*In recent times I too have start to post few "cartoons" -not good at all, these are exigencies where words fall short so one has to use some other means to express.
The Coming Wave
India is set to face national general
elections next year and the cantankerous nonsense is back. This blogger, like
most common people in this country, strongly support the call for unified election.
We shouldn’t have state elections every now and then. All states must have
election simultaneously -ideally midway between each general election. Too many
elections are adding to nothing except more nuisance and trash talk. Being an overwhelmingly primitive society elections instigates rabid voices and regressive assertions. Herd controlling politicians,
media, religions, caste cannibals, viciously snarl at each other undermining
existential issues and immediate needs of collective good. They take narration away from common
people, sideline critical policy matters and crucial emerging issues. Democracy
is important but cannot be perpetually be stuck in the process itself that it
becomes a cruel joke on people -they are divided, dissected, eviscerated and
left for next election ‘mela’. Democracy starts within the family and society,
and a society reeked in patriarchy, regressive values nurtured by caste,
deviant degrading rituals, superstitions and servile devotions, if left with
the process will degrade it further. More time is needed for egalitarian value
system to nurture -for democracy to percolate. It also is significantly hinged
on policy makers, government, so on apart from education. Lacking intellectuals
or tradition of discourse (except through redacted retrofitted history and
squatter belch) this society uniquely lacks framework or nuances to capitalize on
freedom that democracy offers. If not careful and corrective actions taken then
with literacy and higher HDI this country will see its limit in Kerala. Beggar minded
middle class appropriating possibilities of education and HDI into all spectrum
of society and through lowest denominators of religions associate for their crass
consumerism. So, whether materially rich or poor they are mostly beggar minded
class with smaller and bigger houses eating the same food, watching the same
nonsense and aspiring for the same crass as they dig deeper pits of security. The so-called scientist and shopkeeper are only occupations of chance hence the demonstrations of fervent gratitude and servility. They could very
well be carcasses performing rituals. Education holds no potential. Literacy and HDI provided stability
to find bearing and equip to grow into better versions and enchanting world. This society peaked and
since lacked collective intelligence or civilized ways nor could nurture intellectual
probity or class hence slipped into itself, and now cannibalizes while constructing
narration of grand and seeking minor acknowledgment from anywhere in the world as
collective victory. Mimicking excellence and appropriating words out of context
to create its own narration of success and template for herd the pathetic don’t pass basic scrutiny on any parameter. And yes, I have spent quite
less time here and really don’t prefer except as a tourist or left in verdant nature -indeed such beautiful scenes.
A self-obsessed self-consuming bunch that holds no hope for humanity. In 1970s to
90s there were some vibrant people and fledgling of intellectual consolidations
and grassroot movements but these are now appropriated by herd -the middle
class eternally optimistic consumers spreading positive energy through nonstop
entertainment while family values and righteousness drip from every orifice. How much
rotten can it get? I am told this is happening all across the world with market
spreading through technology and weaponizing religions but other societies have
hinges of sanity, presence of strong intellectual traditions and space for excellence
that nurtures and spreads subtler aspects of life, newer and nuanced expressions of art, science and
thinking, these though varies in its size and strength across societies. In here it is absent and in its
place we have doppelgangers of mediocrities, obsession for record keeping/breaking
as parameter of evaluation and merit -necessarily a byproduct of hierarchical mindset, and
a nation celebrating headlines like “becoming second nation to hop on
the moon”. Outsiders find this misery churning chaotic mediocrities exotic.
Castetva forces degraded the society
for last many decades and the ecosystem they nurtured, it seems, is overwhelming
hindutva too hence reducing the possibilities of egalitarian ways of hinduism (ofcourse
within the juvenile anachronistic framework of religion). This harebrained idea
of changing India to Bharat will backfire. It was always used interchangeably
but this assertion of Bharat is foolhardy to say the least. Just because castetva
worked out acronym doesn’t mean hindutva should start hitting its head. We live
in global world and being a predominantly youth nation most youngsters are connected
globally. India, and being an Indian, has acquired strong value in the recent
few years and most youngsters prefer it that way. As it is hindutva is doing well on
perception and should win the next general election mainly due to lack of effective opposition -and its ranting leaders. Bharat can be used but don’t insist particularly with semi-literate muckraking
fringe leaders. They may think that with UCC and Ram mandir as trump card they can mesmerize
the herd – and surely they will, but the climate breakdown impact is looming
and will be a major factor, all else is sideshow.
