Disappearance of Peng Shuai

 The disappearance of Peng Shuai is not an issue that should be confined to tennis, not even to sports, its a matter of grave concern for humanity. How can state be complicit in disappearance of high prolife sportsperson? People do get vanished from across the world (in impoverished sections of big cities like Delhi children go missing all the time), and the life of people concerned with environmental issues are seriously periled in recent times as greedy corporate unleash its power. State is complicit in disappearance of people who threaten their power and status quo of elite. If democratic institutions are strong and if people are vigilant then these become difficult or there is severe backlash that the state cannot afford. The problem becomes acute in totalitarian states as also countries with quasi democratic systems that is controlled by elite. Disappearance of Peng Shuai becomes a grave matter since China is now becoming a powerful nation that has potential to substantially decide the fate of humanity and therefore has a responsibility. Atleast countries like USA or European nation -despite their human right violations and exploitations, provides space for outrage and protests. Since people in China have no space for protests it becomes incumbent on people across the world to voice in. Chinese authorities should not be allowed to carry on as if this is normal. This is not normal. This cannot be normal. Yes people are being killed by authoritarian state but the impunity with which an internationally known sportsperson faces the same fate should not be allowed to go without a challenge. With high profile sportspersons and internationally known celebrities joining in this must be made an example. A recognizable face like Peng Shuai must be made a rallying point against impunity of state. Chinese authorities have lot to answer. 

International bodies must take action. All sporting links with China must be suspended with immediate effect. If Chinese authorities are complicit, and it is increasingly clear they are, then there is a case for even expelling China from UN and other affiliated bodies. This matter must be taken with all seriousness it deserves. 
     

Existential creativity

Beautiful disappearances

On the undulating fringe of colliding stars, galaxies and black holes

Hurling asteroids sow the atoms in the implausible ocean

To snatch miracle of starlit life from engulfing chaos

It congregates in misses and chances to evolve

Into complex breathing shapes and colours

I see

I notice

I experience and I witness

The disappearances

And scramble to save the memories of existence

Of the last flutter that gravity extracts

Last bloom that colour spreads

Lost fragrances that once swept the hills

Patterns of finale merge with each vagrant weather

Every loss ebbing my life in diminishing silence

My grief is not mine

It’s the grief of everything alive

It’s a sadness that stretches to eons

When elements conspired to create consciousness  

 

Sometime back I was reading “The Memory Police” by Yoko Ogawa, it’s an Orwellian dystopian world where things disappear and are enforced to be forgotten. It’s soon erased from memory. People don’t realize the loss and seem least bothered as things are back to ‘normal’. Each day something or other vanishes. The protagonist uses her writing as surreptitious means to preserve the memory -something that is resisted by draconian Memory Police. There is a riveting passage in the book where rose petals inundate the river as people stare in awe, indicating that roses have disappeared. A bystander remarks as he observes the river flooded with petals "This is the most beautiful disappearance ever". Next day there are no roses.  

Last month there was Biodiversity summit, as also IUCN report so on, pointing to species getting extinct at alarming rate as also numbers too are dwindling significantly. People don’t seem to be bothered, even during COP26 meet rarely was much importance given in media nor was it trending while juvenile entertainments kept herds here in India interested. Now, these news will disturb those who are close to nature -read about it, watch documentaries, experienced being in nature and know the sublime connections (as also those who have studied biodiversity and its importance) but for people staying in cities and towns with minimal interaction, contemplation or observation of nature -at the most utilitarian, this is another boring news -indeed in the infotainment market meant to keep the herds excited these don’t even qualify as news. Therefore it is important that to comprehend the enormity of loss one has to witness, experience and be connected. I recall almost two decades back we witnessed Siberian cranes in Rajasthan, there was so much excitement while we spent hours and days observing. Narrating these to people back in Delhi made me stand out as odd. Within a year or so Siberian cranes stopped migrating to the region. Imagine the loss we felt. Now imagine if these birds become extinct. Will anyone in Delhi be bothered? The reason why people need to experience being part of nature. This must begin quite early in life through education system, or else during holiday stays in resorts. Most resorts located next to forest or eco fragile regions are rarely interested in these (atleast when I started off as naturalist, indeed I had to create the position and explain. Now ofcourse things are changing). Otherwise issues like climate catastrophe or biodiversity loss will not resonate despite dire consequences. The greedy systems are working to make profit while failure of education is a failure to realize human potential and therefore incapable to comprehend reality. 

The other day I was reading Ben Okri (Nigerian writer), he writes "We have to ask unthinkable questions. We have to go right to the roots of what makes us such a devouring species, overly competitive, conquest-driven, hierarchical". "We have to find a new art and a new psychology to penetrate the apathy and the denial that are preventing us making the changes that are inevitable if our world is to survive. We need a new art to waken people both to the enormity of what is looming and the fact that we can still do something about it", and proposes "existential creativity, to serve the unavoidable truth of our times, and a visionary existentialism, to serve the future that we must bring about from the brink of our environmental catastrophe". "As a writer, it means everything I write should be directed to the immediate end of drawing attention to the dire position we are in as a species. It means that the writing must have no frills. It should speak only truth. In it, the truth must be also beauty. It calls for the highest economy. It means that everything I do must have a singular purpose".    

