On a Pale Blue Dot

As one is placed in primitive society like India (not that others are better, the neighbourhood is worst of one can think and vast darkness around the world, but cunningness of amazingly mediocre effete indian elite holds a special place, the way they gate crash into high and higher moral grounds with subtle and subtler feelings placed as they are firmly in putrid pits and horrible hometruths. It’s a truly amazing achievement), the havoc of faith driven nonsense and crude conceptions that posture in secular thrive that lack any hint of enlightenment or compassion and hinge on opportunism, democracy reduced to patronage dispensation and nepotism consolidation, add the liberal masquerade of market imbecilities  to sell hence the development ably orchestrated by squatter ensconced market media. The word defecators comfort as petty opinion builders that just embellishes the squatter narration, adhering and normalising worst of ways into modernity while technological innovations are only ammunition to manipulate everything to suit these so as to showcase as civilised. Meanwhile negotiating amazing mediocrities of sports –showcasing cricket buffoonery, art –showcasing movie trivialisations, and ofcourse then we have news that is nothing but positioning and branding that suit the immediate purpose. It’s like looking into petri dish full of cannibalistic worms that evolves from one ecosystem to another and keeps growing without losing any of its traits while sucking steered speciation gives visions of diversity. All that degradation you see around can be very easily traced back to filth emanating from sanctum scums and moral ethical vacuum herein.   

This very morning I was reading Carl Sagan, on watching the ‘pale blue dot’ (picture taken by Voyager 1 in 1990 from a distance of 6billion kms as it was leaving the solar system), something that most of us have read many times, and never left unaffected…

    

The Earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena. Think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors so that in glory and in triumph they could become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot. Think of the endless cruelties visited by the inhabitants of one corner of the dot on scarcely distinguishable inhabitants of some other corner of the dot. How frequent their misunderstandings, how eager they are to kill one another, how fervent their hatreds. Our posturings, our imagined self-importance, the delusion that we have some privileged position in the universe, are challenged by this point of pale light.

…To my mind, there is perhaps no better demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world. To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly and compassionately with one another and to preserve and cherish that pale blue dot, the only home we've ever known. 

Religious degradation creeps into public space

More than anything else it is the effete elites, working out their coterie cosiness in the feudal casteist pits and monarchical squalor, who seem very concern about their slipping role as guardian of liberalism (that has no resemblance to liberty whatsoever) as they soak in hedonistic choices and climb ever higher moral ivory tower. It is clear it is not about piece of cloth nor is it about women’s choice on any matter. It is simply a pernicious system that rides in the name of religion that this cloth represents and perpetuates which is the concern here. It is not about minority rights since religion cannot be seen as an overarching identity of individual that quite conveniently sidesteps human values. It is about a system that has pupated in the worst of social realities, and is a fertile source for gender discrimination and segregation. The modesty garb that hides patriarchy which see woman as object of gaze hence needs to stay hidden, this cloth is a symbol of that primitiveness that seeks to thrive. Indeed it is not even about the cloth but the mindset it supports and perpetuates. It is also about amazing level of arrogance that belligerently bulldoze itself in the garb of modesty –the higher claim for sickening righteousness, in the spaces that is public and innocuous. Further, it is very vehemently pushing the perverse idea that people who carry symbol of religion are in some sort touchstone of freedom and barometer of human progress. The reality being these are ridiculous and pathetic ideas devoid of any spiritual subtlety or sensitivity that seek to aggressively assert itself with impunity and selfishness at the cost of local communities. They don’t have any concern for others but push in their god given right, the reason why monarchists and casteist putrids are besotted to mullah’s degradation; it is a front that undoubtedly hides their depravities and stinking home truths. Indeed by pushing degradations in religion the effete elite posits itself as kindred souls without any involvement in common people’s tribulation, probably not even aware of it. It is amazing how they usurp the democratic space as spokesperson of high moral grounds without even caring to even move their fat ass from pits of monarchy or casteist feudalism. There is a mischievous comparison to nuns, this choice of outfit though regrettable is about celibacy and not sexual objectification. Secondly, one must scrutinise societies where these originate and conditions of weaker sections in such places and mindset on which these thrives. It is not about cloth but the mindset and attitude, the progenies carries these traits in the most modern of settings and see themselves misfit and victimised, and then they ask; where are we going wrong? It’s how effete elite tries to maintain their hegemony by creating and pursuing victims. It is amazing the kind of regressive revivalism seen in West particular by migrants, who ironically represent societies that seemed to have failed them in some way, the reason why they are migrating in the first place. That they are unable to assimilate freedom and hope that host societies represent. Very much reasoned by amazing levels of human achievements, that indeed is the reason why I am able to write these and within few seconds anyone across the world can read it. This spectacular world is what this blogger will strive to protect with all my might and being, fully aware that these are not accidents or miracles but a mindset and attitude that is made possible by sensibilities that thrive on human potentials. It is hinged on beauty of life and living herein.          

    

Religion is not a human identity; it is a human construct that is severely degrading societies. It cannot be a stand point on human right because humans are individuals and that liberty of individual carries the right of freedom. A social system can exist if it doesn’t curtail this freedom, any symbol of a system that stands on discrimination and prejudices cannot be asserted as right. Nor an idea that emerges from this system be sustained as only an idea or diversity of thought since an idea is about freedom of thought of an individual not as a representation of a system but representing humanity. Hence ideas emerging from system if it incites then it will have to be curtailed since it is representing the system hence by extension to the group that follows the system therefore incendiary against others. It no longer satisfies the definition of individual right hence human right. Significantly it is the rights of children that need protection from this religion driven brainwashing and indoctrination, and state has role to play as secular entity to protect and educate young minds to severely question religion and miracle driven nonsense. Children are not property of parents nor of state, these can only guardian who provide free space to grow. This freedom to grow into individuals is the beginning of basic human right, everything else is peripheral. The state, and society, is duty bound to protect this freedom.  

       

Religion is increasingly an anachronistic presence that only excites hedonist and effete elite as it hides their deviance meanwhile, since they have the control of narration, helps in the easy habit of patronising others and dispensing patronages in the name of human rights. It is this disconnect that is being exhibited by common people against the establishment, and soon will instigate reactionary forces that will gain support from populace. With social media common people have found their voice and the narration is no longer controlled by few. As the situation deteriorates with competing systems and as it reaches sickness effete elite will have nothing to loose as they are already insulated from people and situations. France must stand united against infringement of human right and seeping degraded nature of religion. Civilised societies must look at Indian ‘unity in diversity’ to know to what level society can putrefy, the facts and data point to deviant nature of this society that lack any empathy or concern while high on words that give semblance to democracy. Abysmal contribution of mediocre India to world community is a testament to degradation that awaits. Monarchical britain oxymoron in their colonial angst patronising hug was easy to infect. Brexit is an awakening that will have no space for pain of immigrants. Hence Trump. It happens when diversity is devoid of humanity and ideas lack enlightening pull of common good that brings people together. It is effete elite that is frothing out of neoliberal wind that has helped them sail this far. The fluffiness is not going to take them any far, social media has made the scrutiny urgent and immediate. And yes enlightened logic and individual liberty is going to be the benchmark for discussion henceforth. Nobody is on a lookout for patronage hence wordly chicanery will not wash. It is market instigated dustbin materialism that see benefit in moral cowardice that survive on democracy of dunces that slid to lowest denominator of survival technique. It’s a rush towards religious enlightenment without any contemplation.  As the system coalesce the absolutely sane people into single unthinking voice, an egoistic harangue against anything that doesn’t suit miracle fed holy books, the society is reduced to reactionaries devoid of humanity or even sanity. It is the great marshalling of humans to deeper and deeper pits, the circumscribed wasted lives that is being sold as religious piety. These venerated prejudices then lay the foundation of ‘unity in diversity’ (India) while Britain ascents the ladder of multiculturalism. It is an amazing cleverness to furiously maintain status quo and feudal ways while showcasing the higher realms of freedom, so rare a state, that common people are to be taken for granted. It is an easy jump from savagery to humanitarianism cleverly negotiating the demands of modernity clichés and immediate exigencies.  