We are moving into a climate state
where unprecedented is becoming normal. Weather records are being broken on
daily basis, biodiversity vanishing without we even being aware of them and our
vocabulary too is failing to grasp the fasting changing reality. India, that is
Bharat, as is pointed by many studies is extremely climate vulnerable and with
more that billion people is in serious bother. Add to lack of egalitarian value
system with even basic understanding of terms like community. In this country
hundreds and thousands of people die everyday for no fault of theirs, these are
mostly ignored or manipulated as minor law and order issue that languishes in tardy
squatter seized judicial system forever. Climate breakdown is going to kill
millions of most vulnerable. We have seen how state collapsed during peak of covid.
We are no longer having rain or monsoon but cloud burst and intense episodes of
rain this will vanish into drought in few months. Himalayan glaciers too are drying up. Have they made arrangements
to collect rainwater being fully aware what the situation is going to be few
months from now -and let me add, in the election year if nothing else is
motivating them? Sponge cities are one such initiatives that could be emulated -just to give an example. Create underground
storage stadiums like structures in big cities to collect rainwater runoff as
also act as recreational space during low water. Already erratic monsoons and
flooding has destroyed crop. There is an agro-climatic crisis in the horizon
that cannot be only handled with stored foodgrains since what we are looking at
is collapse. Very soon prices of many food items are going to shoot up and vanish
from shelves. Drought will accentuate heat wave. All indicators point to an
unprecedented temperature rise, and this will also lead to forest fires. As things
stand even evergreen western ghats are no longer safe.
Is India, that is Bharat, prepared? Or is hindutva going to fall for well laid traps of castetva and waste time? One of the pernicious castetva snare is feeling of grand -an entitled place in the universe, the arrogance that see people as expendable meanwhile cunningly espousing high morals as distraction. If hindutva is working this template then they are digging their own grave or, to be hindutva appropriate, lighting their own pyre. Nature has already sent warning signs. Ignore it at your own peril.
The other day someone was mentioning “heat
wave”, but when something is becoming too normal -it is no longer episodic, will you still refer to it as “wave”.
This brings in the issue of want of appropriate words to define fast changing scenario presented
by climate breakdown. Climate catastrophe needs new vocabulary to exact and
express. Our words are stuck in the meanings derived from the era of nurturing
and predictable climate. We can learn from indigenous people who are much
closer to nature and are able to work the nuance of nature as it presents. For instance,
Inuit people who live in arctic where snow and ice play a significant role have
many ways to define ice. Siku a general term for ice in Inuktitut. It can refer
to sea ice, freshwater ice, or any form of ice. Pukak is used to describe thin
ice or the thin crust that forms on the surface of water. Nilak refers to sea
ice that is safe to walk on. It is solid and thick enough to support a person's
weight. Aput refers to snow and ice together, encompassing the frozen landscape
as a whole. Taqulik is used for the ice that forms around the edges of water,
such as the shoreline of a lake or the sea ice near the coast. Tuttu is used to
describe large, heavy ice floes, especially those found in the open ocean. Hopi tribe for instance have a specific word for very hot day -Tavaqkwv. Like in English
rain is aptly communicated with words like drizzle, deluge so on. But when we
have more than what is so far experienced as deluge -like cloud burst or more
intense downpour, then we need new words to communicate. Words have evolved with
time hence were able to specifically communicate the needs of slow changing world. When the world is changing fast it needs new vocabulary to define the unprecedented that is becoming normal.
When Schindler’s List -an iconic Hollywood movie that dealt with holocaust, was released in early 1990s there was a news (indeed a minor mention in the sidelines of mid pages here in India, now this was much before internet and ‘cable’ tv was limited) that few youngsters were found giggling while watching those horrific scenes. I found this news intriguing; indeed, I too had limited knowledge on these events ((Life during those days was trained to be ‘within the syllabus’, munching and regurgitating, and praying to work the fate -the meaninglessness of degraded form of education that the collective intelligence of society could conceive and value, it took me lots of effort and constant vigilance to remove this infection from my system. Sadly, the employees at ISRO represent the same failure of education and assertion of beggar’s mindset -of working favor/fate by pleasing and being pleased. The hierarchy of humbleness and well-defined deals to appease. What a pathetic life that even possibilities of education are negated. Since I had spent some time at Space Centre -my impressionable mind was impressed, I kept an eye on the happenings here. But these people have constantly shocked me with their regressive ways (in mid 1990s I recall quite distinctly some even participated in rituals facilitated by squatters to appease god for boon of boy child! Imagine the mindset at work here. Meanwhile charlatan squatter has repertoire of deal with god for sake of people) lack of context or application of mind)). So, people were stupefied by the ignorance of these youngsters and lack of empathy while watching these scenes. Some of the students countered that these were nervous giggle or that they found the scenes awkward. Nevertheless, they were removed from theater, later attempts were made by authorities to make them visit concentration camps and read about holocaust. Now, in 2023 Indian moviemakers went to Auschwitz and created cringe entertainment of self-obsessed ways that define these people, even untold horrors of holocaust becomes a prop for their fancy and minor learning about their own ego. These are special people.