 

Chennai is facing the brunt of Climate breakdown

 For last few days Tamil Nadu is facing the onslaught of North-West monsoon. A combination of climate assault, faulty planning and greedy irresponsible ways has making of a disaster. One thought last major flood in Chennai (in 2015) would have cautioned but the herd controlling systems prevented it while the herds were too happy to be distracted with inanities. With majority of people poor impoverished and exploited tragedies are delegated fate. 

Climate vulnerable cities with dense population must get their act together to focus on climate adaptive mechanism. Sponge cities is one compelling alternative that must be taken seriously. Like, for instance, you can create huge stadium like structures with deep underground parking facilities which during summer act as recreational place while during flooding turns into water storage. Policy makers must take responsibility.  

TONIGHT CHENNAI IS SET TO FACE INTENSE RAIN. When there is no preparation one can only pray and wait for fate to unfold. 

 

Increasingly less reasons to be optimistic

 

The show

I have a dark room in my mind

that I enter on neglected days 

festooned with horrifying

cold, damp, and still

hanging in unending space and recurring time

I see passing processions of gaiety and grief

to emote an appropriate response

unaware of past or any clue of future. 

The trickster on the street

entertains an absent audience

his skinny body folds up

and he dance in deathly frenzy

for the moment

    to exist.        

Moonlight clouds 

I dread the passing clouds in the moonlight

It blanks the night into swaying spirit

The trees, the river and the restless crows

Enter the silence as if in a pact

Punctuated by rushing stars

Pulsating in heart beats

From light years to light years

        Swirling in churning space 

Incapable and incapacitated

 I read somewhere that as people age they become cynical and rigid. That may not be true. Over the years I have come across some wonderful vibrant elderly people, but these are not norms in an overwhelmingly bleak scenario degraded by systems. Indeed, I have come across more and more youngsters who are cynical and sarcastic, either as a reaction to systems or coopted by it -either way it really cannot be positive. With overwhelming omnipresence of technology -that opens up amazing possibilities, youngsters are also getting exposed to systemic oppressive values and manipulations at an early age. Having awareness and deeper understanding -that comes with exploring their senses to realities, and comprehending with their mind as also exposing to interesting thoughts and contemplations is how unique presence gets consolidated. Overwhelming and constant exposure to systems tends to destroy this uniqueness or very likely makes one reactive, and this has debilitating impact on young minds unless ofcourse they are protected and natural inquisitiveness nurtured. We live in the best of times, and its increasingly clear, in the horribly worsening time. Although humanity is having best of life’s possibilities anywhere experienced in human history, we are also seeing real time breakdown of life sustaining systems that were exploited to create this sense of wellbeing. We are passing the tipping point and real time collapse.  

So, with great expectations we are watching COP26 at Glasgow. And I must add I for one (like billions of people holed up in their little corners across the world working their existential problems and survival needs but still concerned, atleast for some hope, in an increasingly futile scene) is getting quite cynical. With the absence of major nations like China and Russia we aren’t sure how this climate commitment -if ever, going to work. Fragile egos of few is how our lives seems to be hinged on. Placed in primitive society like India I am quite aware of this frame but I was expecting something different at international scene when facing with overwhelming odds. To put their little lives aside and take responsibility. What emblemizes the tragedy of the times is leadership of the summit. Boris Johnson is the sickness of systems we have created (and by no small measure the fattened fluffs who contributed to the reactionary choices for common people meanwhile also the worst of nonwhites in the cabinet, as representation). I had overwhelming sense of anguish, and seethed in anger, when I watched the image of venerable David Attenborough (at the age of 95, active enthusiastic and concerned -a rare human being – a life well lived) was made to sit next to unmasked drowsing pile of a human. Then there are formalities of “excellencies” and what not as they speak to the audience while studiously avoiding each other. I am told there are discussions happening in the back drop. What is clear is that the system is not placing -indeed incapable, the best of humans to deal with what is essentially the most crucial occasion for survival of life.

There is a sense of dread. You really cannot blame when concerned youngsters are getting abusive. They may even get violent. It’s overwhelming odds they are facing, and decency is least of concern (reminds me of jostling to get into crowded dirty bus in Delhi every morning -you have a livelihood to work out, you got to survive). It’s about survival and all that they love.  In their limited frame of action, they tend to get reactionary. While on the internet chats there is another section who are fed by the systems and algorithm to be vile and bring out the worst in human being. Its getting difficult.

I am closing down.   

