Omicron: The variant of concern

 

As long as there is wanton greed, absence of globalized and unified effort, the virus will spread and as it spreads the mutation rate increases and then we are presented with Omicron -variant of concern, and then it will spread, making the vaccine ineffective. We are in a loop of misery unless lessons are learned. The microorganism is insistent on us to face the basics. As long there is vaccine inequity we are in a predicament of entirely human making -the greed of few over other. Yes, earning money for years of efforts and investment need to be compensated (otherwise we are told some are not motivated enough) but how much do you want to earn? Unless ofcourse you are looking at virus as a long-term investment with assured returns through variants and so we are dependent on big pharmaceutical forever in a sinister cycle of exploitation and deaths. Never was merchant of death so suited. This is equally true for religions that has created vaccine reluctance, nurturing narration of fantasy and omnipotence in the image of gods, blessings, arrogance of pseudo science.  International community (as also organizations like UN, WTO, WHO so on -though making persistent efforts) has again failed us. And now we are at the mercy of apathy of authorities, greed of market and irresponsible ways of religions. Its going to get worse in poorer societies accentuated by climate led price rise (for instance flooding is spiking vegetable prices). It seems humans are mutating for self-destruction. Understanding the sentience of evolution this is troubling.       

The dead

 

When life abstracts into memory 

Does it still live?

Is it alive and excited for the day out?

Choosing the best dress and socks to match

Or does it need a reminder

Glint of sun against the sill

Or a whiff of fragrance in the crowded street

Warbler in the dense shade intonate each breath

To sync with every passing absences

To try the dead alive  

Secularism needs to be replaced with humanism

 

Any structure that nurtures systems that degrades humans is a constant threat to humanity. Secularism is an idea that was initiated with egalitarian intention of providing freedom to practice and propagate faith, that essentially regress into oppressive systems of religion. Religion isolates from reality into fantastical fictions that animated minds of people many centuries back. To put faith in these anachronistic systems (indeed ridiculous and juvenile if the harm is not this severe), that once assuaged the terrified ignorant souls with mounting uncertainties and threats, negates understandings and progress of last few decades hence severely degrades human capacity for critical thinking and connect to everchanging exciting reality. Religion seeks to trap and ossify mind into catacombs of dead thoughts and meaningless ways. It preys on human spiritual urges and natural fear of unknown. It extends solace and security but extracts heavy price on humanity. It is segregating and branding humans, increasing source of degradation, and is a major reason for strife among perfectly normal and decent humans with all their faculties alive being turned into snarling herds or tolerating actors devoid of basic sensibilities that defines humans. Faculties that developed critical thinking and ability to extrapolate data and facts into precious knowledge and understanding are being compromised. Verifiable evidences authenticated through science, rational inquiry and modern technologies are being questioned without any logic or even basic understanding of premise or skills of argumentation. It is as if everything is being reduced to a battle of binary. In primitive societies this battle is between religions while in more civilized societies religion pose itself as victim to reign in the herd.     

Religion creates individuals who pendulate between fate and entitlements. Beggar minds incapacitated to use their faculties they are led and deluded into fantastical narration and are easily exploited. The rise of fake news and easy acceptance of conspiracy theories points to herd's incapacity to handle reality. Evolved thoughts -democratic institutions being byproduct, cannot nurture such systems that seeks to convert humans into herds for the simple reason that herds are threat to democratic institutions, they constantly weaken egalitarian efforts and make democracy meaningless. Hard earned values of liberty and equality that defines humanity and nurtures individuals to their potential and possibilities is severely negated. Democratic values thrive with open mind, debates, discussions and interactions. Communication cannot happen when the other is not free and doesn’t matter when the other is incapacitated to use mental faculties hence cannot be equal. Communication happens and thoughts shared when people are free to express and think, assert their liberty and are placed in framework of equality. This breakdown of communication leads to prejudices, bigotry, and further spiraling of conspiracy theories among herds. This then severely impacts the functioning of democratic institutions and threatens the basic foundation of society.           

Religion has become an assault on humanity and contemporary sensibilities hence idea of secularism has become meaningless and oppressive. State cannot be a bystander when degrading system encroaches into vibrant spaces of humanity and attempts to create staid barren lands of god’s wishes, commands and swift repercussions for erring. Its pertinent to point out that all religions are not same though they all have the same pernicious potential to degrade into exploitable herds. Despite the strife the commonalities are more pronounced than the differences. Christianity has had devastating impact on humanity in the last few centuries through dark ages, colonial exploitations and racism -the pernicious slave system and apartheid. But reaction to Christianity gave space to reforming movements and renaissance, it gave space to modern developments as well as exploitations. Independent thinking and philosophies helped to consolidate and institutionalize ideas of liberty and freedom, democracy and modern values that help assert human rights. Connection to reality, hence observation skills, gave primacy to logical thinking and foundation of science through systematic studies. Though Christianity remains potently dehumanizing -in its varying degradation from gay rights to anti-abortion so on it has provided lots of space for protest and ridicule hence template to deal. The world though face serious threat from gun totting white supremacists as they encroach into institutions of powerful nation like USA. This is a live threat and has the potential to take the nation into civil war. Other religions have undergone reformation in varying degree but not to the extend of Christianity. Hinduism, though lacking a single rallying point and is dependent on outside to define and play victim, is a potent degradation that would shudder humanity to its core for its depravities. It has converted a vast population into fatalist herd who gnaw and brutalize each other. It has nurtured some extremely devious inbred people with highest estimation of themselves and entitlements hence infected with acute savior syndrome. Though caste cannibals have spread across the world their damage is limited by lack of spread and insular nature. Other religions like Jews, Buddhism, Shintoism, Sikhism etc. too are limited hence the degrading impact is confined. Not denying that where the numbers are more these have the same potential to degrade and dehumanize whether Hindus in India or Jews in Israel or Buddhists in Myanmar (though Buddhism negates god hence takes the sting out of degrading potential but the herds converted buddha into god and nurtured the degradation of religion). That brings us to Islam which carries all the horrors that religion as dehumanizing system presents, it’s being transported across with all its regressive ways intact without any questioning or scrutiny. The spread, reach and definite rallying point of miracle book and its pernicious references and interpretations makes it a live threat to every cherished ideas, enlightened thoughts and humanistic concerns. Religion is a threat to humanity and Islam represents the threat and immediacy since it is being mollycoddled as representation of minority and pushed in as beleaguered to a large part of the world. With its spread it has been persistently presenting problems to humanity, it is degrading democratic institutions, challenging human rights and undermining evolved thoughts. It is creating reactionary and regressive forces in other religions too -not that they need any provocation but yes an alibi to consolidate. Instead of pointing out the problem it is being presented as stand point for tolerance and lynchpin for adherence to democracy and freedom. Miseries cannot be delegated to common people since elite want to work out a narration to showcase themselves as benign meanwhile very much complicit in maintaining systems that bomb and exploit common people.