Few months back I spent some time
to go through this fellow, actually few indicators are enough to estimate these
despicable people. Believe me it is absolute waste of time, and it is unlike me. The
intention though is to broaden to understand the ecosystem that nurtured these
people, and how much society had to pay for these. So, few decades back one of
the costliest Indian movie was released, and when they put more money you can
be rest assured they will dig the depth of mediocrity and crass as
entertainment. I didn’t watch it -for godsake, but scanned it randomly to
understand the fellow who has scripted this (unlike other movies which were
coscripted). Atrocious movie to even scan through, how can people even write
these kind of crap? Now there is a pivotal scene wherein a pigeon is shown carefully
picking up number from cards to identify vehicle number or so it has witnessed
of some crime committed, I think. I used to find some Indian movies interesting
for the ridiculous since it had something I could never even conceive, ofcourse
within the cringe frame of sexism, patriarchy and other crap that this society
is incapable to be sensitive, crude as entertainment. The ridiculous can be
funny in the fantastic turn of unexpected even in the lowest form of aesthetics,
the slapstick. When fun is also sought by some by taking people for stupid -lacking
intelligence, is where the problem is. It is a reflection of contempt for
common people that one can even think of writing such a script. This same
contempt for common people and lack of aesthetics is what prompts one to create
cake depicting slum. And that the fellow is claiming to be an artist is what
makes it worst. The depravity is astounding. This is slum cake mindset. It is
uniquely Indian.
If poverty is a crime, who commits
the crime? The poor are to therefore seek the offense before they are punished.
The fate is the offense that finds itself hence is open to ridicule and
contempt. They will have to now beg to recognize their guilt. They have been acknowledged.
There is celebration. They will however not understand how this is funny. A sick
joke is a joke if you are outside the joke. Inside a sick joke it is horror. The
horror of trapped in everyday living and dying. There is no Shakespearean
grandeur in this tragedy. There is not even consolation to be alive except to
be laughed at. So, while they sink in their horrible lives atleast they made us
laugh and are lucky to be chosen reason for a cake for us to celebrate. Such is
the blessing.
The cake, I am told, tasted delightful and I am not sure whether they had group orgy on it and kink fulfilment but yes muck filled drainage was the pièce de résistance. The squelchy texture was finger licking real for which the tacky fellow got an extra helping.
Post script: Slum cake mindset is
something I wanted to write about for some time now. There are problems when
you write about attention seekers, they enjoy it as also use their PR for
possibilities of branding or at the least play victim (that is the nearest they
can come to be victim -indeed there is a stampede to play victim and position
for gain as also fertile ground to represent common people). Now, I came to
know about slum cake only few months back -more than a decade later. If I knew
this before I wouldn’t have wasted my time travelling all the way, I became extremely
vulnerable almost a decade back, nothing much, and I cringe even the thought of
having visited these people. It was difficult to forgive myself. These are the
worst kind of people, and to be noted, nurtured by castetva forces as brand-
they in turn emulate the depravities of sycophants and manipulate narration
that fancy the moment. These are the people whom I tried to get in touch but
ticked them out within no time, having confirmed what kind of depraved people
are these. Ofcourse for me writing was prime factor -and writing atleast
500words per day was what I targeted to be writer of some reckoning, hence I
let it work meanwhile tried to improve my writing skills as also delve on
issues of concern, and moved out to blog as soon as I got the opportunity.