A transformative leader

 

The world is desperately looking for a transformative leader in the trying times we live in specifically for climate emergency. Transformative leader is an impossibility in the diverse world but yes, a collection of thoughts, a collective expression, that speaks for the people and nature -other species, is what is possible. There are some excellent articles, columns, views as also action by younger generations and by indigenous people across the world that has shown signs of hope in what is indeed a bleak scenario. Technology has provided so much of possibilities for people to consolidate, express and seek action. But there is a vast population that is piggyback riding achievements of few from caves into 21^st century. There are systems that has nurtured these mindsets. It is as if last few centuries understandings have bypassed them. At the risk of repeating, it seems to have become a rant -what to do it need to be told, religion is a definite source of unthinking mind that is infecting vast population across the world. It is consolidating a frame of adherence -an obedience, that is incapacitating minds to use faculties of rationality and critical thinking, to use data and evidence to create understanding that is responsible to the reality. The system has manipulated the space for spiritual yearning to entrap people, dehumanize and segregate. The spectacular evolution of life's consciousness: the human brain, is reduced to rationalizing utter nonsense. It has even made potent tool of education meaningless and compliant. The herd is therefore easily coopted by market into money churning enterprise. They also weaponized scientific jingoism, religious nationalism, liberal hedonism, monarchy patriotism, and continue to infect egalitarian ideas and assault sensibilities. We must be vigilant and any attempt to diminish humanity must be fiercely resisted. Humanity must be asserted at every instance.

It is quite ironic that any person who comes close to the understanding of transformative leader happens to be Pope Francis. Most leaders are elected hence are limited by the systems that has debilitated democratic and egalitarian values. In varying degree it’s the lowest commonest denominator rather than synergic humanistic values that is being represented. Market has monetized human relations and compassion to make it meaningless. Precious values of democracy and liberty is being undermined to pander degrading systems. Pope Francis, though limited by degrading religion, has been able to assert the humanity and compassion through the limited frame of functioning. His faltering, whether the question of abortion, gay rights so on, is the failure of the system. It is utterly ridiculous and debasingly juvenile to carry on these horrible values in the contemporary world when humanity has so much progressed and has insights that were not available few centuries back. Despite the system’s failings he has been able to assert aspects of humanity that is becoming increasingly rare. He is a genuine human being and holds sway over millions of people across the world. He doesn’t suffer fools and so it’s sad to see him in the garb that really makes him feel trapped. Nevertheless, and admirably, he is able to use his position to spread concern for deteriorating values -specifically when racist and supremacist use religion to spread hate (in USA). He was probably one of the earliest leaders to realize the threat of climate change and able to influence minds of vast population across the world. Despite functioning in the limited and degrading frame of religion he is a positive presence. Quite an inspirational and transformative leader in many ways. Pope Francis epitomizes the hope as also the tragedy of the times we live in. It is sad that we have less leaders like him.     

COP26 meet

 We are all rivetted. Hopefully concerned common people across the world (busy and distracted in their own existential struggles) have access to live telecast of important discussions on these critical matters that affects them. 

Cannot help but repeating this: Internet is amazing. 

Are you, you need to be?

While watching COP15 live on youtube I heard a brilliant speech by a youngster (not able get the correct name) of Global Youth Biodiversity Network (GYBN) from Philippines belonging to indigenous population (these are human beings who are closely connected to nature across the world -aborigines', tribes, native Americans so on not yet blindfolded from reality into fantastical fictions by religions or market and other dehumanizing systems). It was an amazing experience to listen to her. Unfortunately, she didn’t get the kind of acknowledgment nor appreciation that was expected. Today I thought of listening to her again -the simple lines articulated deep thought that had me riveted, but couldn’t get it online despite searching it for quite some time. 

Finally, I found CBD recording. Sadly, it was watched by only 1000 odd people in a population of more than 7billion people in the world. 

You may please visit

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcQFIxc7kmg&list=PLjpSs1uejVAnSVyI86tXZCHxf1WQOzkrY&index=61 for the full speech. It’s only 5minutes long from 2:01:30 to 2:06:19 

Her charming self-effacing speech was interspersed with these lyrical questions.      

Who are you?

Are you, you need to be?

Who are we as human beings?

Are we, we need to be?

Who are you as decision makers?

Are you, what you need to be?

Who are you as future ancestor to the next generation?

Are you, you need to be? 

She concludes her speech with these lines

So dear delegates who are you as a human being as a decision maker as a future ancestor? Are you really who need to be? I urge you to be the leaders that we need you to be.  

UN must apologise

 

UN’s role is being seriously scrutinised. Next few weeks are crucial. Though UN is a conception of the world after Second World War it remains the only potent platform for international agreements. Powerful nations and interests have bypassed UN many times (if you recall unilateral misadventures in Iraq 2003 that violated all international laws and norms as also basic sense). For common people across the world (as also other species and nature) who are divided by nations and other pernicious systems like religions and unsatiated greed of market UN remains only hope for international agreements on global problems.

There is however reason for pessimism the United Nations (UN) Committee on the Rights of the Child, the global human rights body tasked with protecting children’s rights, refused to hear youth from around the world who are threatened by the climate crisis. It is a serious setback for humanity. It clearly shows flawed values governing at the helm of UN. Let’s be unequivocal about this: CLIMATE CRISIS IS A VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS OF FUTURE GENERATIONS. We are the violators. We are all culpable if we don’t take action and be responsible. UN is exhibiting collective arrogance of contemporary world and supreme assurance of its entitlement that comes with flawed estimation of their eminence as arbitrators of crucial matters on which life on earth is hinged. These ego heads need to understand that it’s not about them. It never was and never will be about them. They are too insignificant. It’s a statement on contemporary world that such people are in the helm of affair as also reflection on mess we are in. This is not the occasion of power and control. They have a responsibility. The onus is on them to fulfil these crucial responsibilities and show concern. Remove your false conception and just be human. Its difficult but try it. 