                 

              It is high time that religion is pushed back to its place and followers held as set of people who haven’t really come in terms with reality, to their senses, and live in collective hallucination and holy books to go with it, which except for few pages here and there, needs to be dropped into the nearest dustbin. It is a loss to the potential of humans and hopes of humanity. If you loose the ability to know good people when you see one if you fail to acknowledge a good act when you come across one then the individual is losing contact with his or her own self and society lost to delusion. If you cannot differentiate bitter from sweet that means you have lost you sense. People tend to loose sense when given choice of nation, religion and other constructs that takes them away from reality. It is futile to see that which takes away humanity as representation of human right.   

How did this buffoon become a billionaire?

It's an american dream and world's nightmare. It’s a miracle of neoliberal capitalism and a market manipulation driven ecosystem that helps thrive people like him, and indeed most market success story in India too is about little Trumps, the burgeoning millionaires adept in multiplying money with least of any other known competence, that market media celebrates as part rising India. It’s about exaggerations, clever opportunism, creating perceptions and manipulations preying on people's insecurities and emotions while cementing primitiveness, and ofcourse being loud mouth is to be a leader while bullshitting is sales pitch. 

The feudal squatter ensconced sleazy worldviews and diversity celebration is the germination point of bullshit artists. Lies are passé. Lies need effort and counter logic, or atleast some concern for the other. Bullshitting is fun, it’s about bulldozing with impunity of power, and arrogance filled essentialities. It is this market's paradise that makes India so very investment friendly. It has lots of scope with religion’s balderdash (now elevated as defining identity and beginning point of human rights in pretentious West) and miracle seeking superstition is fitting well in neoliberal assurance. Clearly therefore caste based communities are now established facts in this putrefying society, hence the drivel is for equality of opportunity. Aw. Market's soothing balm and a promise. The impunity of this bullshitting is where the charm of mahatmas and pundits come handy. It’s an awe inspiring ‘unity in diversity’ world. One wonders why other societies are not so diverse and happy in the mediocrity muck that celebrates all forms of degradations (and it infects as they migrate to other parts of the world), and still has amazing audacity for higher claims. Meanwhile con artists take bullshitting to next level as they pose as leaders, intellectuals, journalists, writers, artists and whatnot with market inspired mediocrity and debauched blessings straight from sanctum (no queues needed) as they spread self affirming worldview with characteristic ease. Some even taking out time to exhibit occasional pangs of conscience as they furiously stampede for the grab, its a hint of high moral grounds that they salivate to scale (an after thought of 'dalit issue').  

 …so why am I not a multibillionaire yet? Seriously.   

The everyday choices

It is a common knowledge that in any Indian city the prime properties are held by certain sections, and they transfer it as legacy to progenies with much help from the government. Indeed the self-serving feudal leaders over the decades have been quite helpful, the ideas of democracy having had no effect on them nor on their conscience as they proceed to exploit and accrue. One could even assert that these amazingly mediocre leaders actively connived to perpetuate these inequalities, while they dispensed patronages and trapped people in disgusting traditions for votes. This could be said of almost all the disgraceful ‘leaders’ from 1950s to 90s as they benefited and perpetuated feudal and casteist exploitative norms while they consolidated their benefits. The foundation was always weak and they were least bothered to reform. Feudal lords still hold prime properties as they multiply money with desultory ease while negotiating their primitive self with modernity. The progenies meanwhile act as harbinger of competence and freedom, you could tell it from amazing level of mediocrity and complementing arrogance posturing as achievers. Forget land reforms even the token action of hereditary transaction tax was removed by none other than Mukherjeeji (to reach where he is now needs consistent degradations that some expertise). This blogger has mostly lived on the fringes of big cities and has seen the differences, where the civic authorities are active where they conveniently neglect, where noise is normal where it tends to become pollution, where people are crowd where they are citizens... It is only when Supreme Court judge notice his progenies wearing 'ninja like mask' to protect from air pollution that they wake up from habitual neglect. It needs something like Nirbhaya to blast on their face for them to think about reforming laws and be aware of problems of the people, otherwise they seem amazingly immune to the reality. It is a characteristic trait. It is these dubious type of leaders (essentially crude casteist mediocre people), over the last many decades, who have consistently allowed the government machinery to be degraded as they tightened their hold over people through status quo of primitive societal norms.

There are weekend markets held in poorer parts of cities, mostly on some vacant ground (that in itself is shrinking) or are on the outskirts. While in bigger cities the crowd, of sellers and purchasers, can be generalized as from mostly lower middle class, in smaller cities these market milieu tends to be bit complicated. These weekend markets in smaller cities tends to replicate the social system quite acutely as they haven’t faced the uprooting and jostling that accompanies the crowded spaces of big cities. You could easily sense the demarcations as the prime spots (includes the entry as also into the middle) held by sections that are dominant men and then women, evidently not for their quality of goods or wares but quantity as also the confident vociferous haggling and dismissive arrogance towards customers, while as the market fizzles outwards there are marginalised and eventually you end up with single women, and then lastly the silent old lady sitting open to the elements. The quality of the vegetables aren’t different but quantities are quite less but much cheaper. Bundled in bunches for ten rupees each and they will add more vegetables as they sell it to you probably as an assurance. And this is where I make the choice of purchase. To be able to empower that elderly woman with meagre collection of vegetables (brinjals/tomatoes/ladyfingers), probably from her small land holding as she claims, or maybe she is lying and if it isn’t a lie then it is most likely organic/pesticide free, is satisfying.

This framework needs to be kept in mind, particularly in case of issues like women’s reservation, wherein we have CrudeWoman sharks salivating for big bites in the name of emancipation and amazingly fortuitous camaraderie.  

Tailpiece:

A thought occurred to me the other day while I negotiated the crowded bylanes  

The distance from Ambedkar Nagar to MG Road is always a long one               

Religion is severely diminishing the world

The spiritual aspects of life, the uncertainties and hopelessness, the fertile ground for enquiry and introspection, the space for understanding and realisations, is now completely taken over by an increasingly pernicious and an anachronistic system called religion. What was once a medium for people to negotiate tribulations of life, wherein most aspect of nature was a mystery therefore feared and hence respected, is now an overwhelming system that has grown to be seen as serious threat to individual liberty and freedom. Clearly as humans progressed and evolved into rational, deciphering the working and establishing clear logic of things around, it was expected that these valued attributes acquired over the ages by some admirably perceptible people will be incorporated into our attitude as we deal with surrounding, meanwhile acutely aware of limitations of human life in myriad nature of lives in the blue dot called earth that lies in the insignificance of vastness of ever expanding universe. This spiritual significance of life is where the religion was supposed to have kept us aware and enlighteningly grounded but it is getting increasingly clear that religion has not really evolved nor religious people enlightened to the surrounding, they remain anachronistic primitives that societies have negotiated somewhere in the past and are getting increasingly tired of these intrusions. It has not only severely undermined rational nature of humans but also threatens enlightened values accrued over the centuries that define modernity. While in the garb of democratic freedom religious balderdash have perniciously spread and has started to define social dealings and identity. There is nothing more searingly tragic that in this age a human being’s value is evaluated in terms of religion he or she represents (and in much more primitive societies like India these get further degraded to narrower spaces of obnoxious caste). It is failure of democracy that individual rights are not being protected and that liberty is kept as ransom by collective degradations. If the system that encourages irrational ways, viciously work on creating exclusions for humans, seek to work against democracy and considers others in contempt/lower (in some case worthy of being beheaded/stoned/prioritised over cows!) then to encourage these as religious rights, or as minority right if less in numbers, is indeed against human rights. Democracy and all the cherished values stands weakened in this assault. Responsible people must take action that follows the precious understanding of logic, empathy and idealism that favour humanity. Liberty and freedom of individuals is paramount hence should be protected. It is arrogance of elite section that they have become so insularly recalcitrant that they deem it as lofty values to protect these primitive ways and thoughtlessly push it down on people. Reaction of people against complacent establishment as also general cynicism towards authority has lot to do with people being taken for granted. With haughty elite coterie’s manipulative ways (orchestrated by market and moneybags) getting severely questioned through social media there is general apathy and cynicism that will further downgrade the ideal ways.
                   