These people have positioned as
artists, and gain credibility through state awards and largesse. What I have
noted is that there was a stampede for state awards, positions, RS seat and UN
ambassadorship so on, and you could see them going in heat. Earlier it confused
me when they unexpectedly ransacked TV studios showing concern for common
people and dire warning with controversial statements, when they had no movie to
release -they go into heat before movie release -the juvenile market logic
being if you attract attention during these few days herd will be impressed
enough to part with money. The level of grandeur and self-obsession -among,
arguably one of the least talented people, is astounding if not psychopathic.
Many even ghost write their autobiographies as if world had not got enough of
them. Even our fellow (any resemblance to real, as they say, is purely
coincidental!) has written one. It is also an indication for bigger intent, as
a summation for those within their little world to take note and envy. It’s not
manipulation of the moment but consolidation of constructed past as branded
gift for humanity, a blessing for us. The onus is now on humanity to receive this
blessing as a favor for our existence, a gratitude for something we are
incapable to understand.
Education is meant to understand.
To bring in full estimation of you as an individual placed in time and
context, and the implication of it. It is to equip you to wrench your indelible
impression from billions of lives, linking vibrant minds of past with evolving present, and to weigh in on
ideas to weave a vibrant world. Education extends the link of humanity towards possibilities. Education is the vibrant
sense of presence. It is an awareness on what is to be a human, the precious individuality and freedom. A good education grants freedom.
Good education though is rare, and is
impossible in the ecosystem of market driven needs and when valued with certainties
of religion. Education therefore becomes a ritual, and is stuck in the basics of
literacy without any potential or hope. Learning becomes a ritual. The ritual
of feeding and regurgitating, which then is evaluated for merit and use. Literacy is a ritual of learning the rules, prevailing facts and empirical evidences.
Literacy equips us to be educated. When literacy fails to assimilate education is
reduced to ritual. In the process the human is reduced and becomes scheme to
work on the ritual for the systems that benefits. It is weaponized to meet the
aspirations of middle-class insecurities. It creates thriving beggar’s mindset.
Middle class here is not entirely
an economic classification based on income so on. It is a mindset. A mindset
that has overwhelming presence in society hence majoritarian thus deciding
tenor of given society. Lacking deeper understanding or thinking, carried by
exigencies of situation, they are mired in insecurities and battered by
tribulations of life. They desperately seek security and stability. Hence, they amass (many
billionaires and millionaires are beggar minded rich people. They just worked
the system to amass money or power or luxuries but their mind is still middle class, trapped in insatiable middle class needs). They strive as pallbearers of dying inconsequential traditions and degrading culture of sentiments attached to inherited -atavistic residue that they carry to deal with ever changing world. They shape the world in this conservative restricted ways lacking sensibilities to value progress or capacity for nuance. Lacking reflective thinking or self awareness they are incapable to evaluate
meanings or egalitarian options. Ill-equipped for long-term awareness they look
for quick fixes and easy solutions. So, when abstract or existential presents
itself it scares them into the lap of sureties offered by juvenile faiths and nostalgic warmth of inane. Instead of
education equipped steps towards egalitarian self-awareness they seek simplistic
versions to satisfy their primal needs. The human is reduced in the ritual to
maximize for the system. Middle class needs are easily dealt within the matrix of
the self-consuming system. Art, literature and commerce attunes to satisfy and
gain from them. Middle class hence becomes the standard bearers. Thus, the
overwhelming mediocrity in every field that strives on middle class aspirations, from entertainment to literature to technology. The space for excellence
shrinks as middle class expands. They create their own heroes in their own
image, aspirations, and celebrate. Entertainment creates narration that eulogizes their staid ways as virtue, religion adds morals to this morass of prefabricated
world.