UN COP26 is starting on wrong foot. There is a need to be apprehensive if not hopeless. Anger and disgust that the responsible youngsters feel is not only well placed but make us responsible and force us to act. The problem is that these so-called leaders are not only arrogant with fragile egos (Greta Thunberg blah blah does it well, surely ruffled lots of plastic feathers on thick skins and is rocking the cosy system) but are in the position of control being successful as herd controllers. They cannot think beyond the herd controlling systems unless the herds are impacted and wake up to reality. They are incapable to be proactive. There are no leaders or visionaries but compromisers and fixers. The world armed with digital media arsenals quick in opinions lacking depth or concern conjures its leaders in its shape. They are going to meet in Glasgow for the sake of humanity and yes other species too. What should we expect?  

In dismissing the case, the UN Committee has told children, the future generations and other species, that climate change is a dire global emergency, but the UN’s doors are closed to them. They must fight urgent global issues within their state boundary! What arrogance. What lack of conviction. What kind of horrible people are these? It is baffling and deeply disturbing.   

UN should apologise to the children.   

Algorithmic predation

Algorithmic predation 

It builds on binary of negation

0s and 1s chopped up into chunks

Packets routed through fibers crossing mountains and ocean

The IP taps screen with an easy assurance of a serial killer

Taken in by the charm but still wary, the sixth sense wagging crazy

You type in the request

“O hell is that what you want I could feed you more” gush the algorithm jinn

Go ahead click it. Give me your attention.

Trust me on this.

Biological evolution superseded in dopamine groom.

Cognition accumulated in experiences, valuing, accessing

go haywire into sinister grip

tightens on latent neural circuitry mastered in caves

Feedback frenzy loop recommends meaningless outrage, generously reward addiction, suggest self-worth  

Targeted, tailored, depleted for data

Carbon units morph into silicon units in full self-awareness

the freedom of choice

into a pixelated world of pixelated dreams of next depravity

next fantasy, next alternate truth and conspiracy clubs

Sure you want more. This is fun. No strings attached. 

Hunter troll dredge deep for prey and meet the mob

chasing matrix of likes, shares, comments, cults

and death wishes.

       

 

  

GDP and Bhelpuri

Wow what a pleasant surprise!

I found this scribble/poem “GDP and Bhelpuri” written some 25years back in the Sahitya Akademi journal (published in 1998, I must have scribbled it in 1996) that I mentioned in my last blog entry. I thought I had lost it like many of my early writings in rain flooding and carelessness, though mediocre and naïve attempts but loosing writings that one spent lots of time, effort and thoughts is rather painful. So, discussion on GDP did happen while we hanged out on beach for sunset but nobody was eating bhelpuri (I though prefer peanuts -salted roasted in hot sand, that is quite common in Kerala during evenings. Amazingly crispy warm peanuts that I haven't really come across anywhere else in India, in Karnataka you get boiled peanuts) nor throwing stones at stray dogs. I wanted to work a contrast to bring in the absurd and some fun. Anyway, these were shallow attempts and I was quite impressionable impulsive fellow without much reading habit to get reference for good writing unlike knowledgeable youngsters these days (I mean, look at youngsters like Greta Thunberg or Amanda Gorman and their insights, its mindboggling). Serious reading of literature happened few years later in libraries of Delhi. I mostly kept scribbles to myself. Then this random fellow pushed me to get it published (“Get it published man”, those days youngsters said man and not dude, now they say bro, recently I heard yo!). So here we are. Again, it’s quite mediocre and embarrassing attempt and travesty on idea of great art form called poetry but I still find it quite funny in a stupid way. Reminds me of the lost youngster trying to earnestly understand things to find his way through the careless world.       

GDP and Bhelpuri

This friend of mine

would discuss GDP only eating Bhelpuri.

Crushing the puri of the Bhel,

with saddened mockery,

loosening his executive tie,

he would discuss

crashing of shares at BSE;

gulping generously,

he would suggest,

The Finance Minister should show restraint in fiscal measures.

Flexing his fatty muscles,

he would suggest,

the rupee needs to be strengthened,

Ogling at the legs on the beach,

he said,

the economy needs to be in good shape.

Pushing the urchin away,

he would talk of

the need for liberal credit policy,

Stamping the sand castle,

he would say

Investor confidence needs to be built.

Whistling at the dames,

he would express concern,

at the falling value of the rupee.

He would flow his hand,

over the receding hairline,

and tell me about the horrors of recession.

Taking a stone

he would throw it

at the mongrel,

Straight and direct.

And say,

Foreign Direct Investment should increase.

As the mongrel howled

in protest

He would look disgustingly

and scream

It's the political set up

"Democracy, the bloody hell."

As we sat

watching the sun set,

into the stretched blue Arabian Sea

the sky filled with

beautiful pink, blue and red.

He would shrug

and say,

"you know what, Saju

it’s all a mess,

only God can save this country now."

Looking up,

he repeated,

only God can

as the birds flew motionlessly

into the sunset.