Democracy is an enlightened understanding that seeks to give primacy to individual’s right and freedom. Individuals can come together to express their faith (as religion) as their right and that the State will have nothing to do with these associations provided that these are not threatened (history is full of prosecuted associations. Note this blogger is refraining from the use of word ‘community’ as it has attribute of finality to it hence undermines the individual, while ‘association’ is organic that allows humans to move from, say, one religion to another to whatever). Association, like religion, is an expression of right, a decision, a choice, that may not be rational but attempts to care for the tribulation that the individual seeks to find answers/solutions. Ideally in the increasingly empowering and responsible ways of rational outlook of world, that stringently evaluates everything in its logic, also factoring in the nuances of historical understanding and cultural significance, these irrational associations will not enthuse and dismissed as absurd. It is highly irresponsible, indeed stupid and unintelligent, to leave crucial aspects of one’s life in the faith of an association, called religion, that one is member as accident of birth or that these are existing for centuries and present visions of paradise. However, one cannot be blamed if rational ways may not provide all the answers, nevertheless it is undoubtedly a lack of respect for one’s individuality and possibilities of self that doesn’t find the need to introspect or question while accepting what is being asserted as sacred or presented as holy books which cannot be questioned. That an enlightened thought is timeless is accepted but that these cannot be questioned or contradicted is where the intention of religion and controllers of religions need scrutiny. It therefore no longer remains benign. It’s curtailing of thoughts and freezing reality into some distant past that becomes a constant reference, denying the present and detrimentally acting to reduce the possibilities of life by mutilating the impressionable minds. It gets worst when these prescribed is sought to be replicated in every day actions and expressions of individuals, that these are protected as religious right without any scrutiny of how it impact the individuals or society makes it grievous. It is also no longer neutral to social realities as it becomes source for prejudices and discriminations. That rationality is suspended and decisions delegated to a system opens up acquiescing to whatever the system stands for. The promise of education, the possibilities of modern technologies and democratic choices therefore go waste. It is consolidation of degradation, and as democracy is weakened from inside it makes the society much vulnerable. It is a heart breaking irony that what is essentially a human constructed reality (myth), is being sought to be established as the defining reality for humans. Uncertainties of life and fatalism makes it a powerful motivator, hence unthinking simple minds take these as sacrosanct, as divine fact, an end and all for identifying humans and society. Disturbingly these acquire identities and are now pursued to establish human rights and is defining factor in egalitarian attempts of democratic societies.

This irresponsible nature of individuals has very clearly become a threat to societies as religion spreads in its revivalist fervour. It is an indication of failure of modern ideals that large section is still in the grip of myth while assimilation of superstition seen as faith. It is the failure of society that it is not able to create an ecosystem through education, culture and wisdom that is able to percolate the amazing developments of human minds and possibilities of human lives to impressionable minds. Indeed it is failure of elite/policy makers that it is has been benign to vicious nature of religion and complacent to the damage to society, placed as they are in the ivory towers. The degradation by religion plays at two levels. One, at the individual level, religion undermines the rational nature of individual, this is a serious degradation and thus opens up for being indoctrinated that can even end in dying for the cause. That religion, essentially a subjective reality, is set to destroy objective realities of life that sustains it, is dehumanisation taken to absurd level that baffles sane people all the time. Further, the objective reality of degrading environment, issues of climate change is denied. The arrogance certainties of religion see itself as ultimate reflection of creator hence omnipotence, the all-knowing self, gets exaggerated in the individual. There is a buffoonish certainty of religion that infects the individuals that take them to narcissistic levels under the guise of god.  They seem to know everything and have answer for anything seen as grand design of the god for grander selves while remaining acutely unaware, or rather unconcern, of basic facts and carefully assimilated knowledge through meticulous study. This religion fuelled narcissism also feeds on acquisitive driven emotion that see nature/surrounding as gift to be exploited at will as they showcases avaricious wealth, large family and fancier greed as signs of direct blessing from god. It is religion that is preventing sanity, reason and evidence as basis of argument. So while we evict space to religion the loss for humanity is significant and the price we pay is getting hard to ignore.   

     

 Secondly, religion as an extension of social system has grouped into dissension and competition, neatly dividing humans as soldiers and reduced to means without any use of mind. It is a framework of spiralling down into commonest denominator. Though secularism is enlightened thought it has degraded to tolerating deviance/muck of one religion by another religion, this favour is duly returned, therefore set to define tolerance. This elitist complacency ends up is consolidating power structure and the cunning who thrive in misery of others. The despicable elite coterie therefore consolidates their hold over religion, meanwhile masquerade championing liberal values and become source for misery for common people. While the worst of religion devoid of any enlightened concerns take hold and is promoted as representing religion, the society slides into mediocrity and extreme ways. As illogical mindset and manipulative ways get credence the framework of knowledge seeking and inquisitiveness is downplayed. With religion getting credence and seen as a source of identities humanity stands to loose. Religion places individuals into little wells as frogs that have lost basic human capacities and are turned into mindless addicts.

 Human society is facing serious existential issues that need innovative and extremely complex solutions. If people are looking towards certain pockets in West for solutions then there are definitive reasons. These are spaces that provide positive framework for individuals to thrive, clearly these are the exciting world that thrives on inquisitive wonder and original nature of human being, nothing escapes scrutiny and none taken on face value. There is a premium on excellence that doesn’t land from alien world or as a special gift from god. There is a rigorous and sustained effort that spring from the ecosystem that religion denies. These are the framework that encourages logical and evidence based growth, that puts onus on individual responsibility and sincere sustained efforts of investigation unlike religious nonsense that seek to dehumanise individuals and impose in the guise of faith. These dwindling spaces are the one that holds the key to the progress of humanity, the solutions to our problems can only come from here. It is initiated in the ideas of liberty of individual and the immense possibility herein. This precious world will have to be protected.      