They create myths of stability
immune to chaos of life. They thrive in hierarchal systems and ritualistic repetition hence seek surety of authority, if not an all dictating god -and their
agents, then atleast a leader exhibiting sure footed tendencies. The pleased and pleasing are in a loop. Middle class
therefore degrade democracy and egalitarian ideals by encouraging authoritarian tendencies. The reason why J.Krishnamurthi -philosopher educationist, worked
education to remove all forms of authority. He was concerned about Indian tradition
that allowed for ritual, belief and unquestioning devotion. His idea of education
was ‘critical looking’ -much immediate than critical thinking, and a step towards
‘choiceless awareness’ that harbingers inquisitive ways. He valued holistic education
as essential for an “inner renewal that can effect social transformation and
indeed lead to societal change”. Before I continue on this let me add when I was
in my late 20s I took out some time to try to understand the whole idea of
education and search innovative means of pedagogy (I was into bit of teaching so
thought of exploring it in depth). I read few thinkers as also visited few
places across the country which explored these ideas. I did read Montessori,
and found influence in Indian thinkers like Aurobindo (did take few classes at Mirambika in Delhi),
Tagore (visited Shantiniketan in Bengal few times, he was quite influenced by Renaissance
and the Age of Reason as also best of Indian thoughts), Krishnamurthi (spent few days at Rishivally, Andhra) as
also Vivekananda, Osho, Russell (Education and Good Life) and Rousseau. Rousseau’s Emile is quite influential and
foundational in many ways. His concern of education was not to create “magistrate,
nor soldier, nor priest” but “primarily, a man’, or shall we say a human. Tagore
too concerned education with humanism “freedom and creativity are linked in
Tagore’s thought, one conditioning the other. The more people go beyond the
limitations of their animal nature, the closer they come to humanism, freedom
and unity and are then able to develop their creativity”. He valued education
as “clear stream of reason” that “has not lost its way into the dreary desert
sand of dead habits”. It is quite clear that insecurities of middle class have lost
the potential of education and inherent values of humanity into “dreary desert sand
of dead habits”. Valued books are being banned in spaces that once gave hope. Vibrant ideas censored by religion and market. Human being are loosing connection with their reality and are dehumanized into systems.
When Apollo 11 landed on moon in 1969 Neil Armstrong was the first astronaut to disembark, he said these memorable line "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind". That truly was a giant step for humankind, so is the recent installation of Webb telescope or CERN experiments -though some disappointment for particle/experimental physics. Sputnik in 1957 and Vostok with Yuri Gagarin in 1961 though clouded under cold war animosity these too were giant step for humankind. These achievements are common heritage for humanity. Things have changed in recent times. Most recent attentions towards space are not benign nor for the benefit of humanity -although the euphemism is compelling. Market capitalism has churned out regrettable billionaires with severely limited intellect or responsible ways while they vandalized earth. The spectacle is choregraphed for the spectacular effect. Branding itself is a justification for higher intent. Market has projected these as smart solutions with obvious reference for billionaires as saviors. In this ecosystem of self-obsessive valuation of world everything is tagged and resourced to be exploited. Meanwhile severe climate breakdown and catastrophic effect on people and biodiversity is channelized as viral videos or mother nature’s wrath so on without any context or horrendous reality that humanity is being exposed. Market capitalism, religions and politicians have deep investment to keep the herd distracted as long as they can. Severity of climate breakdown though is causing consternation among increasing populace, they are jostled out of market goodies filled dreamworld choices into flash flood, heat waves, forest fire, very soon spiraling food prices. They see temples, mosques, churches, so on wash away, faith in material not holding, cozy negotiated sureties disappear, while politicians stutter. They are scampering for new narration to contain the herd. Incapable to factor reality herd will seek redemption in myth and fantasies, this momentary distractive respite is the peace that faith mongers offer.
Two hundred
years back naval and navigation technology became more sophisticated. Some countries
were able to reach far off places and use advanced armaments to capture land
and people to exploit for resources. Sophistication of technology did not advance
humanity. It led to slavery and wanton exploitation. It led to colonization. Technological
sophistication is not same as scientific achievement. Scientific achievements necessarily
advance humanity. Science by its very framework is humanist. Technology meanwhile
is a tool. It is limited by the humans that use it.
It was quite an exciting night at World Athletics Championship at Budapest Hungary on the banks of river Danube (yes they do play Strauss' Blue Danube and it reminds me of iconic scene from Kubrick's Space Odyssey 2001. Recently I also happen to watch a rare Hitchcock black and white comedy on Strauss II and how he created this music -not sure whether it's historically accurate depiction nevertheless it was really not the kind of movie in Hitchcock genre). So, the longest men's event 10,000m and shortest, or shall we say fastest, event 100m were at display. Running is sports at its best.
Climate change is sharply spiking temperature
across the globe in the last few years -despite cooling La Nina, the situation
is spiraling at an alarming rate with El Nino consolidation. With ocean absorbing additional heat from global warming El Nino is becoming intense. As you can see suddenly
monsoon rains have vanished, and if ever erratic, intense, lasting for short
period, and then the sky is clear as ever. Rain these days carry ominous threat
of deluge. Rain no longer is languorous drizzle that invites for a long walk among
the rain soaked trees, cycling along brimming rain carpeted oceans, boating in the backwater…rain
these days are dreadful possibilities of floods and landslides. Rain is harbinger of tragedies. Summer is heat wave.