*Saju in the scribble is my first name, for those who only know depalan.       

Economists please stand up to be counted

 

It’s about time that economists are held responsible for the mess we are in. They are foot shoulders of flawed economic system. They are the enablers of flawed value systems. I am not into economics and have trust deficit but I do follow Nobel laureate economists like Krugman, Stiglitz, Thaler as also Piketty on twitter to get some insights, also watched Kahneman on youtube, so on but they rarely express concern for these serious flaws or any insights despite being erudite (I met Elinor Ostrom in Bangalore many years back, she had valuable understanding on “tragedy of commons”). Few hours back António Guterres the UN Secretary General tweeted that “The planet's resources still do not figure in countries’ calculations of wealth. The current system is weighted towards destruction, not preservation. The world must reconsider how GDP is calculated, reflecting nature's true value in all policies, plans and economic systems”. It is therefore important that economists take the responsibility. They need to have an international conference or an important addition to Glasgow to sort out how to define growth. The present GDP led development is going nowhere. They need to factor in nature, and help arrive at an economic system that nurtures life. There is no point having big theories if it is only fueling destruction and misery. From Schumacher (Small is beautiful) to Raworth (Doughnut economy) and many have provided insights and templates to work on.

Footnote: About two and half decades back while sitting on the beach in Kochi watching sunset I had a discussion about GDP with a friend. Later I scribbled a poem to express the absurdity I felt titled “GDP and bhelpuri” (lost the copy, it was published few times, quite a naïve attempt). The world hasn’t changed much in its understanding. The sunset is as beautiful, and the dear friend died in an accident. And after all these years I watch sunset with same awe but a creeping sense of anguish and despair.

UN Biodiversity conference begins

 An important conference on Biodiversity begins in Kunming China. This is precursor to significant Glasgow summit. Common people should have access to live participation, now that the digital platforms are quite advanced. I recall Biodiversity summit in Hyderabad many years back where only official delegates were allowed but there were some interesting stalls and discussions by NGOs and individuals on the sidelines that were open to all. All these international meet should have digital platform option for common people across the world to have free access. The world has changed in last few years, everyone should have easy free access to these important international meetings which has common people and planet as stakeholders. The Indian crab mindset (of not allowing people while making their life miserable meanwhile keeping them distracted, in fatalist loop or patronized entities hence show power/blessing through bureaucratic jugglery and wasteful ways to keep important issue at abeyance) must be shunned. It is not for reason that squatter tamil word "paklaam" became a byword for solving any problem anytime anywhere. The chalta hai value system that make the third rate Indian media to be least concerned about these issues (wherein India is a biodiversity hotspot as also extremely climate vulnerable) as they rake muck and sniff for immediate profit. I feel sick to be part of this degraded society. Thankfully internet is such a lifeline. 

Its a request to international community to not emulate primitive people, and make it easy for common people -who are equally concerned, to participate and understand the intricacies of discussions. There is a difference between participating live and going through final report highlighted through media.        

Sickening righteousness

 

Righteousness has its place in evolving values, to attribute morals for better dealings and anticipating the best from others. It’s a transaction for a better world. It’s about loving best in everything and striving to create a better world. The problem begins when you seek purity, that is, morality as the only aspect for dealing. You construct narration around morality, controlling structure of what is perceived as better, now this could be from oppressive systems like religions or through state power to control herds. There is an attempt at using ideas of morality to not only control but degrade others. Morality is therefore coated in sickening righteousness to dehumanize the other. Morality poses itself to be on a civilizing mission. This then also becomes pointers to define others, and divide and segregate common people. Indian society, like any other society that is deeply gripped by brutal banalities of religions, is sickening in its righteous claims. This is ofcourse land of mahatmas and pundits. Morality really cannot be allowed to undermine humanity. Values of human rights hinges on ethics, morality can only contribute. Giving primacy to morality would be giving fantastical fiction primacy over human life, and all that forms the beauty of life.  Decency is basic for dealing in civilized society, it’s a Kantian contract that is logical and deeply humanist.

Since time immemorial humans have been using hallucinants. Its but natural for human being to crave for world beyond their immediate. It’s also is a source of escape from harsh realities of life, ofcourse there are also other means to deal with oppressive reality but then each individual will have to live their own life and examine it in all possible way that life has to offer. And that is what makes life worth living. It’s also very common among younger crowds to experiment with life as they seek to understand and explore. It’s a new world, it’s a new experience, it’s an excitement that only youth can understand. It depends on ones understanding to put limitations where one sense danger or feel one is slipping from self-control. This changes from individual to individual, hence some fall into addiction. Ideally in a more civilized compassionate world all kinds of drugs should be freely available, and its individual who would make the choice as to how much to consume or not. If ever the restriction must be on how much is made available. Also, if the society is not matured to handle these kinds of freedom then please work to control the spread of drugs but do not victimize the consumers, particularly the young who are new to the ways of “proper” living. I have consumed drugs in my 20s, avoided getting addicted but had some deep insights, as also became aware of my limitations. Does that make me good or bad, or a criminal? Does consuming drugs anything to do with any ethics or moral lack? Humans are contradictions of emotions, and only understanding their own experiences in life give deeper insights that make them better. Denying experience is therefore criminal. Taking drugs is not harming others, its experimenting with oneself and with right understanding and circumstance has much greater possibility to come out as better person fully aware of one’s frailties. There is no need to be role model for others, not at 23 nor even at 83. It’s a sickening idea of acknowledgement seeking society that pursue personification of perfect qualities and construct purity to gawk. It’s a sham. Pity the society that needs role models (paraphrasing Sartre). Everyone is role model for oneself. Every day we strive to be better. Nobody can ever be perfect for others, nor try to be otherwise you will miss life. To be human being is to be gloriously imperfect while working to understand oneself and world better.   