  

It is also no surprise that omnipotent religious fundamentalist (strongly held vision of being specially sent by god. Essentially nutcases who are serious threat to society, being religious the reason why they are not locked up, religious madness therefore is a right!) with active support from religious conservatives, whether in USA, Saudi or India agree on regressive ways, as they steadfastly oppose each other as followers of different religion, in the strife of ego and superior selves while remaining remarkably similar in attitude and essential traits.  The charade is spread, sometime even elevated as lynchpin of liberalism, that religion promotes peace. This balderdash is being pushed onto people with the hope that it will stick, it is no surprise people have reacted and are mortified. That most heinous violence has religions as major source of instigation has to be accepted, one cannot live in denial, and in the context of things it is criminal if these realities are not acknowledged. Religion has been a consistent source of brutal violence and ethical degradations for a long time now, whether slavery (taken to worst through casteism), colonialism, imperialism, patriarchy or sickening dehumanising traditions and culture that is source of abuse of weaker (particularly child abuse that inflicts religion on children needs to be taken in all the seriousness it deserves, it is creating dehumanised individuals and deviant families that support further degradations in the society) as also the treatment of animals. Till a century back these were contained in the context of society of origin, with limited understanding of world the fractures worked in its own dynamics to evolve for better, like for instance renaissance, social movements, revolutions (specifically French), amalgamation towards better frameworks like sufism so on, but mostly ruined in the brutal feudalism, patriarchy and others ruthlessness. In the last decade or so things have changed dramatically. Social media has made everything near and immediate, and given voice to voiceless. No longer are people on the sidelines of history that is being decided by others. The crudeness of religion therefore stands out in all its absurdity and vulgarity, the more the world gets transparent more it is exposed. The power that kept it under leash for gains and control over populace lose their hold as the restive indoctrinated beasts takes on its own path of religious narcissism. These omnipotent find it difficult to deal with the world that is encompassing in its questioning, fragile and nuanced in its approach, not all that grand as was being indoctrinated. From the pits of surety and assured outcomes that are staked as entitlement (if not in this life there is promise of another life) it is difficult to get sustaining and nurturing values of life. The grandeur has to be created as they are incapable to notice the grandeur all around in the beauty of life and living. They seek miracle in myth and narration of extraordinary while miracles happen all the time in the most ordinary. They seek redemption in the way they have been taught about the world, as they experience complete misfit to the realities of life, therefore resort to violence and mayhem as an escape while bitterness is spewed through every possible channel as assurance. What kind of contribution is expected from this section? Those created by illogic of religion are made incapable of seeing anything that demands effort, understanding and scrutiny.  It seriously undermines the best of the possibilities that the world is poised in, the opportunity that is an amalgamation of 400,000 years of human history.

It is therefore apt time to critically analyse religion before it further degrades societies and make it a normative narration couched in religious freedom, already morally vulnerable elites of monarchical societies like Britain have opened the society and hapless citizens for religion filled infections. Patronising people as a cover for their moral turpitude for supporting undemocratic monarchy as also colonial angst have had serious consequences. Even the amazing experiment of bringing the nations of a continent, with tumultuous past, into one umbrella (EU) has become a major casualty. As fear grips the people they tend to close down and look for immediate control/comfort. It is unfortunate that to maintain ascendency of religion so much is being sacrificed by the world. Religions are creating misery around the world and have distracted people from their true nature, as they get alienated from themselves and surroundings in the search of the alter ego in god. Countries like India where these have putrefied into sickness, as individuals are no longer humans but identities based on religion and caste. Meanwhile the feudal nature of society encourages these so that the elite can have their camaraderie and exploit the people as well as immense natural resources while arrogantly strutting to display tolerance. These regressive status quo are celebrated as signs of harmony, wherein harmony in itself is symptom of lack of will in a society that has horrendous disparities and discriminations. As the religions and castes cannibalise in its respective putrid pit the feudal elite extend hands across to hug and stun the world in the tales of tolerance and religious harmony. Right from the so called independence these exploitative structures were nurtured while it systematically spread through neglect of primary education and basic health. People were kept at the mercy by the feudal leaders who exploited people for vote in the name of democracy in the meanwhile keeping them distracted in the elevated filial digressions and family pride, then there are also tales of percolations of benefits of economic growth that kept camaraderie in good humour. In the last few years things have dramatically changed with advent of social media. Images of violations are captured and passed on, voices are now finding their audience without arbitrators and manipulators. People have got a platform to react and express, the narrations nurtured by elite is falling by the wayside. The anguish of effete elite is deeply felt. Suddenly all the masquerades and carefully constructed myths of mahatmas and pundits don’t sound that convincing. As they ready for another role as saviours from revivalists forces what they didn’t factor in from their high pedestal was that they themselves are severely compromised, and indeed may find exceedingly difficult to distinguish themselves from their carefully demarcated and vilified foe.

I feel sorry for the ace defecators of words who are recruited by sickular liberals to copiously chastise hindutva forces meanwhile, hideously, caste camaraderie is sought to be morphed into modern pointers and impression of these as quite natural happening is seeped in with characteristic relish!! As if casteist surname is part of god’s plan and these angel saviours tumble down to save the society. It is becoming exceedingly difficult for effete elite to negotiate these hypocrisies and appalling lack of ethics. Everything that is savoured and carefully put in pride of a place in this narration –that is already sold so triumphantly to the bewildered world, now looks deeply infected and severely compromised. As also, all the saviours in the camaraderie circle have now lost their locus standi whatsoever. It’s like rug is pulled and all of them caught in their nefarious act. The castle is collapsing and no amount of posturing is of any help. High moral ground is no longer that high nor anguish that believable or sincere. That surely is a devastating face off with the reality and a refreshing look into the mirror. How the depraved indian elite are going to work out their cunningness to escape this one will be keenly watched. No please you cannot hide behind Gandhi or piggyback ride the nonviolence balderdash. So what are we gonna do now? Seriously whatya gonnya do?                  

The spitting indians

Most Indians are quite filthy by nature, they however carry a unique assuredness of being the inheritor of purity that includes rituals of obsessive cleaning of self and dwelling that ironically does not have anything to do with cleanliness or remotely connected to hygiene. This absurdity is just another aspect of way of life in this degraded society. The characteristic arrogance also includes the act of carefully pushing the filth out (in the open or wherever) and never be bothered. Whether it is being disposed properly or not, the basic decency of whether the garbage is causing problem to others, is least of concern.  Indeed garbage disposal is taken to terrifying reality that has effete Indian elite in existential struggle to negotiate, hence they maintained slaves (casteist concoction is careful construct for assured labour and exploitation) for these, what is held as deeply impure acts. Dehumanising humans for depraved purity is a constant pursuit that defined and maintained the worldview. These therefore put the foundation of social dealings as also familial ethical contexts that was nourished directly from the sanctum sanctorum. Hence the sight of pristine souls existing in obsessively cleaned surrounded by amazing filth. The uniqueness of cleanliness devoid of any hygiene concern is an astounding evolution.

This is a deviant society that brandish assortment of ‘communities’, recently being cleverly showcased as signs of diversity, where common people, living as they are, as neighbours for centuries without even basic courtesy, indeed heinous nature of interactions and attitude. This is what wily Gandhian eyes (elevated by ‘bania’ media/moneybags and sustained by squatter ensconced power structure) refuse to see as he sought redemption through villages. Villages, the site of percolated crudeness of centuries that plays out in most primal ways, that Ambedkar so rightly warned, whereas in the cities it morphs into liberal concerns.

The positing of recent attacks on dalits as something new, and as a result of far right belligerence, is mischievous. These have been happening quite regularly for a long time very much nurtured by the self-serving feudal leaders, some even had mask of freedom fighters. If you are part of deviant structure then you cannot relinquish the effects. Indeed their isn’t any much difference between far right and those espousing liberal (sickularism being the lynchpin. Indeed casteist nepotistic driven mediocres like Sardesaiji are able to quite easily position themselves into realm of higher moral grounds is a minor example of how putrefied this society is. The onerous task of 'settling' the world!!). It’s reduced to a game of manipulation and creating perception for gains at the expense of populace. Then there are bleeding hearts, includes gandhians too, who express anguish from their putrid pits and exhibit puss filled pathetic minds as sensitive souls. Sensibility is an attitude that really cannot have chance in these self-defeating social realities, the reason why the best of effort falters as it lacks sincerity, the foundation lacks credibility. Someone who mocks at the utmost misery and brutal reality of section of people by lightness of ‘harijans’, cruelly for his own redemption and purification as also to align with exploitative immoral system, that man cannot by any stretch be mahatma. There have been consistent attempts at degrading the tradition of protest and narration of enlightened souls to suit the regressiveness of squatter ensconced effete elite as they seek to usurp. The bluff is called.      