There is a character in The
Book of Laughter and Forgetting (by Milan Kundera) Mirek who remarks that
“The struggle of man against power is the struggle of memory against
forgetting”. One of the pernicious attempts of herd controlling systems is to make
people forget. Controlling and manipulating memory is an assault on being a human.
Species evolve to survive by awareness of surroundings, lack of awareness and incapacity
to sense evolving habitat will make them vulnerable hence extinct. Memory is
significant aspect of consciousness and helps to evolve new thoughts and ideas hence
limited awareness and flawed sensing leads to controlled. Lacking discerning
skills sycophancy acquires survival template. Individuals many times try to forget
injustice to seek solace. Forced to forget -by herd controlling totalitarian
forces -whether State, Religion or Market, through control of state
institutions or deep entrenched systems, redacted history, supplanted myths of
glory, narrative will to power and entitled worldview, redundant degrading choices,
is to deceive basic sensibilities that define being a human and is to deny
diversity of human experience.
As the world gets connected and
individuals get atomized through technologies, ideas and aspirations as also
social conditions, we find that humans are also inexperienced in this emerging,
seemingly alienating, context of life they find themselves in. This moment is
what we got. This human condition is explored by prescient minds, and will have
to be experienced to value life, its meaning and meaninglessness, possibilities
and impossibilities. We will have to shed primal practices and medieval
securities that have lulled us to uncertainties of life and omnipresent chaos
in the horizon. Ensuing arrogance and entitled place in the life scheme is
challenged and falls short of every scrutiny reality presents. Irony -of
existence, is what is experienced, and very soon we realize that this is the defining
human condition. The improbable irony of being alive.
Irony irritates certainties -that
define herd controlling systems. So instead of creating awareness, exploring
ideas and frameworks of aesthetics to explore and evolve with amazing
opportunity presented, what we get is insidious attempts to manipulate and
control by nurturing herd valuing systems. Instead of aesthetics of diversity
and myriad expressions that coalesce into collective synergy what we get is grotesque
fantasies to ensnare and dehumanize -to impose systems on others and silence
them into submission. It is an attempt to provide easy solutions to existential
uncertainties of contemporary world and eternal absurdity. It is an attempt at
pandering egos of herd controllers and the worst of humanity at the expense of
common people. It is a vulgar imposition of herd will on common people.
Some extremely devious people are
working to normalize herd controlling systems specifically religion -which
works in tandem with power (State) and money (Market). Also, communism
(referred to as Left) has the habit of identifying with herd (in the garb of
minority) -in an enlightened society religion cannot be defining factor at all
since it rarely evaluate human being as human. Minority voices are undermined
when religion usurp this space. In the dialectical materialistic version of
history humans are just pawn. In this scheme eventual emancipation is that of
humanity lacking humans but comrades. This reductive obscene version of human
is not unsimilar to what religion or market proposes. These are fake binaries
to control for power. It also needs to be pointed out that not all religions
are same. This semantic generalization is flawed. It doesn’t really factor in important
aspects of journey and contexts of each religion and their impact on the individual
and the world. You cannot codify each religion into same scale. Ofcourse this isn’t
about showcasing superiority and exceptionalism but to bring out critical
aspect of understanding. What need to be made clear though is that whatever the
context of each religion in the evidence of contemporary world it has more nuisance
value than anything else and is a persistent threat to humanity. This
anachronistic pestilence has been segregating, dehumanizing and degrading, and
over the centuries and decades some religions were challenged and hence evolved,
or interpreted to update, with the need of the time. While some have stuck in
space time warp to ensnare common people into ever widening medieval mindset
immune to contemporary reality hence present a constant threat. The progress we
have made has much to do with ecosystem that some religions have provided or
tolerated or help ignore. Christianity, has seen criticism, reformations and debate -working on rationalism and reason, hence
relatively tolerant space, as also protest and assertion of common people to
support the best among them against the onslaught of juvenile premise that they
started to ridicule. Sacred was also profane. These ecosystems have elemental
impact on the way people pursue their thoughts, deliberated and decided. Likes of Francis Bacon was impossible in any other ecosystem hence rapid progress of human civilization. Judaism too provided an ecosystem that nurtured best of humans as is evident from
contribution to humanity. Let’s be clear these scientists or philosophers were
not practicing religion, nor did gave a damn about religion, but they benefited
from the ecosystem which quite clearly many religions were incapable to provide.