 Consuming drugs should not be seen as a crime. It’s a society that lacks compassion that seeks morality in these. Some may consume to get a “high”, and maybe they would mature in life to realize that everything about life is “high”, starting from the sunrise to that insect struggling on the window sill. It’s an individual journey and nobody should have any right to pass judgement. If you cannot fathom the reality of other then you don’t have the capacity to be a human. Each human beings’ tribulation is a personal and deeply individual journey. We have the choice, the only choice, of being compassionate and pray for a better world. 

PS: I wrote this since an hour back someone sent a whatssap of collage of role models at 23 while the unfortunate youngster is shown wanting. It was deeply disturbing, and was sickened by the moral posturing of it. 

      

Extraction as enterprise

Extraction, from the earth, from the surroundings, from people, from whatever is the next opportunity is how enterprise is being defined. This predatory mindset is what frames entrepreneurship in most part of the world while possibilities of education is reduced as conduit. There is no care or concern as long as extraction is multiplied into money, and showcased as blessing. In primitive exploitation driven societies these are revered channel for personal aggrandizements and social mobility. As humans shifted from hunter gatherer -which ofcourse had its benefits, the extraction mindset took over. The extraction of land was how agricultural societies took root; humans were graded, animals were reared for extraction while exploitative systems took hold. When the immediate becomes abstract commodity relations are transactional. There is an inability to connect to individual or reality since extraction works through dehumanizing, abstraction as voters/followers/consumers. There is inability to connect through emotions of vulnerabilities but grander conceptions of reality. So, you see trees to cut not forest to sustain. There is an incapacity to be part of nature or thriving moment in ecosystem. Extraction is always exclusionary. It assumes a special place in universe while carrying predatory beggar’s mindset.       

 

On inequality

During pandemic one of the significant factors for rising inequity as elaborated by Thomas Piketty was in display for keen observers. As people suffered untold misery, hundreds and thousands of lives were being lost millions of livelihoods became untenable, the richest were getting richer. There is obviously flaw in the system (apart from ofcourse other major flaws that is pushing us to catastrophe) that seems to be favoring money over wellbeing. Even in India (rampant institutional inequity, rent seeking society) there was 35% increase in net worth of billionaires during pandemic while the economic growth was in negative! Piketty -French economist, has been explaining inequality for many years now and is indeed quite popular among wide range of audience across the world. Inequality is sharply rising and Piketty warns that it will become unsustainable when return of investment on capital is higher than rate of economic growth. Meaning a section is well placed while majority are in misery, and more the misery better for this richest section. And this not because of any divine providence or blessing just that the system is flawed or skewed to the richest. Piketty’s insights were proved correct during pandemic. This is akin to solar eclipse moment (worked by Arthur Eddington) for Einstein in 1919. Pandemic has been an eye opener in more than many ways, and with climate crisis looming it will be foolhardy to carry on with flawed systems. How IPCC meet at Glasgow -arguably the most significant meet ever for human race as also for the sake of other species, is going to point these out will be keenly observed.     

 

Update curriculum

 Climate change must be by now an important curriculum for study in schools and colleges. Its urgent that each subject taught at specialized level must have climate change as a framework for action. For instance, if you are teaching/studying civil engineering or architecture then there should be a core topic: Civil engineering and Climate Change or dealing Climate Change through Civil engineering. Similarly, for Commerce students: bringing Commerce to Climate Change, as absurd it may sound but every avenue must be explored to reduce the impact. The History of Climate Change and anthropogenic impact. Climate Management. The Science (Chemistry -acidification/bleaching/warming, Biology-biodiversity/species extinct/data, vulnerabilities so on) of climate change and how to deal with the crisis. The point being raised is that Climate Change crisis should be applied to every field of study. More than that there needs to be comprehensive approach that brings all the subjects together and removes these artificial barriers of studies to realities.