Its dehumanizing to identify humans through religion. It needs to be seen as personal choice and private matter. Secularism is a natural way to humanism hence ideas of secularism should have seen to it that state has no business to do with religion, and made every effort to negate it from public space as also stifle its effort to entrap common people. Ideally human beings were expected to evolve into these through increased understanding and thinking. Minority protection is an important component of civilized world and defining aspect of democracy but unfortunately, and frustratingly, it is usurped by religion and has redefined enlightened intent into its credulities. Minority ideas, the way these are held, expressed and understood needs protection. Ideas that majority find problematic but holds an evolved view to humanity needs protection and nurturing. Take for instance the issue of LGBTQ and understand how religion works to degrade while this minority idea holds that humans have choices that must be respected. Humanity thrives if these ideas are cherished. That is how minority needs to be defined. To tolerate anachronistic and violating religion is also numbing senses to protest against what is wrong and encroaching into humanity. To tolerate such violation on cherished values makes us less human hence must be resisted.

There are entrenched powers that have gained by keeping humans segregated and dehumanized into herds, these powerbrokers gain from status quo of degradation. They have manipulated egalitarian values into euphemism of transactions for short term gains. Devious elite section control narration (akin to Marxian controlling means of production), and in effect history of humanity is how these controls are expressed. As the societies moved from feudal to market to virtual the narrative control is where the power struggle is. These narrative controls are used to extract benefits and penalized those who stray. It is how deep state spreads its tentacles through democratic institutions, media and all expressions of power. Take for instance the monarchy patriotism narration that is controlled by deep state in Britain. Despite patently feudal and against democratic principles, hence humanity, these are pushed through control over narration. Protagonist changes and contexts vary but deep state’s control over the narration remains. It deals severely with any attempts to question the narration and distributes largesse generously for adhering to the same (for instance, the stampede for gandhian narrative benefits by worst kinds of people). They have consolidated narration for religion, defined religiophobia and explained minority protection that everyone is expected to adhere to despite glaring lacunas, untold misery to common people and severely degrading democratic institutions and cherished values. There is clearly an attempt to pander religion. Extolling religion is how benefits are accrued from deep state. Degraded societies are example where power, positions, literature, art…all extol religion for gain without critically examining nor any care or concern. This then give primacy to mediocrity and status quo exploitation hence nurture hypocrisy and apathy. Religion tarnishes the aesthetics of truth. It introduces ugliness of false absolutes.                     

Feudal cunning elite have been using religions to control people. Already reactionary forces accentuated by destabilizing climate concerns and pandemic are playing havoc. Humanity must assert that the system that is intolerant cannot be a reference to tolerance. It can only slide to bigotry and strife. Not having strife is not an achievement. To avoid strife is where the humanity compromises. It negates cherished values. In these virulent competing forces that segregates and drag hapless humans into medieval frames is where the possibilities of humanity is lost. Even the ever-limiting space that is left in religions for sane discourse is being bludgeoned by competing forces. They take human identities. They claim children, their innocence targeted. They occupy land. They claim regions as theirs. They infect even something as innocent as color, expression of art, language, food…so on. They seek to control our past, present and claim our future, its heart wrenching. Every space that is claimed by religion is a loss for humanity. With predatory claims of religion there is decreasing space for other narrations. There is no space for nuance or humanity. It is as if we are dragged into medieval setting and are made to glimpse and partake atrocious primitive ways despite having better understanding.

Religion cannot solve any of the crisis that humanity faces and is not part of any solution -it never was and it never will be, the framework is just incapable. If ever it is a compromise, a compromise over humanity, hence a violation. Meanwhile it causes daily nuisance and undermines the seriousness of the critical issues as also deflect it into superficial matters that humanity has least time for.  Isolated from reality herds are lost and become dead weight on human efforts. They will patronize and claim ‘god will save’, express love and community feeling in a redemptive effort. Yes, many become immune to deteriorating reality and are content with their blinkered ways and limited understanding. Studies show they live happily and longer. So do some crustaceans. To live as a human being needs effort, a capacity to be alive meanwhile painfully aware of absurdities, searing connection of senses to be present to the moment and the capacity and consciousness to decide what to attend. Religion negates this. There are however limits to which we can live the reality and express the same. Indeed, reality is expressing through our will to be free. Yes, one must assume Sisyphus to be happy. That seems to be the only way to align ephemeral with vastness of existence.  

 

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.