Buddhism invested in humans to provide subtle expressions and peaceful
meaningful life for centuries. Zen is pinnacle of possibilities of human mind. This
is not about Christianity or Judaism or indeed Buddhism -to take few examples, what
is clear from the contemporary evaluation of religions is that they are firmly
rivetted in juvenile premise -that surely is dehumanizing and degrading, and capitalize
on insecurities of people. Buddhism is as violent and viciously herd churning
as any other including Hinduism -brutalities against which it was proposed (if
temples were destroyed by Muslim invaders -nothing wrong in the context of the
time indeed welcomed, then study must be conducted regarding Buddhist temples
destroyed and appropriated by Hindus). In the contemporary evaluation, by the
very definition and premise, all religions without exceptions are dehumanizing and prey on human insecurities and uncertainties of life.
They have no value for human being, and seek to control and propagate. They
hold nothing for humanity to face the challenges of future nor add any value to
progressive thoughts. Faith as it exists in religion -anchored in miracles and instructive ideas of many centuries back, is not compatible with critical thinking gained from contemporary understanding. Modern mind and social relations cannot be trapped in juvenile conceptions and regressive value systems that it perpetuates. Herds live in glory of past and have fantastical fatalist
view of future, an outcome of lack of application of mind. They are provided all the
answers. This surety adds to the danger. They are no longer human but herd
waiting to be instructed, and at the most they can contribute is by innovating
within status quo needs, some incremental money savers or staid creative
expression to be good herd members and reaffirm herd values. Sometimes we do
come across surprisingly subtle and elevated creative expressions attributed to
religion (in the contemporary world, not what happened few centuries back which is entirely different context) that one doubts can really emerge from juvenile
controlling narrow premise of religion. These elevated experiences are
spiritual that precedes religion. These yearnings are part of human
consciousness hence cannot be appropriated by religion as religious experience.
What is not confined cannot be part of narrow systems and its simple
elaborations and prescriptions written when people lived in caves. Religion is
too small a space for immensity of life.
Religiophilia, particularly Islamophilia, of the West has become serious threat, and has potential to undermine all the amazing progresses made by humanity over the centuries. Appropriating progressive semantics to nurture religion is a new low. They have used UN to institutionalize degrading values (UN has become sideshow for redemption while they exaggerate cold war relic NATO). Burning specific book may not be an aesthetic expression of protest nevertheless it is an indelible part of freedom and what it is to be a human. OIC inciting violence is a serious breach and characteristic pattern that should be worrying, and they should have been warned -it fulfills definition of inciting terrorism. A book or any fantastical myth or ritual or cow cannot be under any circumstance valued over human life. These primitive brutal ways have no place in civilized settings. It is a blatant use of religion to bludgeon and blackmail. It can be said with much certainty that contemporary Islam, specifically sunni version, has created an ecosystem that pose as a threat with least of contribution to humanity. Not that other religions are not a threat. Religious nutcases in every religion and region have created barren pockets of depravities across the world. They demand exceptionalism and consider themselves as superior as if god is on direct call with them. While some carry gun in the name of god to kill people others carry caste to eviscerate soul. It’s a severe mental crisis that instead of being pointed out as absurd is being validated as freedom. Attack on Iraq -leading to killing and maiming of millions of innocent people, complicity of media in ‘sexing up’, greed for fossil fuel, inability to prosecute Blair, has made monarchist Christian feudal compromised Britain particularly vulnerable. Pretentious western elite are using common people across the world as fodder. West is seeking redemption through islamophilia. It’s a serious breach. Spread, reach, money, as also lack of meaningful revolt or protest within the religion -trapped in brutal medieval setting, makes Islam -specifically the sunni version, a serious threat to idea of progressive world. It has emboldened regressive violent forces in other religions, cults, as well as the state. You cannot hide behind Islamophobia -it can only be dealt case by case basis; no religion can be given carte blanche against criticism or scrutiny. We are not fodder for religious supremacist nutcases nor are we ready to sacrifice democracy and liberty -hard earned values that defines each human on this planet, and all the possibilities of future, for regressive values posing as diversity. No religion is sacrosanct nor sacred. What impacts humanity is open for questioning. All the technologies that empower me, and common people around the world, right from internet to each and every part of laptop or mobile phone I use- the electrons to satellite, the ideas and thoughts behind it, has not come from Saudi -despite the fact that it’s one of the richest societies (its