Shockingly school and college curriculums are not being updated, atleast the field of higher studies must be attuned and updated at the earliest. I have mentioned a decade back that when I cycled through coastal areas students were found to be lacking in basic knowledge of climate crisis. The other day I was interacting with students from premium technical educational institutes in the country about climate preparedness of their core competent areas and found them lacking. Their field of studies is not being updated for this existential crisis. It’s shocking the lackadaisical attitude of policy makers and educationists. They seemed to be immune to fast changing world wherein India with its vast population is distinctly vulnerable. There is a need for urgent attention in these areas of capacity building and expertise, and making younger generations equipped to the changing realities. Meanwhile this blogger in the last few months has added few YouTube channels in context to sustainable development through biomimicry with an attention on climate change as emerging threat. Visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rx9XaRsU5o   

Watch this masterpiece

...and see colors come alive

Morning walk at the beach

Every moment a wave thrash the beach and breaks into millions of bubbles, and as the wave retreat it creates interesting patterns before vanishing, and repeats. You can spent hours looking at these mesmerizing random pattern

When success becomes a failure

Kerala’s success in early controlling of spread of pandemic, in a cruel irony, is becoming a failure. Atleast that is what I am gathering from the experts in this field. The non-exposure to virus has left most population vulnerable. The fourth national sero survey by ICMR points to seroprevalence of Kerala at 44% while states like MP is 79%. While Kerala was able to not only control the pandemic but also death rates with efficient detection and isolation, despite having substantial aging population and high density, initially while the pandemic wave overwhelmed the weak health infrastructured regions around the country. People across the country died in hoards while the state literally collapsed. This strangely had the advantage of people being exposed to virus without really getting symptoms (not sure how it works). With seroprevalence of 44% and vaccination cover of 21% the infection is set to rise. Already the small state is contributing to more than 75% infection in the country, and we are told we have entered the third wave wherein children are expected to be vulnerable. Adding to the fact of politicians pandering to herd festivals that act as super spreaders – events like Eid and Onam. Death rate is still quite low at 0.5% compared to national average of 1.34% but there are allegations of covering up deaths into comorbidities in an attempt to salvage the image of the state – that has taken lots of beating in recent time. This blogger is not an admirer of much celebrated Kerala model – that surely peaked in 70s and 80s and is now a sham in the putrefying pit. Limited by the limitations of cannibalistic systems and competing herds. Literacy is incapable to become education. Health indicators produce opportunities but is limited by sick minds and regressive values. Grassroot involvements tends to work in the short run but gets entangled in devious political dealings and especially fragile egos primed in feudal values. Choices are taken in by consumerism and competition. Gender achievements are only statistics, rarely has any society experienced (maybe red necked Christian part of USA where women enthusiastically participate against abortion or monster mullahs barren land that spread with choices of under the tent modesty) that even women are enthusiastically entrenched in patriarchy. Herd women celebrating

degrading temple rituals spread through sanctum moral vacuum is extension of these regressive mindset thus diminishing humanity and any possibility of progress. These are defining attributes of primitive exploitative religions, despite opportunities of literacy and possibilities.  Meanwhile caste cannibals points to exploitative history of women with multiple partners trying to hold property as matriarchy – mediocre Indian sociologists worked the narration. There is rarely any appreciation of nature nor does education system create curiosity to verdant surrounding as the litters migrate to distant places as enthusiastic status quoist to multiply money or at the most incrementalists with greed as motivating factor -can do anything for money winner attitude, with compelling nostalgia for pit which becomes popular art.            

Forgetting the dance 

I am a fish in the poisoned river

I am an insect droning the street light

I am the bird knocked out by the window strike

I am a disoriented whale stranded

I am a turtle tangled lifeless in abandoned net

I am a giraffe skinned by trophy hunters

I am the rhino calf nudging my hacked mother

I am a shark without fin sinking into the depth of ocean

I am a tiger farmed for my body parts

I am a monkey tied up for research

I am a dog with ears and tail cropped

I am a chicken dying in my own weight

I am cow impregnated for milk

I am a pig farmed for meat

I am a snake deity defanged   

I am a cheetah cub groomed as a pet  

I am a caged parrot

I am an electrocuted elephant

I am the bull in the arena

I am an orangutan clinging to the last tree

I am an owl startled by celebration

I am the heron feeding on plastic

I am caterpillar killed by pesticide

I am a plant drooping in soot

I am butterfly searching for shade

I am a tree that has come in the way of development

I am a bee who has forgotten the dance

 

 

Update your priori

Well-adjusted prior judgments of 20^th century needs update. Last two decades have completely changed the world in the way homo sapiens have not reckoned in 200,000 years. Last few hundred years of understandings have culminated at breakneck speed in the last few decades. Internet made the world immediate, it also empowered ordinary people. Each individual’s interface with the world has seen cataclysmic change. Even poorest have access to device more powerful than what sent men to moon. In the last few years every human is given the possibility of change as also platform to join into action. With AI and quantum computing set to become everyday reality technology is becoming meaningfully pervasive but intrusive in an entirely unthinkable way that even science fictions are falling back! Biotech is another area that has seen breathtaking changes and possibilities, even giving humans tools to change an entire specie. Meanwhile diseases spread fast, microorganism upgrade and mutate. The visible signs of climate change add to the surreal feel to the contemporary reality. Cataclysmic changes are happening that each living specie on earth has not experienced in hundreds and thousands of years. Species are vanishing at a rate matched only by few instances in five hundred million years. Homo sapiens have clearly reached a cross road. From hereon either it's road to possible extinction, or very likely, some will work with technology to create a new space -doubtful whether this space will be inclusive and it's very likely that majority will face the incremental wrath of elements and perish in hundreds and thousands on regular basis. The stage is already set, and you can see rough outline emerging in the horizon, meanwhile majority are kept distracted with everyday excitement and entertainment inanities. Most people though have experienced precarious nature of life through pandemic, an uneasy sense of doom pervades deeply while forest fire's flare reaches sky, ferocious floods sweep fancy cars into guzzling underbelly of cities… With reality becoming increasingly immediate systems are getting exposed. There is no use of herd controlling when herd start to die or are distracted by overwhelming reality. The futility is hitting home. 