As the society consolidated into nation state the effete indian elite policy actions were mostly cosmetic very much suited to maintain regressive status quo and feed the primitive nature of society as it nourished them and created the web of camaraderie. This blogger has absolutely nothing against the so called hindutva forces, indeed they are natural extensions, they only differ in their refusal to play ball with hedonistic muslims (pretending liberal) as also stridently refuse to feeds mullahs –another degradation that severely undermined the society, specifically the muslims (thankfully the islamists are constantly revealing these degradations too). They also differ from the sickular casteist unabashed exhibition of liberal puritanism by uncloaking from liberal pretensions or western modernity narrations. Aiyerjis doesn’t have anything much to distinguish from Swamyjis or Singhals, nor Digvijays is anything different from Tagodias. Nor nutcases like CRajagopalachari had anything substantially different from Golwalkar. It was degree of how much puss was made public, and the way it was displayed and packaged in nuances that differ. They can use subterfuge of mahatmas and pundits to stun the world but reality has the habit of catching up. This society has been severely mutilated and short served by bunch of buffoons, who have been working on high end camaraderie and devious ways, that they still swagger with these incredulous claims is what is disturbing. 
                   

A verse from scripture reads: "Those whose conduct on earth has given pleasure can hope to enter a pleasant womb, that its, the womb of a Brahmin or a woman of princely class. But those whose conduct on earth has been foul can expect to enter a foul and stinking womb of a bitch, a pig or an outcast." In this deviant world carefully constructed and prescribed by hare brained squatter intelligence anything dealing with death, excrement, blood or fluid is regarded as impure. Therefore this penchant for open defecation that is so ingrained in zombies that some will die for it, even in 21^st century it needs convincing shows how much minds are infected. One’s own bodily fluids are pollutants, saliva has to be therefore spitted out. The most oppressed section in central india were “required to carry an earthen pot, hung in his neck wherever he went, for holding his spit falling on earth should pollute a caste Hindu who might unknowingly happen to tread on it”. Saliva therefore can make or break one’s otherworldly chances.  That is the reason why you see these spitting, the relish and impunity with which spitting is done is what makes it an act of redemption. So when you are in the act of purification (as much as jehadis spray bullets to land up in purity of paradise, the comparison may look inane but believe me they are as vicious for the framework that sustains) the worldly laws, basic decency, civic sense etc. are least of concerns. This blogger has been spat upon few times mostly from the bus windows, after a point anger becomes meaningless. There is a law against spitting, but these are taken lightly, as the cunning will say ‘we need to focus our attention on bigger things’. It is same with noise, it is the common people who suffer.

Spitting is an act of purification, the pollutants/phlegm has to be extricated even if it is in full public view in the most despicable manner if that is what it takes. You could see the originals performing these in religious sites along the water bodies. This has over the centuries percolated into zombie populace while the elite, having tutored through colonial masters have morphed these (many have taken to defecating words to solidify their liberal pretence in mouth-watering english). The zombies therefore spit around in the streets, for no apparent reason that they are aware of, and relish in these acts in the same regressiveness of the framework they thrive, the elite have meanwhile carefully suited the world to words. If white Americans have guns in their holsters then the Indian effete have caste in their heart (and ofcourse surname). That makes Americans so very fucking violent and Indians so very fucking nonviolent. It is swallowing one’s own saliva is what hurts the most, O the humiliation of it, ask any self-respecting Indian.            

Monarchical democracy; oxymoron that degrades

This picture here is from Britain. The woman who is attempting to crawl, and show herself lower in a complicated homo sapiens ritual, is the new Prime Minister while the other one –carrying a magisterial contempt in a healthy mix of arrogant entitlement and a carefully choreographed common place good nature, is her highness. Now you might think this is some kind of theatre and the protagonists enamoured in a replication of elaborate medieval set. Well you are in for a shock. This is how one of the prominent western ‘democracy’ functions, and this act is indeed part of hallowed tradition, a defining moment. This is also the template that mediocre Indian elite find so very charming and are absolutely besotted to. It’s a democratic redemption, a vision to keep all the crude values intact in providential revelation as spokespersons of democratic values. This contradictory world is effortlessly taken care, something that uncouth Indians are quite familiar placed as they are in the exalted traditions of negotiating universal truths from putrid pits. Democracy therefore opens up the latent filth and it spreads into neat competing disgust, squatter ensconced sociologist and camaraderie thinkers play spokesperson and celebrate as they authenticate these disgusts as functioning of Indian democracy, it is exalted as a success. The world is expected to be awe inspired, unfortunately data don’t match, facts point to massive failure that is sought to be pushed under the rug. To add to the misery the society that doesn’t even have basic moral/ethical foundation (the exigency of situation and opportune moment decides these) relishes the democracy as a means to solidify itself into further inegalitarian ways. For squatter ensconced clever spokespersons, who work these into mainstream narration with consummate ease, these are self justifying contexts as they cushion themselves into entitlements and patronages. This has been the way for last many decades as sycophantic mediocre feudal leaders entrenched these discriminatory ways as the misery spreads and solidified into vote banks.  The primitive society seeps into higher ideals of democracy with machiavellian ease. The context of hypocrisy is similar when white American revolution exalted great values of freedom meanwhile keeping slaves, that the blacks had to wait till better half of 20^th century is a testimony on amazing level of hypocrisy. Similarly, western countries regaled in their democracy while colonializing and brutalising societies and these terrible reality was sought to be negotiated through civilisation mission. It is shocking that Indian elite (who constantly sought western consolation) were easily convinced and hence agreed on sending hapless Indians as mercenaries to fight for colonial powers. It is indeed easy to understand why effete Indian elite saw more similarity in colonial oppressor than they could in common Indian people whom they brutalise. They had lots to learn on nuances they attempt liberal mask. Gandhi was clear that it is not britishers whom we hate but the colonial system. Clearly that is sane thing to say and indeed an enlightening thought, but then we have to put it in indian context to understand the import for common people (this love for colonial exploiters can wait). Gandhi, indeed a casteist reference and that makes mahatma gandhi a cringe worthy oxymoron that clearly doesn't fall into indian tradition of enlightened souls, was quite clearly a casteist and was very comfortably ensconced in the primitive framework. That he lacked rational/logical mind is clear from many of his uttering (hence sensible enquiry into social reality was not to be expected), it is also clear that he took people for granted in his arrogant entitled ways. He was by all means entrenched in casteist degradations which very clearly brutally demeaned human beings. So should we hate the degrading system or the brutalized humans? Gandhi sought compromise for his ethical quandary (for normal person there will be no dilemma here) through patronising ‘harijan’. Disgust. Thus colonialism was to be hated not british in the meanwhile one can carry on degrading fellow indians. This is charming framework that so very well suited not only to the effete elite but was seen as sign of greatness by West. 

               

These hypocrisies gave Indian elite ample space to thrive and weave their degradations as camaraderie reached higher echelons, democratic institutions were left vulnerable from these insidious marches of uncouth and we pay heavy price. It in one stroke gave an immense possibility to fill their feudal angst and casteist brutal traditions into a democratic extravagance. It is no surprise that primitives have since ‘independence’ hoarding into Britain and returning with fancy notions of democratic values and thoughts, all set with english (as competence) and cricket (as sport) that has caught the subcontinent in mucky morass. The process is what matter as end/finality hangs forever, as they wallow in procedures and charming semantics at the expense of justice or rational. To be fair US and Europe have evolved since then but these remnants do showcases itself in market globalisation and international negotiations. But Indians haven’t changed a bit from their primitive selves that are in grip of feudal elite narrations and degraded aspirational frame works. They have effectively used hypocrisy of monarchical democracy to set in their crude ways that has been cannibalising the society and creating misery while the mediocre elite thrive in their entitlements and patronages, it is negotiating these hypocrisies is where democracy comes handy. 