contribution to humanity woefully lacking nor do we expect anything much in future, and there is a reason. It’s quite likely they are investing hugely in western media to work the narration), it has come from open societies that nurtured inquisitive values and potential in human beings through critical thinking, reasoning, debate and differences. All the ideas and systems that nurture me, and common people across the world, like democracy, liberty, valuing contrary ideas and egalitarian thoughts, asking every possible question that arise in mind, reading wide range of books -and not to follow any one book or scripture or idea but to understand, seeking answers and accepting with scrutiny, respecting human irrespective of gender or region or race, being empathetic and be aware of human frailties and contemporary realities, has not come from any Mosque (or Temple or Church or any herd churning pit and its pedantic sickening morals). That doesn’t mean everything about religion is crap some mentions are poetic, amusing, and interesting insights. Nothing more can be granted to it. Period. Religion by its very premise is a threat to humanity. Be very wary of herd controllers who use benign ideas and progressive semantics to degrade the world. There is money, control and power riding on posturing. A society that protects most vulnerable thoughts, contrarian ideas, and nurture weakest person to his/her fullest potential, is deemed advanced and progressive, is richer to contemporary realities and equipped to face future complexities. Most importantly we must not forget, they will make every attempt to make us forget -that is first step towards being controlled. We must read, objectively verify, critically scrutinize, and understand. We are mere mortal to seek truth we can only try to understand and value as much this miracle of life.
I asked for ChatGPT's response by feeding my article (earlier blog "Mere technicians are not scientists"). Though it was critical of my stance but when i provided the context (since it cannot read pictures, nor did i mention details in my writing -actually i am quite tired of elaborating their antics, they have been doing it for long and every time breach is large) as also mediocre Indian media lacks the caliber. This is the response of ChatGPT (what i like about ChatGPT is that it is always succinct and to the point):
...media coverage plays a significant role in shaping public perception and discourse on various issues, including the actions of scientific institutions and professionals. When certain practices, such as carrying miniature models of rockets to temples for blessings, are not critically covered or are normalized in the media, it can indeed contribute to a lack of balance in the public's understanding of the situation.
Media organizations have an ethical responsibility to provide objective and unbiased reporting on all matters, including those related to science and scientific institutions. When there is a failure to critically examine practices that may raise legitimate concerns, it can hinder constructive discussions and accountability.
A lack of critical media coverage may lead to the normalization of certain actions, making it challenging to address potential breaches in professional conduct or conflicts between religious beliefs and scientific principles.
Kuhn elaborates that scientists
normally don’t aim to invent new theories they attempt to “force nature into the
performed and relatively inflexible box that paradigm supplies”, he calls it
normal science as against paradigm-based science. The area investigated by
normal science are, ofcourse miniscule, with “drastically restricted vision”. But
these are born “from the confidence in a paradigm” and is essential in the development
of science. By focusing on small range of relatively esoteric problems the
paradigm forces scientists to investigate “some part of nature in detail and
depth” that would otherwise be unimaginable. Also, some scientists have great
reputation, not from novelty of their discoveries, but from “the precision, reliability,
and scope of methods that they developed for the redetermination of a previously
known sort of facts”. So, there are three classes of scientific problems: determination
of significant fact, matching of facts with theory, and articulation of theory.
There are extraordinary problems, and their resolution is what makes scientific
enterprise worthwhile. They though emerge only on special occasions prepared by
the advance of normal research. Inevitably, therefore, the overwhelming
majority of the problems undertaken by even the best scientists usually fall
into one of the three categories. Kuhn elaborates on commitments without which
no man or woman is a scientist. The scientist “must be concerned to
understand the world and to extend the precision and scope with which it has
been ordered” which must lead to “scrutinize some aspect of nature in great empirical
detail”, and if the scrutiny displays “pockets of disorder” then it must
challenge to “refinement of observational technique” or to a “further articulation
of theories”. Kuhn importantly brings another aspect of normal science, that of
puzzle solving -a problem characterized by more than one assured
solution. For instance, Japanese space agency’s extremely sophisticated scientific
mission Hayabusa2 discovery of uracil from Ryugu (a near earth asteroid found
within the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter) was an attempt to solve puzzle
of origin of life.
