite doom, or else to end up becoming a mental bourgeoise enjoying the ultimate comfort: that of his convictions. In either case it results in yielding ground to evil, in delaying the comprehension of its weaknesses. For, evil, may I remind you, is only human”. Giving exaggerated attribute to evil, indeed constructing one to distinguish themselves is what Indian liberal posing “mental bourgeoise” do as they parasite on dehumanizing system and cannibalize common people. Prescient and perceptive Brodsky was devastating on India “ethics based on this faultily quoted verse have changed nothing in post-Gandhi India, save the color of its administration. From a hungry man’s point of view, though, it’s all the same who makes him hungry. I submit that he may even prefer a white man to be responsible for his sorry state if only because this way social evil may appear to come from elsewhere and may perhaps be less efficient than the suffering at the hand of his own kind. With an alien in charge, there is room for hope, for fantasy”. Brodsky was too benign in his understanding of Indian society. Common people don’t really suffer from illusion of “own kind”. They very well understand evil that castetva represents and sinister nature of their posturing. Brodsky calls for innovative vibrant original forms of resistance to evil, implying that staid morals of religions have far lived its context. Resistance to evil must emerge from reality of the world we live in.     

The language the earth speaks

The language the earth speaks

Is no longer the language I know

I repeat words to get the meanings

It rains, rains, rains

It’s hot, hot, hot

I listen to the warblers for interpretation

They have changed their tone too

They migrate to stranger places

Where there is less rains, rains, rains

Where it is less hot, hot, hot

 

False equivalence

 

When falsehood is not tagged by coordinators for dubious reason of balance of debate it is being wantonly unpardonably irresponsible. Opinions and views cannot be based on lies, it is a basic flaw, the onus is on the system to flag and rectify it immediately with corrections. It means media must be extremely competent to the task it is assigned. They must be aware and ready with each and every detail of the issue with fact and figures from authentic source. If debates are carried out in ethical vacuum with nobody taking any responsibility it degrades society, it makes discussion meaningless, it makes debate farcical. Also, we live in a world where intrusive tech is questioning the very frame of authenticity, manipulation is being weaponized. People are being bombarded with all kinds of videos and sound bites that are fake. Meanwhile people are being sedated with loads of inane information and outrage, and are systematically incapacitated to think. It is indeed natural progression of neoliberal controlled market media working on exaggeration and manipulation. Millions of people across the world ruin their life stuffing processed food which are promoted, indeed extolled, as smart choice for unthinking people literate enough to efficiently execute their inflated crave. Entertainers, and now godforsaken influencers, are cleverly promoted as opinion makers within this charade that has come to define democracy. It is people's choice. Nothing explains likes of Trump to be even considered seriously. It is a failure of society. It is also a failure of democracy that frail unfit Biden is made to assume that he is the only choice left to save the "free world", while others play tictactoe in the sidelines without any urgency for increasingly dire situation. Ofcourse they will not have to pay the price, it is always the common people who will be in misery, while they can easily position to be savior without taking any responsibility whatsoever and amass power and influence.

The other day NYT edit asked for Biden to step down from the presidential race. There was hue and cry from what you thought were sane people. Some ask why was no such call made to felon Trump. Well, this is classic case of false equivalence. Trump is the failure of legal system; they could have stopped him decades back; it is also an indictment of elite section who indulged and nurtured him for decades despite apparent grievous flaws. It is an ethical failure. He is byproduct of manipulation. The call to step down is a joke for him and his supporters since they reached here by gaming the same system which is now asking them to be fair! Waste of time, or maybe an occasion for moral positioning for incorrigible few. Asking Biden to quit is about realism, it is a practical first step in an alarming situation. Lacking critical thinking or awareness herd -with voting rights, are trained on perceptions, ‘strong man’ narration is foundational embed. Also, they seek confidence, connection and sense of security. They need someone to articulate the reality for them convincingly. Lacking critical thinking they live in logical fallacy of argumentum ad verecundiam, authority is always right. Hence authoritative figure must exude confidence, otherwise facts are suspect. In this world attacking the person weakens the fact! Facts are right or wrong depending upon the person, another of logical fallacy ad hominem. So, if Biden pauses fact is weakened. Imagine how degraded the world has become with constant bombarding of misinformation and disinformation. The reason why Critical Thinking need to be a must subject for students as also for media (as Taiwanese minister mentioned few years back, we need nerd defense against herds!). Interestingly tu quoque logical reasoning of pointing out the hypocrisy can easily destroy charlatans like Trump but that needs strong articulation, timing and context. These are simple basic needs, and if you cannot even understand this then what the hell.                                              

 

Deeply upsetting

Watching American presidential debate upset me in no uncertain terms. And this from a person who is located thousands of miles from USA and has no stakes in US elections whatsoever. Narration in US has substantial impact on humanity, as also, despite grievous problems this is a region that has provided for much of liberal space that values human liberty and freedom. It nurtures best of minds to channelize for progress. There are few evolved spaces left around the world and is being rapidly diminished by market, religions, feudal values and opportunism. US elections does matters to humanity.

I am sure Biden is a nice man and much liked, and that makes it terribly upsetting to see him struggle, not because there is anything wrong with him. He doing his best as the physical self allows him to. It is obvious that Biden is not what he was few years back. Some people age faster, some people slower, it becomes difficult for some people to do things that was much easier few years back. A politician at such high stakes situation must be alert in his/her demeanor, sharp in communication, appropriate in choice of words, ready with forceful ideas, emphasis of nuance that syncs with people, subtle humor that consolidates empathy and charm, exemplifies human condition and ofcourse heightened awareness of context and responsibility of his/her position. That an elderly man with weakening senses is being put through these angers me (placed in front of a charlatan who should have been easily muzzled in his own lies and deceit), watching his desperate pauses and prime time scrutiny on his loosening grip also crumbles something existential in us too, it was excruciating. This was not a debate it was a spectacle. A spectacle of callousness. A disturbing confluence extracting contemporary uncaring world into focus. No caring person would like to see their loved ones to be in such a position for crass cruel scrutiny. Democratic party must be ashamed of itself, they suffer from such amazing sense of entitlement is truly shocking. It also puts focus on the system that connives to place an elderly man in such state of desperation for world to gawk and comment, as also nurture a con artist to be his adversary. As they say democracy is like an egg shell weak from inside if the checks and balances are corrupted, nepotistic and infected with crony capitalism.

Surely Democratic Party will have their own mechanism to find a suitable alternative at the earliest. As an outsider I see Michelle Obama as a brilliant possibility.           

 

 

Shravan Sibling's Burden!