The refusal to see anachronism of monarchy in democratic values and egalitarian ways by powerful nations or influential people has been damaging to nascent democracies and poorer societies. It justifies entitlement and feudal norms, it further degrades existing discriminations that thrive in the garb of traditions in societies that seek to come out of these morass. This has been the reference of mediocre indian elite in the last hundred years as they set to work out modern ways in the exploitative framework that british left, that they didn’t have calibre nor the intent to evolve these to the needs of people is telling. That despite commissions and suggestions for reforms these couldn’t be upgraded to the requirements shows the deep seated malice. The general apathy and lackadaisical ways of policy makers in last many decades can be traced to these, while the government/politicians and officials become agents of consolidation of deviance rather than change to ideal ways that establishes true meaning of democracy hence equality and liberty. Effete elite set out to replicate, Presidents and Governors become the equivalent of monarchs (even the size of chair matters in this crude ways that constantly eats into democratic ideals) for official purpose that set to further consolidate the feudal and casteist traditions in unofficial norms as egalitarian ways and aspiration for better world were evicted.  The social degradation since the so called independence is significant as squatters spread across the board carrying their puss and infecting as they thrive (Guhaji is now pitching on caste equality while wily Kasturi&Sons clever ‘community’ narration attempt falls flat). With firm grip on narration they have degraded the society by mainstreaming their deviant ways, as people desperately seek to escape these miseries while constantly slip into these well laid pits and are cannibalised as the mediocre entitle driven elite polish their clever talks with ever enveloping charming humbleness to awe the world with stories of godforsaken mahatmas and pundits, and try cement their position as some kind of peace loving souls and leaders of redemption.

This crawling of British PM is symbolic of acceptance of crude, it’s a normalisation of exploitative; that supplicating to unjust system is alright if it justifies tradition is a dangerous consolidation that severely undermines democratic aspirations of societies and individual liberty. And in primitive societies like india these are having devastating consequences as it percolates all the way to family and consolidates unjust ways and moral vacuum, the reason why this society has remained a wastebasket of sort despite all the opportunities that free society and democratic institutions provides. We must respect other for their self, the knowledge and achievements that redefine and evolve our way of dealing with life and understanding the present. It is indeed and honour to meet or know about such people. There many Indians who make world a better place. If you are ready to crawl to someone superior, that act in itself is despicable, it takes away part of humanity from the protagonists involved as also the society as a witness. The situation turns grievous when this someone is elevated as ‘superior’ for the reason of entitlement and hereditary concerns i.e. being born. It very seriously impinges on ethical context, hence if I am ready to supplicate for the entitled then logically I am not supplicating to non-entitled. Hence I have already created discrimination and it’s a beginning of predispositions that start to define social dealings. That chance of birth becomes a defining part of identity that decides my dealing can easily be extended to chance of skin colour hence racism. So if you support monarchy then you are also laying the logic of racism. Body is what you are born with and if that becomes source of discrimination then it is a grievous violation. It's a violation of basic human right.   

This picture also creates a framework that I am ready to be sycophant to the powerful then it is likely that I will have no qualms in exploiting the weak/dispossessed because that is nature of relation it generates. This mindset is quite common among societies with disparities. Meanwhile I will also try to be this feudal lord (entitled being) in my actions and aspirations. My reference therefore is power. This severely degrades societies that is already primitive (like India) and undermines the possibilities of democratic percolations and diminishes human capacity into narrow space. This is grievous as mediocre and uncouth indian elite have always thrived on this embryonic tie with monarchical democracy (amazing example of oxymoron) as they try replicate this juvenile grandeur and despicable ways to justify their own primitive ways and try suitable semantics fitting modern values to brace the world. These effete indian elite are prodigious defecators of words that cleverly seek to cover their putrid pits strutting the palatial freedom of expression, they also compete and mock fight with each other to defend their turf and sometimes end up as beacons of their respective pits. It is for no reason that most indians languishes at the bottom of pile on social indices while effete elite wallow in their ineffectual pristine ever purifying thoughts. It is for no reason that people live in misery of misplaced pride and constantly bicker, maim and kill while they dig their pits and fill it with puss as possibilities of world go waste. This society is seriously flawed, and what really is disgusting is the sickness that polishes itself in modern semantics and effortlessly slips in the embellishment of casteist feudal identities pretending as if nothing is out of place. To pretend to be absolutely unaware of surrounding and to be immune of the social realities needs amazing level of wickedness, and clever foresight that prepares for these exigencies as one negotiate modern world. 

Congrats TVS

It’s not always that we (atleast this blogger) appreciate the efforts of some of the corporates. With market driven world and neoliberal excitement constantly degrades everything that is valued, simultaneously encouraging uncouths who grab the mainstream narrations to inject puss as marker of success.  While the space gets reduced and market gangrene spreads there are some refreshing, indeed surprising, happening that gladdens. I was at NatureInFocus seminar in Bangalore the other day, and this fellow gave a talk on how TVS (at Hosur) has taken some amazing steps towards conservation. They have made mandatory to demarcate atleast 30% of the hub as forest, and by forest it isn’t about some british conceived manicured sick gardens, these are wild spaces that actively seek to not only conserve biodiversity but also spread awareness. Even the security guards have been sensitised on how to handle reptiles and so on. It is hoped that in cities too people in housing colonies and 'gated communities' asks for these and insist on spaces that is left for wilderness and also include birdnests so on into buildings that propagates the essentialities of sharing rather than occupying. 

It’s a crime against humanity

The arrogance of elite coterie, who seek to run the world at their whims and fancies, manipulating democratic systems and degrading ethical values. They ruin everything they can grasp for their selfishness and greed. Millions of people pay with their lives as misery spreads and perpetuates further breaches. What makes it atrocious is the moral belligerence that is sought with fake articulations (something that mediocre Indian elite expertise in as they wallow in degradation) and demeanour that has confidence to sell whatever. In the market driven neoliberal world these are successful people and they are spreading all the time. Clowns like Trump are no longer deviants eking on the sidelines but billionaires with increasing mass following that is constantly becoming mainstream, as the core doesn’t hold. The establishment was always manipulated and in recent time with social media’s help the percolation of insidious ways and reaction is tremendous. There is vacuum building up as people aspire for better all the while deviant superstructures crushes their egalitarian intentions. Arab spring opened spaces for fundamentalists as the product of illogic of overwhelming presence of religion, in West it is consolidating neoliberals and nourishing scattered far rights in the reference of market degradation.

  Look at how degraded Indian society is, it is in a vice grip of deviant norms that constantly consolidated in last seven decades with nation-state authority coming into being. A society that has flawed foundation and chicanery of mahatmas and pundits –to stun the world into some kind of spiritual submission, is constantly exposed. The bluff is called on a crude society that is amazingly violent but prefers the garb of non violence and piety to showcase the world. These nonsenses were being served with flourish by caste cannibal feudals who were in control of narration, and now are seen scampering for cover (this blogger calls upon international community to deny visa for people with caste references. These primitives should be dealt appropriately and put in their putrid pits. They have bluffed for too long). The same is true with entitled driven monarchy supplicating British elites that Blair is a prodigious product. It’s a society that has highly exaggerated estimation of itself hence the individuals too reflect these hyperboles. The impunity of bombing a nation to smithereens, killing and maiming millions and millions of people, on lies and deceit is unpardonable (this blogger was never against multilateral actions against brutes in Afghanistan). It was clear from the beginning that attacking Iraq is going to unleash something terrible based as it was on deceptions and sexed up reports to support Bush’s juvenile family feud revenge and colossal greed for oil.  