Rather than rationalizing anything and everything through crumbling systems it's the existential priority to face the reality. All lifeform on earth face realities of life all the time, and adapt or perish. Humans too started with the same template but lost their way into fantastical fictions -that though started with compassionate intent to assuage and understand, and mounting sense numbing luxuries and distractions. These egoistic holds and delinks are now becoming life threatening and perilous for humanity. The matrix of life’s data is firmly fine-tuned to reality. In this reality human beings are increasingly working out as liability. There is an essential need to invoke the long lost values of mutual trust and concern, a shared commitment to reason, and to act sensing the changing nature of surrounding. In short it's about time for human beings to assert their humanity.  

Any threat to democracy is a threat to humanity

 

Democracy hinges on individual rights and liberty that synergize into society to assert the potential to progress as human being. It safeguards human rights that extends to other species and ecosystems. Democracy is an evolved conception that assures civilized dealings and accommodates dissent. A free mind is an assurance of humanity. Therefore, to push a narration that some societies are not fit or ready for democracy (in effect some humans of some regions are incapable to be free) is not only spacious but reflection of high-end patronizing mindset that comes with laziness of wallowing in hedonism and assured capacities. Afghanistan is a case study of misery on humanity orchestrated by competing systems and clever cold manipulators. Brutal gun totting religious primitives, suave suit wearing carpet bombing democracy spreaders for profit and narration controlling keyboard warriors holed up in comforts of western cities with well placed angst are all equally complicit. They are eating the souls of people. They regurgitate fictions that suits their deal. It’s the Rashomon effect in the bleakest of possibilities. The stampede to control narration to present themselves as saviors.                

Every lifeform thrives in freedom fully understanding the limits that life puts, the conditions they sense to survive and evolve. Every human on this earth strives to be free. Only a free human can gain the capacity to understand responsibilities and value living in daily absurdities of life. Primitive religions -the anachronistic regret, should be humored and tolerated with pity but what we see is vicious arbitrators using these as opportunity to control and haggle for power. Spiritual earnings and mounting insecurities of hapless people are trapped into systems of barter. Humans are commodities in this conception. They are to be bartered for religion as unthinking faithfuls, for democracy spreaders they are comfortable means to exploit for profit as also pointer of benign grace of powerful, for politicians these are pawns in the game of strategic depths and for angst driven fluffs they represent untold bottomless opportunity for angst positioning. Afghan people running scared and cowering in homes from gun wielding monster mullahs emblemizes common people all across the world. They are metaphor of tragedy. Fodder to the systems of control.

West in its arrogance think that they can blatantly attack any region for profit and then cover it up by feeding chosen few and work them to control the narration. They represent flawed arrogance of democracy whether US – with absurd gun freedom, systemic racism and deviance of Christianity, or UK – that wallows in supreme assurance of colonial loots and tries to define democracy through monarchy patriotism. Under the garb of spreading democracy they are controlled by wanton greed and supreme omniscience as overseers. Meanwhile Afghanistan is a flawed society that gnaws its people. Beleaguered people never really got the chance to consolidate humanity as the competing forces massacred. People of the region are trapped in the vice grip of religion and poverty hence last twenty years of Western attempts were superficial. The collapse of Afghanistan is a testament to flawed intervention that couldn’t percolate. Empathy driven institutions and free connection of humans is what roots institutions to consolidate democracy. Further, when the sinister states like US (under Trump), China, Russia so on had started to negotiate with Taliban and authenticated monster mullahs for their devilish control over the region as also international geopolitical ruse what could common people do? They were given hope without any means to achieve. They were given choices that had life at stake.          

Afghanistan is a tragedy on humanity that will unfold into the depths of depravity. Religion can but only create nuisance and when these fantastical fictions are means of governance there is denial of centuries of human progress and understanding. Those western fattened fluffs who are helping nurture these dehumanizing systems as identity and attempting to equate with race are equally dangerous and complicit with spreading misery. Religion cannot be identity nor it can define or usurp ideas of protecting minority. Diversity cannot be degradation. Humanity is paying heavy price for these flawed values. Secularism must be replaced with humanism. It’s about time to stop nurturing dehumanizing ridiculous systems like religion that has become threat to humanity. As also wanton consumption promoting systems like capitalism that is defining development at the expense of life.     

When wanton consumption driven western nation attack or occupy resource rich regions to further the deep state controlled capitalism and its neoliberal values, they create nepotistic corrupt ecosystem of exploitation and opportunism in the region. They try to assuage these by using common people as fodder back home who take the brunt of backlash through terrorism, xenophobic hate, fundamentalism, while unleashing angst driven narrators who pose as moral bearing of society. They create binary. Us vs Them. It’s the easiest way to control. Thus, dividing humans into strifing herds.