   

This is a crime against humanity and action should be initiated accordingly. ICC will not be forgiven if it doesn’t take suo moto cognizance. Thirteen years is too long a period. Steps should be initiated to arrest this fellow at the earliest meanwhile the ‘democratic’ institutions, coming as it is under buffoonish anachronism of glittering self consuming medieval drama called monarchy and fiction herein, should hang itself in shame for gross impropriety and criminal negligence. Disgraceful. 

Recalling Syzmborska

Wislawa Syzmborska has been an elemental influence. Today being the birth anniversary I thought about writing about this. This blogger started to take reading seriously in his mid20s, before that reading was confined to prescribed texts, encyclopedia and comics, hence didn’t have much exposure to poems and prose. I had started to scribble few lines, that too with left hand –a kind of slow laborious construction of lines, that grew interesting as it developed. Meanwhile I was also taking part time classes for GK that gave me ample money. It is during this time that I had to discuss on Nobel prize winners, and this name came into focus, the year was 1997. Didn’t think much about it but as I repeated this name few times I kind of start liking it, and found myself repeating it. Very soon thought of reading her, and boy what a way to get introduced to poems and prose writing! Terrific. She explored the spaces that are hinged in everyday, in quite simple language but with profound meanings. She still remains one of the best in my list of all-time greats. Simply adorable. Nobel prizes were something that was part of international news and nothing much was added to it but with Syzmborska I understood that I could get access to the best of writings by following the list of winners. Later in Delhi I was able to locate few authors, but the torrent started after I got into internet and that was entirely a new exciting world. Very soon I was keen to understand the minds and influence of these spectacular writers, and rightly stumbling upon Syzmborska’s Nobel speech and that open up the door for further explorations and discoveries. The adventure really hasn’t stopped since then…

The reclaiming

Tsunamis, earthquakes, cyclones, floods and whatnot

In the calamities that strikes every now and then

nature has least of concern for life 

ticking off humans -the one that has highest estimate of themselves

pampered by religion and anthropomorphized sugarcoats

bewitched in their own spiraling grand selves.

They are tossed around without a thought.

Mega structures cleaved, submerged, cleared off in an embarrassing hurry.   

Ardent prayers of surefooted faiths and fate vendors

fetching absolutely nothing. 

Mangled bodies are dropped on the wayside to rot

gnawing soup for worms  

in final ignominy of sort

as the primal force sets out to unequivocally establish its will.

In the higher scheme of things human life is a non existent speck

at the most a carbon unit whose atoms are now reclaimed

by the elements to randomly refigure

without any excuse or thought.    

The employment generation bogus bogey

You hear this almost on daily basis, the talisman of Employment Generation that is expected to bring all the goodies, the ideal world that justifies all incursions –ethical/environmental, by the moneybags in the name of development. All kind of sociopaths morph themselves as avuncular evangelists of better ideas for a tremendously inviting world. So you have the economists coming out with compelling statistics while moneybags appear with magic wands of investment that we are told will generate more employment, the market media and its manipulators see these as enactment of high truths that we common people are meant to bow for our own good and everlasting happiness that comes with this acquiescence. The politicians and elected representatives are hence meant to implement these without questioning, indeed their say on these matters are much reduced with international pressures in the increasingly pernicious world of brand globalisation that definitely doesn’t encourage knowledge sharing on the contrary these critical matters that is part of humanitarian progress have become much inegalitarian and exploitative as money gets accrued into smaller and smaller cliques.

I have worked in different places across the country (that include long list from Chennai, Delhi, Pune, Trivandrum, Ernakulum, Gurgaon, Bangalore, Mysore, Bellary, Mangalore etc. to the jungles of Kanha, Munnar, Ooty, Coorg  etc. as also travelled and stayed in different places as iterant vagabond from Rishikesh to Gangtok and as a tourist intimately connected to the places like Udupi/ Pondicherry/Talashery, and as cycling environmentalist to wide areas of the country and so on, while studying tribes/birds/nature of religion/water exploiting corporates so on took me to remote regions in the country that includes days of enchanting walk through Narmada valley)  in different profiles as trainer, naturalist, copywriter, journalist, salesman so on, thus my understanding does carry some credibility of an acute entrenched observer. The significant one being that there is no dearth of jobs in India. Again and again you come across people ruing the fact that they cannot get the right kind of people with requisite competence. Even the people who are in the job almost always (ofcourse with rare exceptions) are not up to the mark or are generally lackadaisical in their dealing and approach, significantly and damningly these amazing irresponsible nature doesn’t even scratch their conscience. It is as if job has become extension of entitlement, and being careless comes easily as part of the legacy from crude nature of society, it really gets worst in government jobs. There are ample numbers of jobs but not many competent people around is a sad fact of mediocre nature of Indian reality. We also have millions and millions of people stuck in jobs that they have no liking, inclination or talent what sustains them is probably the available option are much worst or a match of nepotism, habit or opportunity/good fortune or parasitic family/pride. Indeed those in the job are exploited too and are mostly not adequately compensated or taken care. This particularly true where the physical nature of jobs is on priority whether salesman, labourer, or in the lower levels of service industry -even in luxurious hotels or resorts. I have seen sights where guests are served gourmet platter while across the wall the lower level staff don’t even have proper space to sit to eat. It is that horrible and it is undoubtedly lack of intent than anything else, a mindset that is a strange mix of crude feudal ways and entitled world of squatter that gives wonderful vision of grandeur in slimmest of competence. It is part of nature to be exploitative and domineering with slenderest authority. The reason why majority in this society crave for authority than anything else, ditto why dumb jobs like army, police so on that even diminishes human being, as they are reduced to uniformed entity taking/executing orders are elevated and celebrated. The hierarchy, in particular, nourishes the parched souls used as they are to the crudest nature of society hinged on deviant ways, the world of superior and inferior, the pure and polluting fancies. The reason why oppression and sycophancy becomes the defining nature of job, as patronages are distributed on compliance and nepotism replaces professionalism.

In recent times, as moneybags look out for easier ways to double their godforsaken money, newer and cruder market friendly strategies are being sought, hence an exploitative and extremely systematised aka professional ways are explored. So we have people who are qualified and competent but end up as conduit in the exploitation. Where they could have contributed in a meaningful ways they are now reduced to multiply money as efficiently for richer people to get much richer. In the process they get adequately paid but have no qualm being a participant of exploitation of people/environment/culture. It’s an ethical vacuum created by greed filled framework that spreads rapidly into other spheres of life. Hence fertile ground for Trump like figures, it is but natural evolutionary process if one is successful in corporate. It is the reason why we are at the crossroad of cataclysmic environmental events. It is also the reason why despite enough evidences why market cannot be bothered. It is a framework of deception that has capacity to negate fact in clever manipulations.  

Meanwhile as market spread its tentacles, the degradations are set into motion. Jobs are created that suits these and appalling type of people thrives while reason and common sense loose. With market choices regret gain prominence and occupy space of aspirational mobility. It gets belligerent and raucous, so the crudest type spread across and set alight to redefine all that we value. They pose as social leaders/artists/media while genuine people and valued thoughts and expressions are side-lined. The lowest denominator and posers haggle for spaces that critically define freedom and its expressions. The possibilities of latest technological marvels are reduced to crass and crude, as commodification sets in. Ideally with absolute understanding of freedom these have space, and that is precisely has been the case in West/USA, but simultaneously there are also some amazing and spectacular people working at the cutting edge that stretches our understanding of life and human progress. Unfortunately in a mediocrity thriving and entitlement driven society like India with effete elite and traditional ethical/moral vacuum is stuck forever at the lowest and crudest base. The values of rigor and deeper involvements that forms basis of competence and excellence are shunted to lackadaisical and irresponsible ways as the society suffers while neo liberals and corrupt have free run.                                 

I am the King

 If there was a king then it was Muhammad Ali. When we were kids he was the guy to watch out for. I recall my favourite T-shirt used to be one with colourful picture of Muhammad Ali ‘I am the King’ written over it, and I used to wear it almost every other day. Muhammad Ali was beyond boxing, he transcended borders and barriers, race and religion. He was a legend and will remain one for a very long time to come. It was truly sad that he couldn’t articulate for last three decades, his thoughts would have added to the enchantment that he was and to the increasingly bleak world we live in.   

When facts and argument becomes irrelevant: The neo liberal disaster

Neoliberalism sees competition as the defining characteristic of human relations. It redefines citizens as consumers, whose democratic choices are best exercised by buying and selling, a process that rewards merit and punishes inefficiency. It maintains that “the market” delivers benefits that could never be achieved by planning. Attempts to limit competition are treated as inimical to liberty. Tax and regulation should be minimised, public services should be privatised. The organisation of labour and collective bargaining by trade unions are portrayed as market distortions that impede the formation of a natural hierarchy of winners and losers. Inequality is recast as virtuous: a reward for utility and a generator of wealth, which trickles down to enrich everyone. Efforts to create a more equal society are both counterproductive and morally corrosive. The market ensures that everyone gets what they deserve.

We internalise and reproduce its creeds. The rich persuade themselves that they acquired their wealth through merit, ignoring the advantages – such as education, inheritance and class – that may have helped to secure it. The poor begin to blame themselves for their failures, even when they can do little to change their circumstances….

…Freedom from trade unions and collective bargaining means the freedom to suppress wages. Freedom from regulation means the freedom to poison rivers, endanger workers, charge iniquitous rates of interest and design exotic financial instruments. Freedom from tax means freedom from the distribution of wealth that lifts people out of poverty.

…”The words used by neoliberalism often conceal more than they elucidate. “The market” sounds like a natural system that might bear upon us equally, like gravity or atmospheric pressure. But it is fraught with power relations. What “the market wants” tends to mean what corporations and their bosses want. “Investment” … means two quite different things. One is the funding of productive and socially useful activities, the other is the purchase of existing assets to milk them for rent, interest, dividends and capital gains. Using the same word for different activities “camouflages the sources of wealth”, leading us to confuse wealth extraction with wealth creation.

A century ago, the nouveau riche were disparaged by those who had inherited their money. Entrepreneurs sought social acceptance by passing themselves off as rentiers. Today, the relationship has been reversed: the rentiers and inheritors style themselves entre preneurs. They claim to have earned their unearned income.

(George Monbiot’s How Did We Get into This Mess?)

It is this ecosystem of fake and perceptions hinged on selling and consuming that has become the defining aspect of human transactions and indeed the source of warped development. It has enveloped all the mediums that we seek to understand and know the world. It acts as arbitrators sourcing itself as model that insures prosperity. The crassness spreads and we have role models emerging with products and brands. The society that had dubious moral values to start with, ethics cleverly contextualised to the situation and aggregated as values, really doesn’t have a chance. The alarming degradations is but expected. There are people like Trump who become billionaires in this nourishing ecosystem that has completely and effortlessly acquired into Indian ways. Some even try Bhagavad Gita to feed the frenzy, like any ‘holy book’ this one too has some amazing crap is now taken to fit modernity, indeed brazenly suited to science too. The crudest and illogical claim to be rational and scientific, it all is reduced to perceptions and subjective. The crude ideas of success and market dexterous ways of life are now established as meaning of better life. There are millions of minor Trumps in this part of world who now guide us, and Indian society lacking ethical bearing and functioning on moral vacuum gravitate effortlessly meanwhile the squatter camaraderie have consensus on ‘great and ancient culture’. The worst of US is constantly pushed as aspirational frame in this part of the world, and they supplicate to these as if of some great value. Trump’s obnoxious were regular fixture on Indian TV (indeed they even had dimwit Palin) and part of entertainment that is fed by mediocre elite seeking to multiply money, the lack of mind is amazing.

In this degrading milieu therefore it wasn’t surprising that ‘learned’ judges -in consonance with elite sanctum, thought defamation was a criminal offense hence should be dealt severely. Clearly only the elites are meant to have reputation, it’s an entitlement, the purity of which needs to be fiercely protected from any polluting influence. The garb of modern ethos and well placed quotes (in itself a high art) is what makes this playact compelling. Meanwhile on the other end of mainstream narration the crude progenies aka demographic dividends are fiercely dredging freedom and expression. With characteristic mediocrity and entitled impunity they crass the reputation of well-respected people that is built on lifelong efforts. Not that these need to be always put on pedestal they have grievous short coming and that is what was to be focused and shredded. But in the crass competing fueled by market (‘bania’) media these craps are now quick packaged as new era champions of freedom, meanwhile very cleverly subverting real issues in the element of crude and tasteless low calibre fun that is set to grow among the entitled progenies and a new means of hedonism that market favours. As it is the muck will excite muck, hence they are now threatened by extreme groups. And like always we have the armchair view of low brow haggling as immense opportunities of democracy stunted and stuck in minimum denominator of possibilities. This is constant Indian narration while champu (in market driven sickening good nature) give us ways to whiten skin and gulp coke, all sacred part of development while India languish at the bottom end of human indices. The unearned income that too by the least of competent is what sustains the growth as also art. Hopefully racist Indians are taken to task by African nations at international forums.

We had a brief respite of ‘vendetta’ politics but unfortunately it fizzled out. The elite coterie had momentary breakdown and the dirty linens were being taken out but truce was called. The debauched framework of sanctum is what instigates camaraderie, they also fashion these cleverness as diplomacy (Mukherjeejis are known to be high on this art). There was an indication of politicians misusing judiciary. Aren’t we aware of this? Aren’t we aware that everything is misused, entitlement is always a blessing! Months after retirement a CJ of SC was appointed as the Governor, ideally the fellow should have turned it down, basic propriety, indeed decency, demands it but not our fellow he saw it as divine blessing (and went all the way for thanksgiving and gratitude –a characteristic that is precursor to humble ways. The pic herein). The deal was sealed with debauched blessings of golden gods. Incidentally the first citizen of the country dealing with gold inside the sanctum in the presence of golden gods was a defining moment of this crass society. It’s a deep pit, and thank the golden gods for small miracles of modern gadgets and choices of market that showcase us as liberals. This fertile space is where the elite section pupates for higher intentions.

Back with con couple: ZK was showing pics to assert their credentials as icons “sab janthe hai humlog iconz log hai” CrudeWoman nodded vigorously, “madamzee isko godh me bita ke desi ghee ke laddu khilathi thi. Ekdam pure desi ke laddu” It was clearly photo-shopped pictures this one had CrudeWoman face on a baby being fed laddus by mother Theresa –whose face was replaced with that of ‘Madamzee’. It was hilarious but con couple seriously held that they could pull this one. It was their servant (not domestic help ‘we don’t need help. kissi ki himath nahi hai hamko help karne ki’) who pointed that it was not laddu but golgappe. Clearly the shoddiness was beyond reason. ZK had already slung back from the upset and tried his sanskrit that he has been practising to influence the changing realities, the one that Senbabu tried so very subtly, “madamanaam budiyanaam golgappeyam toosanthi”